DAVENPORT - With a strong showing at the Randy Warren Invitational on Monday last week, Fleming Island coach Bruce Cloud thought the win at their home course; Fleming Island Golf Club, would catapult the team to get their game ready for a second state championship run.
Set to compete at the Qdoba were three state champions; Fleming Island (3A, now in 2A), Ponte Vedra (2A, now in 3A), and Benjamin (1A) with Lakewood Ranch (2nd in 3A), Dr. Phillips (3rd in 3A), Beachside (2nd in 2A, now in 3A), American Heritage (3rd in 2A), First Academy (2nd in 1A) and Episcopal (3rd in 1A) also in the field. Fleming Island is now in Class 2A with Ponte Vedra up in 3A.
"The idea behind the Qdoba Tournament of Champions is to bring together the top three finishers in each classification from last year's state tournaments," said Cloud. "Just after the Randy Warren tournament, the main guys prepared for the Qdoba, and others on the team played a match against Oakleaf. I think the top five were well prepared for the weekend."
Well, it did, as the Golden Eagles rampaged to a 12-stroke win at the Qdoba Tournament of Champions in Davenport with junior Tyler Mawhinney winning the overall title and Cloud's team landing three more guys in the top 10 ranks of a field that was chock full of state tournament probables.
"I think the guys are going about their business to stay focused on the ultimate goal, winning state," said Cloud. "They're feeding off of each other's play and looking to improve as the season progresses."
Mawhinney had to respond to a strong front nine from Pavel Tsar of Benjamin High who quickly asserted himself with a 4-under 32 with teammate Brooks Colton blasting a 33 to set up a two-team battle for the second nine holes with Fleming Island. Mawhinney finished with a 1-under 35, but Kuhlenkamp was a stroke better with a 2-under 34, in the mix. Lakewood Ranch's Parker Severs equaled Mawhinney's 35 but would become a factor in the final nine holes in the battle between Fleming Island and Benjamin.
"I sensed we were getting too far behind to come back in the middle of day two and then asked the guys to turn it around and that's pretty much what they did," said Cloud. "We started getting birdies and Benjamin began to struggle. What was once a five-stroke deficit soon became a six-shot win."
Cloud's three and four golfers; Carson Moore and Dylan Frein, also shot a solid front nine with a 34 and 33 score, respectively, to put Fleming Island in control of the tournament early.
As the second half of the tournament progressed, Mawhinny kept a business-like approach in the second half with a string of pars and just two birdies, to finish with a 34 and a tournament-winning 3-under 69 for a final 136 score while Severs popped into the runner-up slot with a two-under-par Eagle on the 13th hole, plus birdies on 14 and 16, but fell with a bogie to let Mawhinney slip ahead.
Tsar also double bogeyed hole 14 with just two birdies to finish also at second with a 137.
Kuhlenkamp would finish at 139 for fifth with Moore seventh at 140 and Frein eighth at 141. Ryan Houck finished 14th with a 145.
Locally, Ponte Vedra finished sixth with Beachside eighth and Episcopal ninth.

Results

Tues., Oct. 1
Boys FIHS at OHS
Eagle Landing

Fleming Island 150, Oakleaf 207

1. Jacoby Kelly FIHS 36
2. Chase Ricks FIHS 37
3. William McGready FIHS 38
4. Alexander Blom FIHS 39
5. Ben Carlton FIHs 40
6. Salomon Pelayo OHS 44

Keystone Heights, Oakleaf at Fleming Island
Girls
The Golf Club at Fleming Island

1. FIHS 188
2. OHS 228
3. KHHS 281

1. Chloe Blanc FIHS 35
2. Kathryn McNeil FIHS 42
3. Shayla Abbas FIHS 43
4. Angeline Hawkins OPHS 45
4. Emma Farrar OHS 45
6. Aubrey Brooks KHHS 63
7. Rebecca Benit KHHS 65
8. Vanessa Hawkins OPHS 66
9. Lyn Norton FIHS 68
10. Shaina Spencer FIHS 69

Schedule

Mon., Oct. 7

Boys
Fletcher at Fleming Island
Golf Club in Fleming Island
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Boys
OHS at OPHS
Eagle Harbor Golf Club
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Girls
SJCDS at Christ's Church Academy
Deercreek Country Club
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Boys
SJCDS at Wolfson
Blue Cypress Golf Club
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Boys
RHS at Trinity Christian
Bent Creek Golf Course
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Girls
Clay at MHS
Eagle Landing
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Tues., Oct. 8
Boys
OHS at St. Johns Classic
at Magnolia Point
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Girls
OPHS at RHS
Eagle Harbor
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Boys
OPHS at RHS
Eagle Harbor
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Boys
First Christian Academy, KHHS at Santa Fe
Turkey Creek Golf and Country Club
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Wed., Oct. 9
Girls
KHHS at MHS
Eagle Landing
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