Friday, February 24, 2012

2012 Puerto Rico Championship Crowns 10 first time Major Champions



Coco Beach, PR—Golf Channel Amateur Tour’s 2nd annual Puerto Rico Championship concluded on Sunday morning.  Sunny skies, no wind, and soft greens proved amicable to good scoring.  Tour Players across all flights were able to take advantage and go low in the final round, with the top three finishers and ties, per flight, securing their spot in the 2012 National Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Ten out of the eleven winners were first time major winners. 

Pedro Feurtes of Carolina, Puerto Rico used a birdie, par finish on Sunday to shoot a low round of the tournament 74.  He overcame a two shot deficit coming into the final round to get into a playoff with Victor Cabreara of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.  In the playoff Pedro won the first playoff hole with a par to become the Puerto Rico Champion at 9-over par 153. 

In the Palmer Flight Troy Rogers of Louisville, Kentucky overcame first round leader Eduardo Vizcarrondo of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico to win by four shots over 2nd place finisher Daniel D’Loughy of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  Rogers won the flight at 18-over par 162

In the Hogan Flight, Chris Cagnolatti from Long Beach, California won in a playoff over local favorite Juan Zalduondo of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.  Robert Simpkiss from Palmer, Massachusetts was the first round leader with a 78 but he could not hold onto the lead as Cagnolatti and Zalduando each surged past him as they each made two birdies on the back nine to pass the first round leader.

Randy Throgmorton of Carbondale, Illinois overcame a tough Sarazen Flight to win his first Sarazen Major Championship trophy.  Sebastian Renta of Caguas, Puerto Rico could not hold onto his overnight lead as seven Sarazen players shot in the 80’s to try to win the coveted title in the Sarazen Flight.  Jose De Armas of Miami, Florida made up 17 shots from his previous round as he shot a low final round of 82.

The Jones Flight saw some great scoring on Sunday.  Frank Rohrschneider of Renton Washington shot an 84 to hold off Scotty Wade of Lithia Springs, Georgia.  Wade fired the low round of the day in the flight, an 80, but it was still not enough to catch Rohrschneider who claimed the flight by a narrow stroke. 

In the Snead Flight Lathan Lewis Atkinson of Tampa, Florida opened up the tournament with an 85 that included an eagle to be the first round leader but could not keep the momentum as William Dawsey of Tampa, Florida came from behind as he matched the low round with an 85 of his own to win the Snead Flight at 33-over par. 

In the Senior Palmer Flight, Bob Tartaglia of Wallingford Conneticut was a wire to wire winner as he held off last year’s champion Peter Sorrentino from Pampano Beach, Florida by two shots.  Tartaglia opened up with a great round of 74 on the first day to take a two shot advantage that he was able to hold onto to win his first two day Major Championship.

In the Senior Hogan Flight a first time major champion was also crowned as Jerry Edwards from Louisville, Kentucky played consistently for two days to win by three shots over Don Jongewaard of New Berlin, Wisconsin and four shots over Ross VanDooser of Knightdale, North Carolina. 

In the Senior Sarazen Flight Jim Stone of Palm Harbor, Florida overcame a four shot deficit to win his first major championship by beating Bruce Legrand of Houston, Texas by three shots and Stewart Campbell of Dennisville, New Jersey by four shots.

In the Senior Jones flight, Ivan Marin of Miami, Florida shot two consistent rounds of 85 to win by six shots over new member Steve Bostic of Atlanta, Georgia and seven shots over Roberto Goas of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In the Senior Snead flight, Ken Gold of Franklin Park, New Jersey won by two shots over first round leader Tommy O’Harte of Tequesta, Florida to win his first two day major championship.


A special Thank you goes out to all the players of the Puerto Rico Championship as they raised $1300 for the Troops First Foundation.

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