Adamonis shot a 4-under-par 68 in the first round of the Chiquita Classic at the TPC River’s Bend on Thursday, July 15. That put him six strokes off the lead of Peter Tomasulo (62) and in good position to make the cut for the fourth time in nine events on the Nationwide Tour in 2010.
“I played pretty well,” Adamonis said. “I didn’t hit it great, but I made some putts, shot a solid round and put myself in position to have a good tournament.
“Scores were pretty low today because the weather was good, the greens are soft from the rain earlier this week and there’s not much rough. If I can put together four good rounds in the 60s together, who knows? You have to start somewhere.”
Adamonis got his start professionally in 1996 after graduating from Miami with a degree in Sports Management. In 2008, he earned a PGA Tour card by placing in the top 25 at the qualifying school and won over a million dollars in two seasons on tour, placing 124th on the money list in 2008 with over $800,000.
Adamonis made just 11 cuts in 25 events last year, however, and lost his PGA Tour card. He’s back on the Nationwide Tour trying to earn his way back to the Big Show.
“It’s still a good opportunity,” Adamonis said. “Of course I wish I was on the PGA Tour, but this is a good chance to work on my game and improve in areas to get back on the PGA Tour. That’s the stage we all want to be on.”
Playing the Nationwide Tour has given Adamonis and his family — wife Stacey and children Grace (age 4) and Nicholas (3) a chance to see the country.
“We get to have an adventure,” Adamonis said. “The Nationwide Tour goes to smaller markets and different places than the PGA, so we’ve been to Wyoming, Montana, Hawaii — places I would never go on my own. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of great people. The downside is we live out of a suitcase but I can’t complain. I get to do what I love for a living and bring my family along with me. You can’t beat it.”
Adamonis is pleased that the Nationwide Tour has made a stop so close to his alma mater.
“It’s good to be near school and see some of my buddies,” Adamonis said. “At Miami, we only played Shaker Run, Browns Run or Hueston Woods. We never got that far out of Oxford so it’s pretty cool to get to play this course.
“Hopefully I’ll play better than I did when I was at Miami. I never played as well as I wanted to when I was a student, so it will be sweet redemption if I play well now.”
• Franklin’s Frank Lickliter fired a 3-under-par 69 and is tied for 46th. Miami grad Kyle Voska struggled to an 82.
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