Esposito Wins Champions Tour Qualifying; Is Fully Exempt For 2015
Frank Esposito Jr. of Brooklake, a resident of Monroe, N.J., was the only player to post four sub-par rounds and capped a brilliant two weeks of golf with a 1-under-par 71 for a 72-hole total of 11-under-par 277 to win the 2014 Champions Tour National Qualifying Tournament at Orange County National (Panther Lake Course) in Winter Garden, Fla., on Friday, Nov. 21.
The victory comes less than a week after the two-time NJSGA Open champion won the Senior PGA Professional National Championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Friday’s victory gave him (as one of the top five finishers) fully-exempt status on the Champions Tour through the re-order in the 2015 season, while the next seven players are conditionally exempt. In addition, the top-30 finishers and ties will be eligible to compete for spots in open qualifiers at all co-sponsored events on the Champions Tour in 2015.
Esposito, 51, who led all players with 20 birdies including one on the par-5 finishing hole, was conditionally exempt in 2014. Esposito this year won the NJSGA/NJPGA Senior Open and was named NJPGA Senior Player of the Year. He is already in the NJPGA Hall of Fame.
Esposito.won by four strokes over former PGA Tour Player Grant Waite of New Zealand. The others who earned fully exempt status were Americans Jeff Coston and Jerry Smith, both at 6-under, and Canadian Rod Spittle at 5-under.
"I caught fire for two weeks, I really did. I played eight rounds under par down here and that's really unbelievable," Esposito told Golfweek Magazine. "I was playing OK and I took some time off, about three weeks. To come down and do what I did, I'm almost impressed with myself."
The former Rutgers standout – he was a two-time honorable mention All-American – used his strength and accuracy off the tee to separate himself from the pack. Esposito played the five par 5s in 4 under during his final round at Orange County National's Panther Lake course.
"I drove the ball well (Friday). The putter was a little shaky. I was a little nervous, but I really hit the ball well all week," said Esposito.
He carded a 1-under 71 Friday, capping off a streak of eight straight rounds under par that dates back to his performance at PGA National last week. Esposito was also one of 20 PGA professionals to compete in the 2014 PGA Championship last summer.
"He is such a great player," said Jerry Smith, who played alongside Esposito Friday. "He just hits the ball really solid almost every time. In Frank's game, I don't see too much of a weakness there. I think he should be able to do some good things next year."
After Thursday's third round, Esposito led by three strokes over second-round leader Cesar Monasterio of Argentina, but Waite, who shot 6-under on Friday, was the one putting pressure on Esposito on Friday. Esposito’s lead shrunk to one stroke over Waite following Esposito's bogey on the par-4 12th hole, but Esposito rallied with a birdie on the par-5 14th hole to gain much needed breathing room. Waite later bogeyed No. 18.
While shooting a 67 in Thursday’s third round, Esposito pulled away from Monasterio with three birdies over a five-hole stretch on the back nine. He sank a five-footer on No. 14 to take the lead, a 20-footer on No. 16 and added his third on the next hole when he drained a 50-foot putt to increase his lead to three strokes.
“I played pretty well again (Thursday) and just hit it solid,” Esposito said. “I hit a couple of squirrely shots but overall I hit it pretty well. I’ve been happy with my distance control with my irons and I’ve been driving it well and making some putts.”
The only blemishes on Esposito’s card came on Nos. 6 and 9. He pulled his tee shot left near a tree on No. 6 and his tee shot on No. 9 found the water, resulting in a double bogey.
“Those birdies after the two bogeys helped keep the round going. You’ve just got to put those out of your mind and forget about them,” Esposito added, referring to his bogeys.”
