Calabria's decision the right one, wins South Florida PGA Senior title

John Calabria was forced to make a choice. And his competitors in the Senior Division of the 22nd South Florida PGA Open paid the price.

The 58-year-old membership director at The Golf Club at Fiddler’s Creek would have preferred to play in both the Senior and Open divisions, as was previously allowed. But that is no longer the case. So Calabria chose the Senior Division, and went out and fired a 9-under-par 63 on Thursday to win that division by eight shots at Naples Grande Golf Club.

Calabria shot a 73 in the first round at Wyndemere Country Club before breaking the course record at Naples Grande. He won the SFPGA Seniors Championship in 1998 and 2003 and the Florida State Senior Open in 1999 and 2005.

“I was motivated because I wanted to play in both divisions like we always have been able to,” he said. “I made my decision that I would play the seniors and just try to play well.

“I was upset by the decision that we couldn’t play both divisions. I thought I would just let my clubs do the talking.”

They did, and were loud in doing it. Calabria made 10 birdies, with his longest putt, a 12-footer, coming on the final hole. “I had nine gimme birdies,” said Calabria, who was the oldest player to make the sectional qualifier for the U.S. Open. “It was weird.”

The name at the top of the Open Division leaderboard isn’t a weird one. Lee Rinker, one of the top players in the South Florida PGA Section, shot a 6-under-par 66 for a 137 total. He leads two area golfers, John Lee of Imperial Golf Club and Gene Fieger of Hideout Golf Club, by two shots.

Rinker, head professional at Emerald Dunes in West Palm Beach, opened with an eagle and made four birdies in a row starting at the 14th hole.

Lee, the winner in 1994, shot a 65, with eight birdies and a bogey. Fieger, who won in 2002-03, had six birdies and no bogeys.

“I knew I had to shoot a good score,” said Fieger, who made a triple-bogey late in his first round. “I had to be a little more aggressive and take advantage of the birdie chances I had.”

Fieger made 20-foot birdie putts on Nos. 17 and 18, his eighth and ninth holes of his round. Fieger knows he’ll have to do more than that to catch Rinker.

“That’s not going to be easy,” Fieger said. “He’s obviously a real good player.”

Georgia boy, Pemroke Pines girl win junior tourney at Miromar

Dean Hester of Dublin, Ga., and Kyle Roig of Pembroke Pines won the boys and girls titles, respectively, at the American Junior Golf Association’s Nike Golf Junior Series at Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club in Estero on Thursday.

Hester won the boys title in a sudden-death playoff over Bobby Wyatt of Mobile, Ala., on the second playoff hole.

Hester stuck his second shot two feet from the flagstick to put himself in a position to birdie No.18 for the win. Hester, who fired a 72-71-71/214, sunk the birdie putt.

“I knew I had better hit it tight because my putter was ice cold,” Hester said. “It’s a totally different game when you are not putting well.”

Wyatt shot a final-round 68 to get in the playoff. Sam Braver of Roswell, Ga., and Cameron Wilson of Rowayton, Conn., had 215s to tie for third.

Naples’ Carson Weinand shot a 79 to finish at 239, while Naples’ Phillip Boljanovich shot an 82 to finish at 248.

The 54-hole stroke-play competition featured 76 boys and girls, ages 12-15, from 20 states and three foreign countries. The Miromar Lakes Beach & Golf Club hosted the event for the third consecutive year.

Roig shot a 74 to beat out Carlie Yadloczky of Casselberry and Christina Miller of Bradenton, who had 54-hole totals of 227, four behind Roig.

“I was leaving everything five feet short or more from the hole and I only missed one of my short putts,” said Roig, who also hit 15 greens. “I just tried to make par every hole and shoot even all three days.”

South Florida PGA Open -- Naples Grande GC -- Wyndemere CC

Senior division

John Calabria, Naples, $633.24; 73-63—136; Jerry Tucker, Stuart, $580.47; 75-69—144; C. Murchison, Palm City, $419.30; 76-71—147; Marion Heck, Fort Myers, $419.30; 74-73—147; Bill Andre, Fort Myers, $512.48; 76-73—149; Gary Baker, Naples, $512.48; 75-74—149; Roger Kennedy, Stuart, 512.48; 74-75—149; Jim Jewell, Naples, $498.29; 78-72—150; Bill Davis, Jupiter, $493.02; 78-74—152; Bill Friesing, Boca Raton, $296.18; 77-76—153; Vic Carder, Naples, $296.18; 74-79—153; John Stoltz, Naples, $51.75; 82-73—155; John Haines, Hobe Sound, $51.75; 79-76—155

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Open Division leaders

Lee Rinker, Jupiter 71-66—137

John Lee, Naples 74-65—139

Gene Fieger, Naples 73-66—139

A-Chappell Brown, West Palm Beach 70-72—142

Nevin Sutcliffe, Lehigh Acres 70-72—142

John Nelson, Coral Springs 73-70—143

Chris Campbell, Vero Beach 70-73—143

Tom Cleaver, Boca Raton 70-73—143

Chris Toulson, Weston 76-68—144

Andrew Zullo, Fort Myers 76-68—144

John Bungert, Pembroke Pines 73-71—144

Greg King, North Palm Beach 71-73—144

Boomer Erick, Naples 70-74—144

Victor Tortorici, Stuart 74-71—145

Dennis Meyer, Estero 73-72—145

Jason Hrynkiw, Jupiter 72-73—145

Tom Dyer, Palm Beach Gardens 74-72—146

Eric Veilleux, Jupiter 73-73—146

Scott Richardson, Lehigh Acres 74-73—147

Joe Allinder, Bonita Springs 73-74—147