Porter Earns First CGA Win at Carolinas Senior Amateur

 

Event: 63rd Carolinas Senior Amateur Championship

Host Site: Seabrook Island Club (Ocean Winds), Seabrook Island, S.C.

Playing Dates: September 10-12, 2024

Social Media: @CGAgolf1909

 

Related: Championship Website  | Scoring |  History  |  Photos

 

LOCATION – Seabrook Island, S.C.

 

It was a beautiful week at Seabrook Island Club for the 63rd Carolinas Senior Amateur Championship. Lee Porter of Pinehurst, N.C. carded rounds of 73-71-69 to finish at a three-day total of 213, 3-under to take home the trophy. 

 

Round 1 was the perfect day with sunny skies for all players. Porter had two birdies on his scorecard for Round 1, and he came in with a 73, 1-over, two strokes off the lead. After Round 1, Jeff Jamieson of Cary, N.C., Casey Smith of Abbeville, S.C., and Christopher Ingram of Winston-Salem, N.C., shared the top spot on the leaderboard at 1-under. 

 

In Round 2 on Wednesday, cloudy skies greeted our morning wave and stuck around all day for the afternoon wave as well. Porter had another solid day of golf given the strong winds and tight fairways, coming in under par for the day with a 71, 1-under to put him at even-par for the tournament after two rounds. 

 

Heading into the Final Round, Larry Cloninger of Gastonia, N.C. had the lead by himself at 3-under. Cloninger had an impressive bogey-free second round with three birdies to shoot 3-under for the day to give him the solo lead. Two strokes behind him was Yancey Johnson of Simpsonville, N.C., at 1-under, and Porter was another stroke back in third place at even.

 

“I had never been here before, but this was a great golf course in excellent condition. It was on the tighter side and the wind definitely made it more challenging,” Porter shared regarding playing at Seabrook Island Club’s Ocean Winds course.

 

A colorful sunrise and rainbow greeted us first thing in the morning for the Final Round on Thursday before the clouds rolled in. The competition was fierce and full of surprises throughout the day as many players came in and out of the top of the leaderboard. 

 

Porter began the day strong with birdies on holes 1 and 5. Through five holes, Porter sat just one stroke back from Cloninger who remained at 3-under. As the final couple of groups made the turn, Cloninger made his way to 4-under and Eddie Hargett of Blythewood, S.C. climbed up the leaderboard to second place at 1-under. Porter made the turn at even-par. 

 

Porter bounced back with birdies on 11, 13, and 14 to make his way back up to the top. Through 14 holes, Porter, Cloninger, and Hargett were all tied for the lead at 3-under, making it an exciting finish coming down the stretch. With a birdie from Porter on 16, he jumped to 4-under. Coming down the 18th fairway, Porter had a one-stroke lead over Hargett and Cloninger. After hitting the green, he needed to two-putt for par to secure the win, and he did just that.

 

“I definitely struck the ball very well. Luckily the putter cooperated today a little bit more.”

 

This win is Porter’s first CGA championship title. “Since I got back to playing golf, the guys that I’ve met and played with have been very meaningful. And especially with Jack retiring, to get a win under his watch is very special to me.” 

 

Hargett finished in second place at 2-under, and Cloninger finished in third place at 1-under. 

 

The Carolinas Golf Association would like to thank Director of Golf Brian Thelan, Head Superintendent Sean Hardwick, Ocean Winds Superintendent Brian Drinkard, and the rest of members and staff of Seabrook Island Club for a fantastic week.

 

 

About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)

The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1909 to promote and protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support, and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is one of the largest golf associations in the country, with over 700 member clubs represented by over 200,000 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 and 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 over $3,000,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives, including junior, women and adaptive programs.

For more information about the Carolinas Golf Association, follow @cgagolf1909 on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok, or visit our website www.carolinasgolf.org/

 

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