Southwest Florida golf column: Peter Jacobsen receives Ambassador of Golf Award

Bonita Springs resident Peter Jacobsen received the Ambassador of Golf Award from the Northern Ohio Golf Charities last Wednesday before the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

Jacobsen, 63, is an analyst for NBC and the Golf Channel. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan presented the award, which since 1981 has been given to a person who has fostered the ideals of the game on an international level and whose concern for others extends beyond the course.

Past winners include presidents Gerald Ford (1985) and George H.W. Bush (1994).

“I tried to learn from these players that have their name on this award, players like [Arnold] Palmer and [Jack] Nicklaus and [Gary] Player and [Ben] Hogan,” Jacobsen told the Akron Beacon Journal. “The fact that there are two  presidents that have won this award, too, it speaks to how prestigious this award is. It’s a huge honor.”

Gary Wilcox passes: Gary Wilcox, the original general manager at Tiburón, died on Saturday after battling cancer. He was 63.

Wilcox started out as an assistant pro at Pinehurst Country Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina. His first head pro job was at Country Club of Orlando. He was National Merchandiser of the Year at Westin LaPaloma Country Club in Tucson, Arizona.

Wilcox was general manager at TPC Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, then came to Tiburon where he opened the facility and was responsible for its operation for 13 years.

Mary Jane Hiestand: The Hideout member qualified as co-medalist for the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur. Hiestand shot a 78 in Vero Beach on Aug. 4. The Senior Women's Am is Sept. 9-14 at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon.

Vitasek qualifies for DCP: Sara Vitasek, who has lived in Naples since 2014, also qualified in Venice at the end of July. She was not listed by the North Florida PGA Section in a request for Naples golfers who had advanced.

Southwest Florida golf column: More area juniors advance in Drive, Chip and Putt

Vitasek of Naples -- who plays at Quail Creek, -- won the Girls 12-13 Division. Vitasek, who is 11, had 102 points, winning all three categories -- 30 in driving, 31 in chipping and 41 in putting.

US Kids Naples Fall Tour:  Registration is open for the tour. Players are allowed one caddie, which provides the opportunity for family or coach bonding.

All registrations are done through the US Kids Naples Local Tour website:
http://www.uskidsgolf.com/tournaments/local/find-local-tour/285135/naples

Schedule -- Aug. 26, Copperleaf; Aug. 27, Windstar; Sept. 3, Vineyards; Sept. 9, Valencia; Sept. 16, Stoneybrook; Sept. 17, Tour Championship, Arrowhead.

Junior Florida Cup: Naples' Jayson Iten contributed two points to help the South Florida Team win, 17.5-14.5, at Golden Ocala Golf & Equestrian Club.

The Junior Florida Cup is a Ryder Cup style, invitation-only event that features the top
male and female junior golfers from Northern and Southern Florida.

Iten won his Monday four-ball match, 3 and 2, with teammate Luke Gifford, and defeated Jason Duff, 5 and 4, in singles. 

SFPGA Junior Tour: Bonita Springs' Kim Egozi tied for fourth in the Girls 13-18 Division at the Natalie's Juice Company Junior Championship at The Breakers in West Palm Beach. Egozi shot 82-78/160. 

SFPGA Pro-Junior: Gary Baker of Grey Oaks and Chase Bigham, and David Kent and Noah Kent of Renaissance in Fort Myers both tied for second. The teams had 64s.

Kenny Leech of the Don Law Golf Academy at Osprey Point teamed up with Jupiter native Ryan Adams to win with a 63. Juniors had to be between 10 and 18. The teams played nine holes of scramble and nine of better ball at Ironhorse.

Southwest Florida golf column: Area teams compete at FSGA Parent-Child Championship

Southwest Chapter PGA: Gene Fieger of Pelican Bay shot a 7-under-par 65 to win the Global Golf Sales No. 3 at Fiddlesticks Country Club on Aug. 2. Mark Doss of Gulf Harbour was second with a 67, and Josh Brunet of Eagle Lakes was third with a 69.
Adam DeArmond and Justin McCarraher of Fiddlesticks tied for fourth with 70s. Joe Allinder of Imperial, Sean Balliet of Hideaway, Matthew Markle of TPC Treviso Bay, Aaron Sustad of Magnolia Landing, Justin Bertsch of Hideout and Chris Shultis of Verandah all had 71s.

Florida Junior Team Championship:  The First Tee of Naples/Collier sent four teams to the tournament over the weekend at Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice.

Sam Nunner (76-71), Matt Ariza (76-76) and Peter George (85-75) led the way of the four teams, finishing third in the Boys 16-18 Division.

Annika Church (83-79), Kelli Kragh (81-82) and Ashley Cardona (96-103) were sixth in the Girls 16-18s. Joey Burke (82-76), Robert Walburt (93-86) and Mason Dozer (95-92) were eighth in the Boys 13-15s, and Sophie Shrader (83-80), Vivian Guite (83-80) and Megan Ariza (95-101) in the Girls 13-15s both finished eighth.

Men's Summer Interclub: at Gateway (8-4): 1.  Peter Howitt (TwinEagles)-Bill Mears (Windstar)-Al Olds (Gateway)-Mike Brott (Foxfire); 2. Christian Schrank (Gateway)-Ron Lento (Wildcat Run)-Vince Wepprecht (Glen Eagle)-Howard Freedman (The Quarry); 3. Mike Fellers (Bonita Bay)-Kevin Jarnagin (Spanish Wells)-Mark Yegge (Glen Eagle)-Al Olds (blind draw) (Gateway); 4. Roy Arigo (Naples Lakes)-Theo Neteler (Spanish Wells)-Ken Auerbach (Bonita Bay)-Skip Blounts (Glen Eagle). 

Next event on Friday at The Strand.

Impact Zone Golf: Junior Academy Operation 36 Parent Info Session, at Tiburón, starting Aug. 21, ages 7-18; RSVP to info@impactzonegolf.com; Volunteers still needed for US Kids Golf Naples Fall Tour, email Payton Minear at pminear@impactzonegolf.com; Ladies, Golfer for a Day, at Tiburón, Mondays, 9 a.m.-noon (prepayment required); TrackMan Combine Swing Analysis (60 minutes) Saturdays and Sundays, at Tiburón, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., $99; Master School, Tiburón, Aug. 12-13, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., $999 per person; 10-week Get a Golf Game Coaching Program, Tiburón, every Thursday from 9 to 10 a.m., through Aug. 31, $300 per person.

Call 239-236-5536  or visit: https://impactzonegolf.com

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