WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – David Sanders of Mount Laurel, NJ, turned his game up a notch midway through the first round Saturday, making birdies on 13 of his last 27 holes for his first victory on the Minor League Golf Tour, on Sunday at West Palm Beach Golf Course.
After making one bogey and eight pars on his first nine holes, Sanders, 30, finished with five birdies and a bogey for 69, then had eight birdies Sunday for 64-133 to win by five strokes. His birdies Saturday were at 10, 11, 12, 14 and 18, and Sunday at Nos. 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 14, 16 and 17.
Sanders earned $3,000 from the $15,575 purse. This raised his career earnings to $7,992 during MLGT appearances since Feb. 27, 2014.
It is the second time the Minor League Golf Tour has conducted the professional division of the West Palm Beach City Championship. Sunny Kim of Queens, NY, was the winner a year ago at 13 under par 131. He did not return to defend as he was preparing for the Honda Classic Monday qualifier.
First round leader Mike Miller of Brewster, NY, and Blake Morris of Waterbury, Conn., tied for second at 138 among the 35 starters.
The West Palm Beach City Championship has been around for decades but the Professional Division fell by the wayside until WPB Golf Club's Head Professional Judy Dickinson met with the Minor League Golf Tour during the summer of 2015 and decided that the MLGT would conduct the Professional Division of the WPB City Championship. Thank you to all the professionals that came out to support this great tournament and the MLGT looks forward to a long relationship with this historic event.
West Palm Beach Golf Club hosted the PGA Tour's West Palm Beach Open in the 1950's and 60's. A few of the past champions include Arnold Palmer, Gay Brewer, and Gardner Dickinson.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Mike Miller from Brewster, NY fired a bogie free opening round of 67 to lead the West Palm Beach City Championship professional division by one shot. Miller turned in 32 and added birdies at 12 and 13. He three putted the final hole for par after reaching the par 5 in two but held his head up heading into the final round. Miller is coming off a 3 shot win this week at Abacoa Golf Club on Tuesday.
Alvin Okada from Waianae, HI birdied 2 of his last 3 holes to post a 4-under par 68 and enter the final round just one shot behind Miller. Okada is also coming off a win 5 days ago at TPC Eagle Trace where he beat a field of 42 players by 3 shots. It should be a shootout tomorrow in the final round.
There was one skin out on Day 1 worth $480. Click on any of the links in the skins column to view the skins results.
| Score | Player | Amount | Skins | Total | Hometown | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (133) 69 64 | David Sanders | 1 | $3,000.00 | $240.00 | $3,240.00 | Mt. Laurel, NJ |
| (138) 67 71 | Mike Miller | T2 | $1,750.00 | $0.00 | $1,750.00 | Brewster, NY |
| (138) 69 69 | Blake Morris | T2 | $1,750.00 | $0.00 | $1,750.00 | Waterbury, CT |
| (139) 72 67 | Trevor Sluman | 4 | $1,400.00 | $0.00 | $1,400.00 | Rochester, NY |
| (140) 69 71 | Chase Koepka | T5 | $1,250.00 | $0.00 | $1,250.00 | West Palm Beach, FL |
| (140) 74 66 | Mookie DeMoss | T5 | $1,250.00 | $0.00 | $1,250.00 | Athens, GA |
| (141) 69 72 | Martin Ureta | T7 | $975.00 | $240.00 | $1,215.00 | Santiago, Chile |
| (141) 70 71 | Justin Bryant | T7 | $975.00 | $0.00 | $975.00 | St. Louis, MO |
| (141) 71 70 | Jacob Eggers | T7 | $975.00 | $0.00 | $975.00 | Boone, NC |
| (142) 73 69 | Jimmy Lytle | 10 | $650.00 | $0.00 | $650.00 | Ocean Ridge, FL |
| (143) 70 73 | Pablo Martin | T11 | $266.67 | $0.00 | $266.67 | Ekero, Sweden |
| (143) 71 72 | Danny Guise | T11 | $266.67 | $0.00 | $266.67 | Port Chester, NY |
| (143) 71 72 | Stephen Grant | T11 | $266.67 | $0.00 | $266.67 | Birr, Ireland |
| (143) 72 71 | Brant Peaper | T11 | $266.67 | $0.00 | $266.67 | Tequesta, FL |
| (143) 73 70 | Patricio Salem | T11 | $266.67 | $0.00 | $266.67 | Lima, Peru |
| (143) 73 70 | Greg Jarmas | T11 | $266.67 | $0.00 | $266.67 | Narberth, PA |
| (144) 68 76 | Alvin Okada | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Waianae, HI | |
| (144) 71 73 | Sergio Acevedo | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Ranelagh, Argentina | |
| (144) 72 72 | Paul Park | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | |
| (144) 73 71 | Jeb Buchanan | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Loudonville, NY | |
| (145) 74 71 | Michael Midgette | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Plainview, NY | |
| (146) 71 75 | Anthony Tocco | $0.00 | $480.00 | $480.00 | Grosse Pointe, MI | |
| (146) 74 72 | Spencer Mellon | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Oakmont, PA | |
| (147) 71 76 | Florian Kolberg | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Germany | |
| (147) 71 76 | Sean Gaudette | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | South Hadley, MA | |
| (147) 74 73 | Blanton Farmer | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Lexington, KY | |
| (147) 75 72 | Peter French | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Franklin, MA | |
| (148) 74 74 | Max Gilbert | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | St-Georges, Quebec, Canada | |
| (149) 74 75 | Collin Neeman | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Columbia, IL | |
| (149) 78 71 | JD Carrabino | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | New Canaan, CT | |
| (153) 76 77 | Chris Sherry | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Brentwood, TN | |
| (156) 80 76 | Zac Goodman | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Boca Raton, FL | |
| (163) 82 81 | Jason Trout | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Baltimore, MD | |
| 73 DNF | Brian McArdle | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | Jupiter, FL |