Top amateurs to compete in South Florida tourneys
The holidays are upon us and, as usual, so are some of the best amateur golfers in the world.
Four major South Florida amateur tournaments will be taking place in rapid-fire progression, starting with the Dixie Amateur and the Doral-Publix Junior Classic opening up Tuesday.
The South Beach International Amateur, which offers one of the world’s best amateur fields, begins a day later on Wednesday. The Junior Orange Bowl International Championship is slated for Jan. 3-6.
Whichever of the events you attend, you should be getting a solid glimpse of golf’s future stars.
A quick rundown of the four tournaments:
Dixie Amateur: There are men and women divisions in this event that start Tuesday and run through Friday. Play for the men is at TPC Eagle Trace Golf Club and Heron Bay with a cut after 36 holes. The women will compete at Woodlands Country Club with a cut after 54 holes. The Dixie Amateur was founded in 1924 and is Florida’s oldest tournament. Undoubtedly, the Dixie Amateur’s most notable competitor is Tiger Woods. Woods, not only as an adult but particularly as a youth, did not lose much. However, the Dixie Amateur championship eluded him as Woods lost in the final as a 16-year-old. Lexi Thompson, a LPGA superstar who is currently the highest ranked American in the world, won the 2009 women’s title.
South Beach International Amateur: If you are looking for up-and-coming talent, the South Beach event is the place to wander the fairways of Miami Beach Golf Club and Normandy Shores Golf Club this Wednesday through Saturday. The tournament, founded and developed by Jeff Hunt, has moved up into the world elite of amateur events.
Doral-Publix Junior Golf Classic: If you want a mixture of youth and golf, this is the absolutely best place to find it. The event begins Tuesday on various courses at Trump National Doral and runs through Dec. 23. The 13-and-unders play Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the annual Adamonis Cup tournament on Thursday and finally the 14-and-older players teeing it up Friday through Sunday. The event is run by The First Tee of Miami, and that means the emphasis is on life values and education. The biggest name to compete in the Doral-Publix would probably be Rory McIlroy. In 1988, McIlroy won the 8to 9-year old division. Many years later as a PGA pro, he signed his golf bag and donated it to The First Tee.
Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship: This tournament occurs Jan. 3-6, a week later than its normal dates because of changes in college recruiting regulations and also having the finishing touches being put on the recently revamped Biltmore course, which is the longtime home of the Junior OB. This will be the 55th year of the Junior OB, and players who have competed include Woods, Thompson, Bubba Watson, Mark Calcavecchia, Tracy Kerdyk, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Chris Couch and Grace Park.