Kraft wins inaugural South Beach International Am

Photo by USGA

Kelly Kraft during the Round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur.

Scores

• South Beach International Amateur (Final)

Kelly Kraft won the inaugural South Beach International Amateur on Friday for his fourth amateur victory of 2011, including the U.S. Amateur. Kraft (72) finished at 4-under 279 to finish one shot ahead of two Frenchmen, Clement Sordet (70) and Kenny Subregis (70).

Kraft, who entered the event at No. 8 in the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking, also won this year’s Trans-Miss Amateur and Texas Amateur. He has said he intends to turn pro after competing in the 2012 Masters.

Kraft shot 66-72-69-72. He started the final round with a one-shot lead over France’s Gary Stal (74), who finished fifth at 282. He was one of three Frenchmen in the top five. Will Collins (70) of Salisbury, N.C., finished fourth at 281.

The first two rounds were split between Normandy Shores Golf Club and Miami Beach Golf Club. The final two rounds were held at Miami Beach.

Kraft’s victory also gives the inaugural South Beach event a strong first champion. The South Beach and longer-running Dixie Amateur are both held in South Florida and have overlapping dates. The Dixie was won on Thursday by Curtis Thompson, the older brother of LPGA winner Lexi Thompson.