The tour was founded in 1997. Every year the fields get stronger and the quality of play increases. The best players are playing this tour. Director Tom Mirus points out that "over 1/3 of our membership play with a 4.0 index or better and another 1/3 are between 4.1 and 9.0." Players come from Tampa to Cocoa Beach and from Jacksonville to Ft. Lauderdale to compete.  Take your game to a new level!

GET ON OUR MAILING LIST!  The Edwin Watts Tour remains the “tour of choice” for central Florida amateurs. Entry fees start as low as $85 and include course costs, range balls, and prizes. Player cards for 2009 are $100. Applications and information are available at Orlando area Edwin Watts Golf Shops, host golf courses or by contacting Tour Director, Tom Mirus, at (407) 348-5650. Or you can see below to get on our mailing list.

Craig Stone Takes Senior National Title in B Flight at Tour Championship in Pinehurst

Senior Team Orlando 2009

Craig Stone (pictured at left) captured the B flight Senior National Championship at the 11th annual Harris Teeter Amateur Golf Tour Championship.  The event was held in Pinehurst, NC.  Competing on courses at the National Golf Club and Pine Needles, Stone posted rounds of 79-77-156 for a four stroke victory over Joe Prairie of Pinehurst (80-80-160).  Three others were another stroke back at 161.

Eighteen Orlando players made the trip to compete in Pinehurst.  All flights played one round on National Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus designed course.  The A and C flights played one round on Mid Pines and the Championship and B flights played one round on Pine Needles.

"I was either good or bad" said Stone.  "I shot 43 on my first nine the first day and 41 on the first nine of the final round.  But each day I settled down and finished very well.  I only made one birdie, but I did make quite a few pars.".  He said that he didn't have any really bad breaks all week and just managed to stay out of trouble.  "It was boring at times" he quipped.  It was a pleasant surprise for Craig as his lowest score on tour this year was 86 before the trip to Pinehurst.

Arnie Guerra, also in the B flight, finished tied for 9th with rounds of 81-82-163.  It capped a good season for Arnie.  He finished fourth in the Player of the Year standings in 2009.  B flight Player of the Year Tim Sobitz finished with 88-81-169 and a T20 finish.

In the other flights, Chip Petersen led the Championship flight players with a T10 finish on rounds of 73-77-150.  He lost out on a prize in the scorecard pllayoff.  Player of the Year Dan Gladman posted 78-75-153 for a T21 finish.  In the A flight, Alan Neal and Ed Paterniti posted 36-hole totals of 172.

James Pratt and Larry English represented the C flight.  James posted 94-91-185 and Larry scored 97-93-190.  Alan Neal and Chip Petersen won skins during Wednesday's final round.  Here are the complete Orlando results and the team scoresl

 

Chmp	Chip Petersen	73	77	150	T10
Chmp	Dan Gladman	78	75	153	T21
Chmp	Rob Kempinski	85	74	159	T34
Chmp	Dennis Brady	81	WD
Chmp	Jim Hammons	77	WD
A	Ed Paterniti	87	85	172	T25
A	Alan Neal	85	87	172	T25
A	Robbie Robinson	86	92	178	T35
A	Brad Bettin	91	96	187	44
B	Craig Stone	79	77	156	1
B	Arnie Guerra	81	82	163	T9
B	Tim Sobitz	88	81	169	T20
B	Chet Rakowski	87	82	169	T20
B	Ben Hamby	82	92	174	T38
B	John Pringle	91	86	177	T48
B	Dan Lambdin	91	88	179	T52
C	James Pratt	94	91	185	T15
C	Larry English	97	94	191	T20
Team	RD 1	RD 2	TOTAL
Charlotte	645	631	1276
Pinehurst	638	642	1280
Triad	635	648	1283
Raleigh	657	650	1307
Columbia	678	654	1332
Orlando	672	665	1337
Ind-W.Ky	693	677	1370

 Team Orlando Finishes 4th; 7 Players Win Prizes at Tour Championship in Hilton Head

Team Orlando 2009

 
Chad Frank tees off in Saturday's first round

Chad Frank, the 2007 egolf Tour Champion led Orlando with a 6th place finish in the Championship flight.  He shot rounds of 71-81-152.  Bill Shufelt finished T9 on 71-83-154 (he lost the scorecard match for the 9-10 prizes).  Wayne Zeigler shared the first round lead with Frank and Shufelt (71), then slipped on Sunday to finish T21 with 71-87-158.  Only 10 of the 92 players were able to break 80 on the Robert Cupp course at Palmetto Hall on Sunday as the course played long and the pins were very hard to get to.

Jonathan Stuart, A-Flight, 9th place

Jonathan Stuart was the low Orlando player in A-flight.  He fell well off the pace on Saturday with an opening round of 88, but then follwed up on Sunday with a fine 74 at the picturesque Robert Trent Jones course at Palmetto Dunes.  It was the second lowest score in A flight for the day and propelled him to a 9th place finish.  Andy Baker and David Parker were next for Orlando with 36-hole scores of 165, good for a T16 finish.

 
Steve Cleary, B-Flight, T6

In B flight Steve Cleary, 2009 Player of the Year, led the way with rounds of 84-83-167.  It was good for a T6 finish.  Paul Cope also finished in the money with rounds of 86-83-169 and a T10 finish.  Four Orlando players also won skins in the B flight.  On Saturday it was John Pringle and Tim Sobitz who walked with good skins.  Sunday saw Subernia Johnson and Steve Cleary cash in.

James Pratt at Robert Trent Jones course

The C flight found the going much tougher.  James Pratt and Chace Petersen were the top performers.  They finished T12 with two-day totals of 190.  Petersen also won a skin on Saturday.  Sunday was a difficult day as the lowest scores for the Orlando C flight were a 94 and 96.

Wayne Weaver & Tim Sobitz III, D-Flight, T8

D flight produced two top ten finishes.  Player of the Year Wayne Weaver and Tim Sobitz III finished tied for 8th (Wayne won the match of scorecards).  Wayne posted steady rounds of 95-91-186.  Tim opened on Saturday with 98, but then followed that up with a solid 88 on Sunday to move into the top ten. 

The team from the egolf Louisiana North tour captured the team trophy at the egolf Tour Championship in Hilton Head, SC.  Orlando finished in 4th place, 23 strokes back (not a big difference when you consider that 20 scores are used for the team score over 2 days).

Forty-six players from across the five flights represented the Edwin Watts Amateur Tour in Hilton Head.  It was a great experience and the courses were in good condition along with the best weather we have had in several years at the finals.  Congratulations to all the Orlando players who qualified and took the time and effort to participate.  Here are the Orlando scores, followed by the team results:

Now it is off to Pinehurst for the Harris Teeter Senior Tour Championship.  Orlando will be represented by 19 players competing in four flights.  Orlando won the Senior Team Cup in 2007.