Age-old question: Experience will battle youth in Jacksonville Amateur final round

There will be a 41-year age difference between the players in first and second place of the Jacksonville Amateur Championship entering Sunday’s final round at the Jacksonville Golf and Country Club.

But the older end of that twosome, 63-year-old David Anthony of Jacksonville, has the right attitude.

"My clubs, the golf ball and the golf course don’t know how old I am," he said.

At the other end of the age spectrum is the 36-hole leader, 22-year-old Davis Roche of Jacksonville. He birdied four of five holes on the front nine on Saturday, then went eagle-birdie-par to finish off a 68 and at 5-under-par 139, has a two-shot lead over Anthony (70).

John Lobb (75), the 18-hole leader, is alone in third at 1-over 145. Three players are tied at 2-over 146, University of North Florida senior Jordan Batchelor (74), and two players from south Florida, Manuel Girona (74) of Davenport and Kevin Lynn (74) of Plantation.

LIVE SCORING AND HOLE BY HOLE RESULTS OF THE JACKSONVILLE AMATEUR

Roche is a recent graduate of Valdosta State, where he was second in scoring average as a senior last spring. Roche has never won the Jacksonville Amateur in six starts but has a Jacksonville Junior Championship to his credit.

Anthony won the Jacksonville Amateur at victory at Marsh Landing in 2006. and also has won son five Gate Senior titles, been the low amateur at the Gate PGA Invitational three times and won two Jacksonville Area Golf Association Senior championships.

Anthony is one of only three players to win the JAGA Amateur and JAGA Senior, joining Wes Paxson Jr., and Billy Clements when he won his first JAGA Senior in 2013.

Roche knows enough about Anthony’s accuracy, course management and knack for winning to know that he will have to keep the pressure on. But Roche said his game is best when he goes from Point A to Point B.

"I’m not all that long, so I’m like David – I try to hit fairways and greens," Roche said. "It’s going to be a fun day."

Both players made pivotal shots at the long par-3 17^th hole. Anthony missed the green short and right, but chipped in for his third birdie in five holes. He was 1-over for the tournament after a bogey on the 10^th hole, but made a pair of 8-10 foot putts at Nos. 13 and 15 to get back in it.

Roche hit his tee shot to within 8 feet at the 17^th, and made the putt for his sixth birdie of the day. He was coming off an eagle at the par-5 16^th, when he hit a 3-wood 275 yards into the green to give himself a 10-foot putt.