Inverness' Gosse Shoots 11 Under Par For 2 Rounds To Win Charity Event

BROOKSVILLE - When Inverness resident Kelly Gosse was 19 years-old, he became a golf professional.

But after holding a number of jobs around the state, Gosse took a job in health care and got his amateur status back.

Over the weekend, Gosse shot rounds of 64, 69=133 to win the Brooksville Golf Club Charity Invitational Golf Tournament by a whopping 11 strokes.

With 88 amateur golfers taking place in the tournament that was formally known as the Tangerine Invitational, Gosse almost lapped the field with his 64 of Saturday. It was one stroke off the course record of 63, set by Kelly Lagedrost of Brooksville in 1998.

"I never made a putt all weekend," joked the 44-year-old golfer at the awards presentation.

"If I'm not playing in a tournament, I'm usually playing at The Plantation Golf Course in Crystal River," he said.

Gosse did not play golf in either high school or college and became a club pro at the age of 19.

"I was a golf pro all over the state for 15 years," he said. "I had jobs in Key West, Miami and Citrus County. But once I got a job in health care, I couldn't see myself competing against pros who practice every day."

Besides Gosse winning the championship flight, their were five other flights played in the two-day tournament. R. G. Smith of Wesley Chapel won the sixth flight, shooting a net score of 64-69=133 while Brooksville golfer Dan Merritt, Sr. took the fifth flight with rounds of 78-84=162.

Two other Brooksville golfers won flights in the tournament as Randy Dusenberry took the fourth flight by shooting rounds of 79-77=156.

Former Hernando Christian Academy golfer Chris Reagan won the third flight as he shot 69-78=147 and W. K. Himmelsbaugh of Leesburg won the second flight Sunday with rounds of 75-72=147.

In his round of 64, played on the 8,812-yard, par 72 course, Gosse had three eagles, four birdies and two pars.

"Saturday I made a 35-foot putt for eagle on number three then I had a 50-footer on seven that had to break 12-feet then I holed a 25-yard chip shot on 16 for another eagle."

The 64 gave Gosse a five stroke lead over Reagan after the first day and he sealed the win Sunday by getting birdies on one, three and four.

The tournament, which was renamed this year and included an $11,000 check to the Hernando-Pasco Hospice, was not the biggest margin of victory in Gosse's career. "About 10 years ago, I won the Inverness Open by 14 shots. But I got lucky Saturday," he said. "I sank two bombs and holed a chip out. Normally you make three eagles in a month, not three in one round."

Top 10 finishers in the Brooksville Country Club Charity Invitational played Saturday and Sunday at the Brooksville Country Club at Majestic Oaks.

1. Kelly Gosse, Inverness 64-69=133; 2. Gary Cona, Land O' Lakes, 71-74=145; T3. Chris Reagan, Brooksville 69-78=147; T3. W. K. Himmelsbaugh, Leesburg, 75-72=147; T5. Neil Copeland, Lakeland 75-75=150; T5. Jordan Padova, Hudson 74-76=150; T5. Mike Sanderson, Homosassa 75-75=150; T8. Brian Keenan, Tampa 74-77=151; T8. Lee Habjan, Brooksville 77-74=151; T10. Chris Bernhard, Inverness 76-76=152; T10, Curt Cornell, Brooksville 74-78=152.