FLORENCE, SC – The heat of summer greeted players as the final round of the Grant Bennett Florence Junior Invitational at Florence County Club got underway. Drew Harrill of Spartanburg would also bring the heat to the final round, beginning the day with a one shot lead. Harrill quickly increased that lead with back-to-back birdies on holes two and three extending his margin and cushioning his march to a final round four-under 67.
Making the turn with a four shot lead, Harrill went into cruise control on the back-nine, staying with his game plan of making birdies and staying relaxed. Max Green of Hilton Head Island remained steady throughout his round, but a couple of late back nine bogies would make it impossible to catch Harrill who finished the tournament with a six shot lead over the field. Jerry Bruns (Beaufort) finished third in the 15 to 18 year old division.
Capturing his first major win with the SCJGA, Harrill expressed how surreal the week had been and how this win has given him a surge of confidence heading into more events.
Dallas Johnson (Mt. Pleasant) carded a final round five – over 76 to hold onto his lead and capture the Boys 13-14 division over fellow Mt. Pleasant native Walker Felton. Local and Florence Country Club member David Oliver, IV, used his local knowledge to climb to the top of the leader board, firing a final round even-par 71 and round out the top three.
Holding on to his lead throughout the event, Owen Atkinson (Columbia) carded a final round one-under to capture the Boys 11-12 division over Will Ruth (Moore). Ruth would give Atkinson a run on the back nine, carding back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14, but Atkinson would finish strong with a birdie on his final hole to secure the win.
Connor Wolfe (Blythewood) remained consistent during the final round, carding a final round two-over 37 to capture the Boys 10-11 division by eight shots over runner-up Zim Atkinson (Columbia) and 3rd place finisher Heyward Jennings (Greenville).
The Grant Bennett Florence Junior Invitational is in it’s 69th year of existence and is the longest running junior golf tournament in South Carolina. Formerly known as the Florence Junior, the tournament was renamed after the famed Grant Bennett back in 2013. Bennett started the Florence Junior in 1952 after his inaugural year as both Head Professional and Course Superintendent in 1951. Bennett coached his high school golf teams to 11 straight state titles, had one of his pupils win the US Junior Championship (Buddy Baker), help host the 1963 US Junior Championship at Florence Country Club, was co-founder of the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association and a member of multiple Halls of Fame.
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