Team Winchester Sporting Clays Competitors Rack Up Wins At 2023 Gator Cup

Team Winchester shines over the weekend at the Gator Cup Sporting Clays event in Georgetown, S.C.

by
posted on March 23, 2023
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Gatorcup2023 1
Winchester Ammunition

Team Winchester sporting clays sport shooters continued their winning ways this month, with the latest victory arriving over the weekend at the 2023 Gator Cup, held at Back Woods Quail Club in Georgetown, South Carolina.

The Gator Cup sporting clays event is hosted by Fred and Maria Fanizzi, a last name that may be familiar to readers—they are the parents of Team Winchester shooter Joe Fanizzi. The Fanizzi family, along with Back Woods Quail Creek owner Rick Hemingway, have garnered a well-deserved reputation for conducting one of the most highly regarded shoots in the country.

Last year, Back Woods Quail Club hosted the NSCA U.S. Open for Sporting Clays to much success.

Matching the superior competition at the 2023 Gator Cup was a superior showing from some of Team Winchester’s finest. Desi Edmunds was crushing clays throughout the event, racking up wins in the Five-Stand, A.I.M. Shooting Preliminary and Friday Preliminary competitions. Additionally, she was the runner-up in the Main Event (159) and FITASC match (82).

Connor Daniel once again showed why he is a promising future star with his Sub-Junior win of the Main Event, besting the competition by 15 total birds.

Anthony Matarese, the most decorated American FITASC shooter, added another FITASC title to his resume, as well as the 28-Gauge title. Matarese also locked up a win in the A.I.M. Shooting Preliminary event and third place in the Main Event with his 186 score.

In addition, 2022 National Champion Zach Kienbaum landed the Super-Sporting (95) and Friday Preliminary (96) event titles.

“Team Winchester is off to an amazing start in 2023 and these individuals once again showed off their superior talents at the highest level of competition,” Jason Gilbertson, director of marketing for Winchester Ammunition said. “We are honored to continue our support of the Gator Cup, Powered by Winchester, and we thank the Fanizzi and Hemingway families for their continued hard work and hospitality. The Gator Cup is a first-class event and Back Woods Quail Club is a premier range and dealer of Winchester ammunition products.”

See the full results of the 2023 Gator Cup at the Score Chaser website.

Learn more about Back Woods Quail Club and Winchester Ammunition.

Latest

1 Lede Bestofdecade
1 Lede Bestofdecade

The Last 10 Years of Shooting Sports USA

Standout covers and milestones from the past decade celebrating Shooting Sports USA’s history, evolution and mission.

Legends: Philip Schreier 1962–2025

Philip Schreier, NRA Museums Director and firearms historian, passes away at 63, leaving a lasting legacy through his dedication to preserving American firearms history.

Review: Tikka T3x Ace Target Rifle

Hands-on review of Tikka’s T3x Ace Target shows solid accuracy and real-world PRS readiness straight from the box.

Year In Review: 10 Of Our Best Articles From 2025

A year-end look at SSUSA’s most-read 2025 stories covering competition results, match-ready firearms, SHOT Show highlights and expert shooting guidance.

Review: Fabarm Infinite RS Sporting

A radically modern double gun built to challenge over-under dominance on the sporting-clays course.

New: Federal 6 mm ARC Gold Medal Berger Target Load

Federal ships a new 6 mm ARC Gold Medal match load, blending Berger bullets with factory consistency for long-range precision.

Interests



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.