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White Opens Four-Shot Lead at SC Am Match Play
Todd White holds a four-shot lead at eight-under 64
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (June 14, 2017) -- First round stroke play qualifying results of the 45th South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship at The Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg, S.C. on Wednesday, June 14th (7,069 yards, Par 36-36--72, Course Rating 74.5/139).
Related: Championship Website | Full Field | History | Starting Times | Photos
Todd White of Spartanburg, S.C. carded a eight-under-par 64 to jump out to a four-shot lead in the first round of the 45th South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship at The Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg, S.C.
Following Thursday’s second round of stroke play qualifying, the field will be cut to the low 31 players for match play. The stroke play medalist earns the No. 2 seed in the bracket while defending champion Connor Bruns of Duncan will be the No. 1 match play seed.
"I hit my wedges really well," said White. "I had a couple of tap-ins which always helps to get everything started. I have put myself in good position tomorrow to go out and try to get a good seed for match play."
White started his round hot, holing out from 110 yards to record an eagle on the par-4 second. However, he finished his front-nine at just two-under-par. As he made the turn, the 49-year-old history teacher would start to catch fire, recording seven birdies on his final nine holes.
When The Carolina Country Club hosted the championship 29 years ago, White won medalist honors. However, while the course is somewhat familiar, the Spartanburg native has not played here in a number of years. "Familiarity helps out a little bit. I just came out today, hit my wedges really well, and gave myself good looks at birdie."
While White is thankful for his three South Carolina Amateur Match Play championships; he has passing other three-time champions such as Barry Black and Bert Atkinson in the back of his mind. "I have been very fortunate to win three of these. To say that I have not thought about trying to separate myself from them; I would be misleading someone," joked White.
Nick Russell, 19, of Hilton Head Island, S.C. finished the day in second at four-under-par 68. Russell started the day recording a double-bogey on the par-4 10th, but responded with three birdies and an eagle on the par-5 18th using a 5-iron to close out his front nine. "I just wanted to stick to my game plan of hitting fairways and hitting greens," said Russell. "My putting was really good today and I was driving it well, so I hope to keep it up going into tomorrow."
Shane Rogan, 25, of Columbia, S.C. finished just one-shot back of Russell at three-under-par 69. Five players are in a tie for fourth at two-under 70.
Entry is open to any male amateur golfer who has reached his 13th birthday by June 14, 2017, is a legal resident of South Carolina, is a member in good standing of a club which is a member of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and has an active GHIN® USGA Handicap Index® at a CGA member club that does not exceed 7.4
Scoring will be provided by the CGA throughout the championship, offering 9 and 18-hole updates. Live updates will also be available on the CGA’s official Twitter account, @cgagolf1909. Continue to visit the CGA website throughout this championship and all year long for complete championship coverage including scores, interviews, photos, and recaps.
45th South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship
The Carolina Country Club, Spartanburg, S.C.
First Round Results
| 1 | Todd White, Spartanburg, S.C. | 34-30--64 (-8) | |
| 2 | Nick Russell, Hilton Head Island, S.C. | 35-33--68 (-4) | |
| 3 | Shane Rogan, Columbia, S.C. | 35-34--69 (-3) | |
| T4 | Thomas Todd III, Laurens, S.C. | 35-35--70 (-2) | |
| T4 | Brady Hinkle, Lancaster, S.C. | 33-37--70 (-2) | |
| T4 | Matt O'Quinn, Beaufort, S.C. | 35-35--70 (-2) | |
| T4 | Stan Sill, Spartanburg, S.C. | 35-35--70 (-2) | |
| T4 | McClure Thompson, Little River, S.C. | 35-35--70 (-2) | |
| T9 | John O'Brien, Columbia, S.C. | 36-35--71 (-1) | |
| T9 | Spencer Skiff, Aiken, S.C. | 37-34--71 (-1) | |
| T11 | Todd Whitehead, Spartanburg, S.C. | 37-35--72 (Even) | |
| T11 | Logan Sowell, Kershaw, S.C. | 35-37--72 (Even) | |
| T11 | Austin Zoller, Summerville, S.C. | 38-34--72 (Even) | |
| T11 | Henry Augenstein, Columbia, S.C. | 36-36--72 (Even) | |
| T11 | Christian Baliker, Simpsonville, S.C. | 36-36--72 (Even) | |
| T11 | Julian Keur, Summerville, S.C. | 35-37--72 (Even) | |
| T11 | Jake Montgomery, Irmo, S.C. | 37-35--72 (Even) | |
| T18 | Matthew Laydon, Charleston, S.C. | 37-36--73 (+1) | |
| T18 | Ryan Marter, Columbia, S.C. | 36-37--73 (+1) | |
| T18 | William Harwood, Columbia, S.C. | 39-34--73 (+1) | |
| T18 | J.J. Jordan, Ninety Six, S.C. | 37-36--73 (+1) | |
| T18 | Seth Robertson, Inman, S.C. | 36-37--73 (+1) | |
| T18 | Andrew Orischak, Hilton Head Island, S.C. | 37-36--73 (+1) | |
| T18 | Richard Coggins, Gaffney, S.C. | 36-37--73 (+1) | |
| T25 | Wil Sheppard, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. | 37-37--74 (+2) | |
| T25 | Reed Bentley, Wellford, S.C. | 40-34--74 (+2) | |
| T25 | Rhett Merritt III, Easley, S.C. | 35-39--74 (+2) | |
| T25 | Brandon Hiott, Walterboro, S.C. | 37-37--74 (+2) | |
| T25 | Parker Dudley, John's island, S.C. | 37-37--74 (+2) | |
| T25 | Jake Corn, Rock hill, S.C. | 35-39--74 (+2) | |
| T25 | Zachary Moore, Central, S.C. | 40-34--74 (+2) | |
| T32 | Cole Patterson, Greenville, S.C. | 39-36--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Jordan Warnock, Roebuck, S.C. | 36-39--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Kyle Scruggs, Gaffney, S.C. | 37-38--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Drake Cassidy, Hartsville, S.C. | 38-37--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Robert Lutomski, Simpsonville, S.C. | 37-38--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Jarrett Grimes, Columbia, S.C. | 35-40--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Jack Wilson, Simpsonville, S.C. | 37-38--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Will Canipe, Murrells Inlet, S.C. | 38-37--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Craig Hudson, Clover , S.C. | 36-39--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Matt Carter, Easley, S.C. | 39-36--75 (+3) | |
| T32 | Jonathan Thomas, Mauldin, S.C. | 37-38--75 (+3) | |
| T43 | Robert Dargan Jr., Columbia, S.C. | 40-36--76 (+4) | |
| T43 | Wick Andrews, Columbia, S.C. | 36-40--76 (+4) | |
| T43 | Zachary Bishop, Travelers Rest, S.C. | 38-38--76 (+4) | |
| T43 | Mike Hartin, Slater, S.C. | 40-36--76 (+4) | |
| T43 | Daniel Castleberry, Greer, S.C. | 38-38--76 (+4) | |
| T43 | Justin Wiesehan, Indian Land, S.C. | 40-36--76 (+4) | |
| T43 | Christian Garruppo, Hilton Head, S.C. | 37-39--76 (+4) | |
| T43 | John Thomas Verner III, Mount Pleasant, S.C. | 35-41--76 (+4) | |
| T43 | John Keffer, Sumter, S.C. | 37-39--76 (+4) | |
| T43 | Justin Howell, Greer, S.C. | 37-39--76 (+4) | |
| T53 | Bobby Few, Lugoff, S.C. | 35-42--77 (+5) | |
| T53 | Caleb Brown, Kershaw, S.C. | 37-40--77 (+5) | |
| T53 | William Weibley, Union, S.C. | 40-37--77 (+5) | |
| T53 | Devin McGillan, Lexington, S.C. | 37-40--77 (+5) | |
| T53 | Zachary Herold, Lexington, S.C. | 38-39--77 (+5) | |
| T58 | Andy Karns, Gaffney, S.C. | 40-38--78 (+6) | |
| T58 | Chandler Mulkey, Charleston, S.C. | 40-38--78 (+6) | |
| T58 | Charlie Bagwell, Greenville, S.C. | 38-40--78 (+6) | |
| T61 | Kurt Owings, Pauline, S.C. | 39-40--79 (+7) | |
| T61 | George Eubank Jr, Spartanburg, S.C. | 38-41--79 (+7) | |
| T61 | Wesley Harden, Greenville, S.C. | 41-38--79 (+7) | |
| T61 | Riley Schank, Bluffton, S.C. | 35-44--79 (+7) | |
| T65 | Will Hicks, Camden, S.C. | 36-44--80 (+8) | |
| T65 | Ethan Willis, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. | 39-41--80 (+8) | |
| T65 | Michael Rials, Florence, S.C. | 39-41--80 (+8) | |
| T68 | Hunter Parks, Union, S.C. | 38-43--81 (+9) | |
| T68 | Cole Hargett, Blythewood, S.C. | 39-42--81 (+9) | |
| T68 | Justin Prozzi, Hartsville, S.C. | 42-39--81 (+9) | |
| T68 | Edward Bartoli, Little River, S.C. | 42-39--81 (+9) | |
| T72 | Austin Childers, West Columbia, S.C. | 42-40--82 (+10) | |
| T72 | Ryan Reynolds, Camden , S.C. | 40-42--82 (+10) | |
| T72 | Michael McKee Jr, Ware Shoals, S.C. | 42-40--82 (+10) | |
| T75 | Drake McAlister, Easley, S.C. | 44-39--83 (+11) | |
| T75 | Ben Quinque, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. | 45-38--83 (+11) | |
| T75 | Jacob Burgess, Easley, S.C. | 43-40--83 (+11) | |
| T78 | Vijay Mishra, N Myrtle Beach, S.C. | 42-42--84 (+12) | |
| T78 | Jim Cillo, Indian Land, S.C. | 43-41--84 (+12) | |
| 80 | Charles Marques, Marietta, S.C. | 42-43--85 (+13) | |
| 81 | Tyler Macolly, Spartanburg, S.C. | 40-46--86 (+14) | |
| 82 | George Kennedy, Greenville, S.C. | 47-41--88 (+16) | |
| 83 | Cary Phillips, Kershaw, S.C. | 43-47--90 (+18) | |
| T84 | Connor Bruns, Duncan, S.C. | NC-NC--NC (NC) | |
| T84 | Perry Hartin, Slater, S.C. | WD-WD--WD (WD) |
Championship Facts
Event: 45th South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship
Playing Dates: June-14-18
Host Site: The Carolina Country Club, Spartanburg, S.C.
7,069 yards, Par 36-36--72, Course Rating 74.5/139
Defending Champion: Connor Bruns, Duncan, S.C.
Format: 36 holes of stroke play to determine 32 qualifiers for match play.
Schedule of rounds:
Wednesday, June 14
First round of stroke play qualifying.
Thursday, June 15
Second round of stroke play qualifying.
Cut to low 32 players for match play.
Friday, June 16
First and second round of match play (18 holes each round).
Saturday, June 17
Quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of match play (18 holes each round).
Sunday, June 18
Championship match (18 holes).
About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)
The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization that was founded in 1909 to promote and to protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is the second largest golf association in the country with over 700 member clubs represented by nearly 150,000 individuals.
The CGA annually conducts 48 championships and five team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. It also runs over 150 One-Day (net and gross) events as well as qualifying for USGA national championships. The CGA serves golf in the Carolinas with numerous programs such as: the USGA Handicap System; tournament management software and support; course measuring and course/slope ratings; agronomy consultation; answers about the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping; Carolinas Golf Magazine; Interclub series; Tarheel Youth Golf Association; Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame; expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas; and the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF). The CGF has distributed nearly $2,000,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives including junior and women's programs.
For more information about the CGA, visit our website.
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