Ambrose Kinnare rallies from double bogey for two-shot lead in JAGA Amateur

Kinnare, Durham and Robards will be in the final group in the final round on July 21 in the 65th edition of the First Coast’s most prestigious amateur stroke-play event.

But they can’t rest easy. Given the quirks and tricks of Sawgrass, especially under windy, hot conditions, no lead is safe and a number of accomplished players are there to pounce given the opportunity: Cameron Reed of Ponte Vedra (71) is fifth at 4-under, Maxwell Morgan of Ponte Vedra (69) is next at 2-under and Luke Balaskiewicz (75) and Zach Lee of Jacksonville Beach (69) are tied at 1-under.

Kinnare was coming off back-to-back birdies at Nos. 7 and 8 before he dunked his second shot in the water at No. 9, leading to his first double-bogey of the week. But he continued to attack the par-5 holes (he birdied all four) and two-putted from 15 feet at No. 11 and dropped a 15-footer at No. 18 for birdie, wrapped around a short birdie putt at the par-3 12th.

“I knew I was playing well so the double didn’t really affect me,” Kinnare said. “The more tournaments I play, the more experience I have, and I’ve learned to put bad shots and bad holes behind me.”

Braude also had displayed that trait. He put a double at No. 9 behind him in the first round and went to tie Kinnare for the lead at 5-under, then weathered two three-putts on the front nine to post a good enough score to stay within striking distance of the lead.

“I hung in there,” he said. “The greens were a little slower and it took me six or seven holes to get used to them. As the old guy, I was happy to hang with [Kinnare] most of the day. Take away those three-putts and I’m right there.”

Robards, like Kinnare, made his hay on the par-5 holes, making birdie on three of the four. He said switching to a L.A.B. DF3i putter has rejuvenated his stroke.

“I changed in May and I’ve been putting pretty well with it,” he said. “I struggled with putting last year and it’s been working well. I found a good routine and I’m sticking with it.”

The talent in the final groups is impressive:

• Kinnare has won the Junior Azalea, an FJT event at the Country Club of Ocala and the Dr. Gordon Ira last week at Deerwood.
• Durham is a rising senior at Elon College, where he set the school’s 54- and 36-hole scoring records.
• Robards, an Episcopal graduate, was an All-SoCon selection at Mercer and is transferring to Georgia Tech.
• Braude, who turns 38 next month, also played at Episcopal, then at Jacksonville University.
• Reed, now at Furman, was a member of two state championship teams at Ponte Vedra High. Morgan, 16, is now at Ponte Vedra.
• Balaskiewicz, the runner-up in the JAGA Amateur last year, was a Bolles standout and is a rising sophomore at the University of North Florida.
• Lee, another Episcopal graduate who played with Braude, went on to the University of Florida.

Perhaps the best round of the day, under the circumstances, came from Joe Stepnes, who played at the University of North Florida. He shot 82 in the first round but, starting the day with a birdie at No. 10 and an eagle at No. 11, went on to knock 15 shots off and posted a 67 to finish at 5-over 149 and make the cut with three shots to spare.

Another strong rally came from former JU player Matt Kleinrock, who posted a 76 in the first round. He birdied four of his first eight holes in the second round to a 69 to finish 1-over 145.

Second round, at Sawgrass Country Club

Ambrose Kinnare 67-70―137

Landon Durham 73-66―139

Henry Robards 69-70―139

Will Braude 67-72―139

Cameron Reed 69-71―140

Maxwell Morgan 72-69―142

Zach Lee 74-69―143

Luke Balaskiewicz 68-75―143

Cooper Franklin 72-72―144

Colton Swartz 71-73―144

Matt Kleinrock 76-69―145

Evan Raynor 72-73―145

Ian Lentz 72-73―145

Danny Erickson 71-74―145

Styles Smith 70-75―145

Sam Geise 73-73―146

Elliott Mehler 74-73―147

Tyler Brown 73-75―148

Tanner Millar 72-76―148

Turner Hersey 72-76―148

Joe Stepnes 82-67―149

Ryan Nicholson 74-75―149

Lexus Keoninh 72-77―149

Jeff Golden 75-75―150

Kaden James 76-74―150

Noa Bridges 75-75―150

Dylan Frein 75-75―150

Andrew Morgan 74-76―150

Matt Glass 76-74―150

Noah Ochab 73-78―151

Ryan Houck 72-79―151

Chuck Kirk 73-78―151

Lance LaCombe 74-77―151

Adam Waller 75-76―151

Luis Rivera 76-75―151

Nate Mosby 74-77―151

Ethan Grossman 79-72―151

Toby Ragland 77-74―151

Barton Abstein 77-74―151

D.J. Waller 75-77―152

Matthew French 75-77―152

Michael Smith 77-75―152

Missed the cut

Jack Nelson 71-82―153

Connor Hess 75-78―153

Kip Webber 76-77―153

Alex Dienes 81-72―153

Brady Holmes 74-80―154

Jaylen Abbas 82-73―155

Grant Fisher 81-74―155

Nickolas Sarianides 80-75―155

Jameson Adams 81-74―155

Masen McKain 81-75―156

Sam Davis 78-78―156

David Locht 76-81―157

Jack Randolph 86-72―158

Jim Loftin 80-78―158

Adam Krestalude 78-80―158

Nicklaus Meyer 82-77―159

Andrew Rottschalk 78-81―159

Lawson Garner 79-80―159

Keaton Fannin 81-78―159

Scott Dalton 79-81―160

David Phillips 82-78―160

Brady Steffen 85-75―160

Dan Huffingham 82-79―161

Ryder Averdick 79-82―161

Aubrey Fellows 77-84–161

Jason Ondriezek 84-78–162

David Thore 75-87―162

Mark Young 83-80―163

Jamie Seim 78-85―163

Matthew Webb 78-85―163

Len Schonfeld III 81-84―165

Colson Hale 84-84―168

Chase McBride 85-83―168

Joseph DeRosa 90-79―169

Zachary Rogers 87-84―171

Reese Tyrrell 86-85―171

Eddie Erickson 87-84―173

Garrett Ho-Shing 91-83―174

Lucas Freund 95-87―182

Brandon Berry 96-86―182

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Ambrose Kinnare rallies from double bogey for two-shot lead in JAGA Amateur