Wednesday, August 11, 2010

ANDERSON CREEK, N.C. and JUPITER, Fla. – Campbell’s Vaita Guillaume and FGCU’s Alex Medinis both captured amateur titles this week as Guillaume won a US Amateur Championship Qualifier and Medinis took home the 19th Florida State Amateur Match Play Championship.

Guillaume, a rising junior for the Camels, shot five-under at the two-day tournament carding a 69-70----139 on the par-72 Anderson Creek layout earning him one of three qualifying spots in the 53-player field.

Guillaume advances to play in the US Amateur Championship in University Place, Wash. on August 23-29 at Chambers Bay Golf Club, which was selected to host the 2015 US Open. UNF's All-American Sean Dale also qualified for the US Amateur Championship two weeks ago.

A two-time Atlantic Sun All-Conference performer, Guillaume compiled a 72.89 stroke average and five top-ten finishes during the 2009-10 season, while finishing the season ranked 143rd nationally by the Golfstat Cup listing.

Medinis, the No. 25 seed in the 64-player bracket, won five matches in two days at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club & Spa in Jupiter, Fla. to advance to Sunday’s final, where he defeated Gabriel Costa in 14 holes, 5 and 4, after back-to-back birdies on No. 13 and No. 14 to close the match.

The rising junior defeated Tory Henderson (2 and 1), Alan Pope (1-up), Jason Burstyn in 19 holes, Doug Snoap (3 and 2) and the 2005 Champion Kelly Gosse (4 and 2) en route to the championship match.

The tournament title puts an end to Medinis’ summer that also included a tie for fifth at the Amateur Championship at Bay Hill Club & Lodge and a tie for third at the Amateur Public Links Championship at PGA Golf Club.