Wild One @ Cimarrone Recap

The HIT training continues to improve my game. Two doubles and a trip were the only major blemishes on an otherwise solid outing Saturday. My 80 was good enough for 4th place, and one of my four birdies held up to win a big Giant $kin. Thing are looking up just in time for the first major of the year.

This past Saturday April 15th, TAX DAY; the Jacksonville AAGT held it's 4th event of the season at Cimarrone Golf Course in St Augustine FL. The weather was picture perfect with a sunny day and temperatures in the high 80's. The event saw the return of a tour veteran shoot the lowest score of the day and get his first win in over a year on the tour. Also the event had two repeat winners, another former winner and a new member in the winner's circle for the first time.

My friend Jack Heinemann has been a member of the AAGT for over 6 years and is one of the original members on the Jacksonville Tour. On Saturday he found his driver again and came out and shot the low round of the day, a (3 over) 75, to win the Palmer Flight. He had to hold off two great players Phil Ackley and Keith Scott who both shot (5 over) 77. Jack said, "It was great to have a low score again and return to the winner's circle".

The Sarazen Flight also had a former winner return to his winning ways. Casey Steinman, shot an 82 and held off recent winner, Joe Denton by one shot (83). Casey was one of the first players in for his flight so there were some tense moments waiting out the other scores, but he prevailed in the end with his first vicotry of 2006.

The other low round of the day came from our Nicklaus Flight, which also saw a first time winner. Don Sciotto, playing in his first event of the season, came out and shot a 77 to win by 5 shots over John Milton and Scott Gladysz (82).

In the Jones Flight, the winner came from another tour. B.J. Helmuth of the Altanta Tour came in and shot an 89 and won by one shot over Tampa Tour member Adam Brack (90). The low round from the Jacksonville tour came from new member Kevin Ridener who shot a 91 and finished third.

The other two winners of the day were players who had already tasted victory earlier in the season. In the Snead Flight, Steve Ivey continued is solid play and shot a 91 and won by 2 shots over Ryan Lurie (93) and won his 2nd straight event. In the Hogan Flight, Jason Odom, the Panther Creek Champion earlier this season, came out and shot an 81 to win by three shots over two tour legends, Murray Miller and Justin Mobley (84).

It was a beautiful day for golf and the players enjoyed sodas and (fire)water after the event. The next local event will be held in three weeks on May 6th at Windsor Parke.

The event should be a great one.