Keur Collects Second CGA Title at Carolinas Am

RJ Keur of Summerville, SC went wire-to-wire to win the 103rd Carolinas Amateur by a record margin of 7 strokes
(Photo: Charleston Golf News)

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (July 16, 2017) -- Final results of the 103^rd Carolinas Amateur Championship conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) at The Golf Club at Briar's Creek in Johns Island, S.C. on Sunday, July 16th. (7,130 yards, par 36-36--72, Course/Slope Rating: 74.5/143).

Related: Championship Website | History | Scoring | Photos

RJ Keur's name will be engraved on the Richard S. Tufts trophy as the winner of the 103^rd Carolinas Amateur Championship. Keur claimed his second CGA title of the summer in record fashion, capping his performance Sunday with his fourth round in the 60s at The Golf Club at Briar's Creek (65-66-69-69). Leading after each of the rounds, Keur is the first wire-to-wire winner in the championship's stroke-play format era.

Along the way to victory, the Summerville, S.C. native tallied a handful of other scoring records since the Carolinas Amateur went to a stroke-play format in 2010: lowest 36-hole score (-13), lowest 54-hole score (-16), and largest margin of victory (7 strokes). His 72-hole total of 19-under-par 269 was one stroke shy of tying the lowest winning score set by Carter Jenkins in 2015.

Keur becomes just the second player in history to win both the South Carolina Amateur Match Play and the Carolinas Amateur in the same year (Terry Ezell, 1989). In the final match of last month's South Carolina Amateur Match Play, Keur defeated three-time event champion Todd White. "These wins show my game is there," said the 21-year-old Keur. "They give me momentum. I know I can compete with the strongest of players." With the victory, Keur earns a 10-year exemption into any CGA championship for which he is eligible.

The lone bogey of Keur's final round, at the par-4 6th, was just his fifth over 72 holes of competition. "I didn't take too many drivers. I really just wanted to find fairways and give myself some numbers where I could make confident swings into the greens and have putts from below the hole where I could." Keur used that strategy Sunday to notch birdies on the first two holes at The Golf Club at Briar's Creek, then carded two more on holes 5 and 7 to bookend the bogey on No. 6. Following a two-hour fifty-minute delay for lightning in the area, Keur rolled in what would be his final birdie of the round on the par-5 7th. The rising senior at the University of Alabama Birmingham rattled off 11 consecutive pars to conclude the championship.

2016 South Carolina Amateur Match Play champion, Connor Bruns of Duncan, S.C. posted his third consecutive round in the 60s - a three-under 69 - to finish alone in second place at 12-under 276 (73-67-67-69). 18-year-old Ryan Marter of Columbia, S.C. finished in third at 9-under-par 279 (67-69-70-73). The top 30 finishers earn an exemption into the 104^th Carolinas Amateur Championship to be held on The Country Club of North Carolina's Dogwood Course, July 12-15, 2018.

The Carolinas Golf Association extends its gratitude to the members and staff of The Golf Club at Briar's Creek for going above and beyond in their efforts to help conduct this championship. In particular, the CGA wishes to thank PGA Director of Golf Eve VanderWeele and Golf Course Superintendent Kyle Bibler, CGCS.

103rd Carolinas Amateur Championship
The Golf Club at Briar's Creek | Johns Island, S.C.

Final Results

Rank	Player	City, State	Score	R1	R2	R3	R4
1	RJ Keur	Summerville, SC	-19	65	66	69	69	269
2	Connor Bruns	Duncan, SC	-12	73	67	67	69	276
3	Ryan Marter	Columbia, SC	-9	67	69	70	73	279
4	Andrew Orischak	Hilton Head Island, SC	-8	72	68	71	69	280
5	Nolan Mills, IV	Charlotte, NC	-6	69	75	68	70	282
T6	Aaron Thomas	Belmont, NC	-5	75	69	71	68	283
T6	James Lightsey	Fort Mill, SC	-5	71	74	67	71	283
T8	Bradley Kauffman	Greer, SC	-4	71	71	69	73	284
T8	Eric Bae	Pinehurst, NC	-4	71	74	70	69	284
T8	Dylan Lukes	Chapel Hill, NC	-4	70	74	71	69	284
T8	Tripp French	Columbia, SC	-4	71	79	66	68	284
12	Blake McShea	Zebulon, NC	-3	70	71	66	78	285
T13	Elliott Grayson	Shelby, NC	-2	72	73	71	70	286
T13	Eric Edwards	Salisbury, NC	-2	68	69	77	72	286
15	Reilly Erhardt	Greensboro, NC	-1	74	71	72	70	287
T16	Bryce Howell	Blythewood, SC	E	72	72	72	72	288
T16	Thomas Lilly	Newton, NC	E	68	75	72	73	288
T16	Parker Dudley	John's island, SC	E	72	68	77	71	288
T16	Shane Rogan	Columbia, SC	E	74	73	70	71	288
T20	Aaron Walker	Charlotte, NC	1	75	71	73	70	289
T20	Matthew Sharpstene	Asheville, NC	1	74	71	71	73	289
T20	Zach McKelvey	Rutherfordton, NC	1	70	77	73	69	289
T23	Caleb Proveaux	Lexington, SC	2	71	74	74	71	290
T23	Preston Ball	Raleigh, NC	2	73	69	72	76	290
T23	Jackson Spires	Fayetteville, NC	2	71	77	70	72	290
T26	Carson Ownbey	Candler, NC	3	69	72	74	76	291
T26	Chandler Metz	Wilkesboro, NC	3	74	70	76	71	291
T26	Chris Kim	Cary, NC	3	71	74	71	75	291
T26	Blake Fiest	Huntersville, NC	3	71	75	74	71	291
T26	Michael Sanders	Davidson, NC	3	71	77	77	66	291
T26	Connor Armistead	Charlotte, NC	3	77	73	75	66	291
T32	John Eades	Charlotte, NC	4	66	80	71	75	292
T32	Joe Kastelic	Hickory, NC	4	70	79	69	74	292
T34	Jake McGlone	Charlotte, NC	5	71	75	76	71	293
T34	Logan Harrell	Huntersville, NC	5	76	73	71	73	293
36	Chandler Mulkey	Charleston, SC	7	74	76	75	70	295
37	Zack Swanson	Waxhaw, NC	8	68	76	77	75	296
T38	Chris Jones	Charlotte, NC	9	72	76	71	78	297
T38	Robert Lutomski	Simpsonville, SC	9	76	74	72	75	297
T38	Chris Cassetta	Kernersville , NC	9	76	74	75	72	297
41	Christian Sease	Mt. Pleasant, SC	10	72	77	74	75	298
T42	Jonathan Henry	Mooresville, NC	11	71	74	74	80	299
T42	Josh Branyon	Honea Path, SC	11	71	72	74	82	299
T42	Jamie Wilson	Mount Pleasant, SC	11	76	74	75	74	299
T42	Levi Grogan	Canton, NC	11	75	74	76	74	299
46	Jacob Rutter	Winston-Salem, NC	12	70	78	73	79	300
47	Riley Boyette	Charleston, SC	13	74	74	77	76	301
48	Zachary Bishop	Travelers Rest, SC	14	71	79	74	78	302
T49	Justin Emmons	Asheboro, NC	15	72	78	76	77	303
T49	Matt Carter	Easley, SC	15	76	71	77	79	303
T49	T.A. Fulmer	Charleston , SC	15	74	76	77	76	303
T52	Tysinger Palmer	Kernersville, NC	16	75	72	75	82	304
T52	Seth Robertson	Inman, SC	16	73	76	75	80	304
T52	Thomas Eubanks	Charlotte , NC	16	79	71	77	77	304
55	Austin Inman	Wilmington, NC	17	73	74	78	80	305
T56	Eric Williams	Goldsboro, NC	18	75	75	77	79	306
T56	Jordan Warnock	Roebuck, SC	18	74	76	81	75	306
WD	John O'Brien	Columbia, SC	-	68	81	77	WD	WD
WD	Joseph Cansler	Clemmons, NC	-	70	76	81	WD	WD
WD	Carter Bingham	Greer, SC	-	74	72	81	WD	WD
WD	Austin Zoller	Summerville, SC	-	70	77	82	WD	WD
The following players did not make the cut
CUT	Johnson Holliday	Aynor, SC	7	78	73			151
CUT	Chase Wilson	Matthews, NC	7	75	76			151
CUT	Christopher Blum	Raleigh, NC	7	73	78			151
CUT	Will Straub	Huntersville, NC	7	71	80			151
CUT	Jay Roberts	Davidson, NC	8	73	79			152
CUT	Joe Jaspers	Huntersville, NC	8	78	74			152
CUT	Bobby Few	Lugoff, SC	8	75	77			152
CUT	Jared Chinn	Fayetteville, NC	8	78	74			152
CUT	Logan McNeely	Conover, NC	8	74	78			152
CUT	Thomas Ellenburg	N. Charleston, SC	8	77	75			152
CUT	Brandon Mader	Greenville, NC	9	74	79			153
CUT	Doug Ramey	Greer, SC	9	72	81			153
CUT	Dustin Moore	Greensboro, NC	9	76	77			153
CUT	Jake Corn	Rock hill, SC	9	77	76			153
CUT	Kell Graham	Charlotte, NC	9	76	77			153
CUT	Luke Grogan	Canton, NC	9	78	75			153
CUT	Patrick Schweitz	Clayton, NC	9	78	75			153
CUT	Richard Oref	Charleston, SC	9	80	73			153
CUT	Charles Dallery	Sumter, SC	9	76	77			153
CUT	Raymond Wooten	Clemson, SC	9	76	77			153
CUT	Trey Burton	Hickory, NC	9	82	71			153
CUT	Weston Sanders	Greenwood , SC	9	72	81			153
CUT	Harry Reynolds	Greenville, SC	10	76	78			154
CUT	Jackson Neff	Greensboro, NC	10	76	78			154
CUT	Peyton Shore	Saluda, SC	10	79	75			154
CUT	Thomas Todd	Laurens, SC	10	78	76			154
CUT	Bradley Calloway	Asheboro, NC	10	81	73			154
CUT	Hardin Councill	High Point, NC	10	77	77			154
CUT	Jake Carter	Aiken, SC	10	76	78			154
CUT	Mark Absher	Winston Salem, NC	10	77	77			154
CUT	William Carter	Laurinburg, NC	10	73	81			154
CUT	Lee Mitchell	Conover, NC	11	75	80			155
CUT	Sumner Tate	Raleigh, NC	11	81	74			155
CUT	Tripp Summerlin	Summerfield, NC	11	79	76			155
CUT	Nathan Young	Raleigh , NC	11	80	75			155
CUT	Matthew Laydon	Charleston, SC	12	79	77			156
CUT	Grant Smith	Charlotte, NC	12	74	82			156
CUT	Hunter Watkins	Lexington, SC	12	75	81			156
CUT	Zach Schwab	Columbia, SC	12	76	80			156
CUT	Brady Eckard	Conover, NC	13	81	76			157
CUT	Brett Waters	Taylorsville, NC	13	72	85			157
CUT	Charlie Ipock	Darlington, SC	13	76	81			157
CUT	Tanner Gross	Archdale, NC	13	86	71			157
CUT	Thomas Messenheimer	Morganton, NC	13	79	78			157
CUT	Jordan Smith	Summerfield, NC	14	79	79			158
CUT	Carter Cook	Cornelius, NC	14	74	84			158
CUT	Justin Howell	Greer, SC	14	80	78			158
CUT	Jay Jay Howard	Concord, NC	15	80	79			159
CUT	Michael McKee	Ware Shoals, SC	15	78	81			159
CUT	Michael Sutton	Goldsboro, NC	15	79	80			159
CUT	Brad Clark	Chapel Hill, NC	16	79	81			160
CUT	Douglas Perkins	Gastonia, NC	17	85	76			161
CUT	Matthew Hopper	Greenville, SC	17	70	91			161
CUT	Madison Duffie	Gastonia, NC	17	78	83			161
CUT	Zach Bostic	Gaffney, SC	17	80	81			161
CUT	Jack Parrott	Columbia, SC	19	84	79			163
CUT	Rhett Merritt	Easley, SC	19	76	87			163
CUT	Ashley Fuquay	Greensboro, NC	20	80	84			164
CUT	Hunter Oxendine	Fayetteville, NC	20	82	82			164
CUT	Peter Hinnant	Winston-Salem, NC	20	78	86			164
CUT	Wick Andrews	Columbia, SC	20	76	88			164
CUT	Tim Bunten	Concord, NC	22	82	84			166
CUT	Kurt Waldthausen	Simpsonville, SC	25	86	83			169
CUT	Landon Taylor	Mount Holly, NC	26	86	84			170
CUT	Richard Cox	Greenville, SC	26	77	93			170
CUT	Thomas Hunter	Florence, SC	37	88	93			181
WD	Scott Patnode	Belmont, NC	-	72	WD			WD
WD	Gary Odom	Greenwood, SC	-	79	WD			WD
WD	Daniel Jackson	Matthews, NC	-	81	WD			WD
WD	Addison Cashwell	Concord, NC	-	WD	WD			WD

                                     

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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