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North Rolls At Junior Florida Cup

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By SCOTT PURKS Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 15, 2008

TAMPA - Before Thursday's final round of the Junior Florida Cup at Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club, the South players smeared war paint on their faces (baby blue and red to match their shirts), and they tried as much as possible to psych themselves up to beat the North.

But in the end, as North competitor and Riverview High junior Ian McConnell said, "It was a white day indicating the color of the North's shirts."

Boy was it ever.

The North team - which included under-18 Tampa Bay juniors McConnell, Chris Biuso (Temple Terrace), Nick Buccina (Tarpon Springs), Briana Carlson (Inverness), Travis Huston (Palm Harbor), Rick Kittelstad (Lutz), George Letson (Tampa), Alexandra Milan (Lutz), A.J. Newell (Tampa), Jack Twomey (Tampa) and Amy West (Valrico) - quickly sealed up the Ryder Cup-style event, winning nine of 10 of the day's first 20 match-play matches.

The final score - North 281/2, South 111/2 - was almost as dominant as last year's, which the North won 29-11. After three years of the Florida State Golf Association hosting the event, the title count stands at one tie and two trophies for the North.

"We definitely wanted to retain our title," said Kittelstad, who will be a freshman next season for the University of South Florida. "I know I really wanted to get my point for the team, and I went out and played pretty well."

Kittelstad ended up having one of the most well-played and competitive matches of the day, ending all-square with Weston's Brandon Park. Both players, who estimated they would have shot about 4 under par if it was a stroke-play format, missed birdie putts inside 10 feet on the final hole.

"It was back and forth all day," Kittelstad said. "It was just the way it should be."

The event, which features 40 of the state's top 18-and-under juniors, is viewed by the players as a reward for having done well in tournaments throughout the year. Darin Green, the FSGA's tournament director, said it's like "making the Ryder Cup team."

For players like Kittelstad and Biuso (signed with the University of Louisville), it's the final major junior event they will ever play in.

"It's a great way to end it," Kittelstad said. "Great tournament. Great competition."

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