Steiner Strikes, Is Named 49th SC Amateur Match Play Champion

 

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (June 19, 2021) -- The results from the final round of match play at the 49th South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship at Mount Vintage Golf Club (Chester/Vintage), North Augusta, S.C. The field competed at 7,090 yards (par 36-36--72).  

 

Related: Championship Web Site | Full Field | Brackets | Scoring | History | Photos

 

With stormy skies looming in the forecast for Sunday’s championship match, the final round of the 49th South Carolina Amateur Match Play was completed on Saturday instead. What was originally slated to be a day reserved for the semi final and quarterfinal match play rounds turned into an exciting day full of close matches and ended with a feel-good win. 

 

Jason Steiner of Fort Mill, S.C. fought hard and long for the title of 2021 South Carolina Amateur Match Play Champion. Steiner, the No. 7 seed going into Saturday’s round, was ultimately rewarded for his efforts, defeating No. 1 seed Brian Quackenbush of Aiken, S.C. 1 up.

 

From the first day of stroke play qualifying on Wednesday, 24 year-old Steiner was met with incredibly skilled and decorated adversaries alike, many of whom were seasoned current or former collegiate players and a handful of the field had previous stints in professional golf before returning to amateur status. “ There was a lot of talent out there to the point where no match was given to me, I can tell you that much,” said Steiner. “I had to work hard at every one and it was a lot of fun playing against those guys and I hope to see them again in the future.” Going into this year’s South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship, Steiner had one outright win under his belt. 

 

Playing three rounds of golf in one day is a challenge for even the most skilled of players. Mentality, a calm disposition, and Steiner’s putting were key to his victory Saturday. Steiner never once got visibly upset after a shot didn’t go his way. “I think I putted pretty well today,” said Steiner. “But really it was just the mentality of it, just grinding and saying ‘do whatever it takes to put the ball in the hole.” 

 

Conditions going into the championship round toughened out on the course, as it began to rain heavily. Between his semi final round and the championship round, Steiner busied himself on the practice putting green and hit balls in the pouring rain. “A lot of the pacing came from it being purely adrenaline, running on fumes almost. I worked hard with my coach on the mental aspect of the game, that’s what we are working on pretty much all the time.”

 

Steiner made the cut with a two-day qualifying score of even-par, 144 to move on to the first day of match play on Friday. After making the cut, Steiner was met with strong competition all around. In the Round of 32, Steiner defeated 2009 Carolinas Mid-Amateur Champion Jarrett Grimes of Columbia, S.C. 1 up. Just 30 minutes after completing his Round of 32 match, Steiner faced off against Nick Willis of Cowpens, S.C., a senior on the men’s golf team at Wofford College for their Round of 16 match. Steiner’s Round of 16 match was full of clutch plays, holing out for eagle on No. 13 from 140 yards out, pulling away with the 1 up win against Willis. 

 

In Saturday's quarterfinal round, Steiner was matched against Mitchell Vance of Hartsville, S.C., the No. 2 seed and a rising junior on the men’s team at Francis Marion University. The two duked it out over the front nine and were tied up going into No. 15, which Vance parred and Steiner birdied, pulling away with the match with another 1 up win. 

 

In the semi finals, Steiner played against No. 22 seed McClure Thompson of Little River, S.C., who was coming into the match fresh off defeating No. 3 seed and University of South Carolina’s Nick Mayfield of Rock Hill, S.C. 3 & 1. Both Thompson and Steiner came away from the front 9 with hole wins, but Steiner dominated the back, going so far as being 4 up through No. 14. Steiner kept a steady game coming down the stretch and won the semi final match against Thompson 3 & 2. 

 

After Steiner’s win against Thompson, the realization that he had made the championship round dawned on him. “ I wasn’t super nervous. I was excited to make it to the championship and I was just trying to stay loose and have fun with it. That’s what I was trying to do the whole week.”

 

At 2:45pm on Saturday, Steiner faced off in the championship match against No. 1 seed Quackenbush. He was coming off his own 1 up win that morning against Michael Sims of Lexington, S.C. and 3 & 2 win against Coastal Carolina University’s Garrett Cooper of Cowpens, S.C. Steiner and Quackenbush had a close match, tying often on holes in the front. Quackenbush played a clean and safe game, but Steiner gave himself more birdie looks throwing darts at the pins, nearly holing out on chips and bunker shots, and sinking putts left and right. “Brian was really easy going, a really nice guy. It was a very relaxed match minus the tension for the championship,” he said with a laugh.

 

After hoisting the trophy, Steiner expressed his feelings of gratitude. “I feel good. I feel blessed to be here, period. It was a lot of fun this week. I was happy to be here!”

 

49th South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship

Mount Vintage Golf Club (Chester/Vintage), North Augusta, S.C.

Quarter final results

 

Brian Quackenbush of Aiken def. Michael Sims of Lexington 1 up

 

Garrett Cooper of Cowpens def. Grant Sellers of McBee 3 & 2

 

Jason Steiner of Fort Mill def. Mitchell Vance of Hartsville 1 up

 

McClure Thompson of Little River def. Nick Mayfield of Rock Hill 3 & 1

 

49th South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship

Mount Vintage Golf Club (Chester/Vintage), North Augusta, S.C.

Semi Final Results

 

Brian Quackenbush of Aiken def. Garrett Cooper of Cowpens 2 & 1

 

Jason Steiner of Fort Mill def. McClure Thompson of Little River 3 & 2

 

49th South Carolina Amateur Match Play Championship

Mount Vintage Golf Club (Chester/Vintage), North Augusta, S.C.

Final Results

 

Jason Steiner of Fort Mill def. Brian Quackenbush of Aiken 1 up 

 

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.

 

##30##