2012 Jimmy Self Invitational

On a soggy day in Greenwood, The Jimmy Self Junior Festival of Flowers finished up with a tight race at the end. Reona Hirai (Summerville), matched her opening round of 70 for the second round. Each side produced a lone birdie and no bogies came into play for the final day. She finished two shots ahead of Aiken’s Taylor Ann Dodson who fired a one under 71 in the trying conditions. Jonathon Hardee and Trevor Phillips needed extra holes to determine the boys champion. Both players finished at 5 under for the weekend and went to the par five first for sudden death. Hardee made a great birdie, only to have Trevor can a 10 foot eagle to seal the victory. With two Pee Wee Championships and now the Jimmy Self, this marks the third major title for Phillips at Greenwood.

Will Hicks of Camden had his first ace in his young career with a holed out 6 iron on the 178 yard 16^th.

The well conditioned Greenwood Country Club played to a yardage of 6,776 for the boys and 5,863 for the young ladies with a par of 72. The event has been extremely popular over the years with great players coming up through SC junior golf. Some notable alumni include, Lucas Glover, DJ Trahan, Dustin Johnson, Brandi Jackson, Bill Haas, and Greenwood’s own Ben Martin.

As part of the month long celebration known as the Festival of Flowers, a junior specific tournament was added to the long running invitational golf tournaments held in Greenwood, SC. Greenwood Country Club been kind enough to host the Junior Festival of Flowers since the event became a stroke play championship. The tournament is held in memory of James C. “Jimmy” Self Jr. He was the former Chairman-of-the-Board for Greenwood Mills, who died in 1995. Mr. Self served as captain of the golf team at Clemson in 1964 & 65, was on the South Carolina Golf Association Board from 1969-71 and was generous to the game of golf in the years that followed. The parties involved felt this tournament would be a great tribute to the man that gave so much to golf.

The 36 hole event has been presented by Greenwood Communities and Resorts since inception. Greenwood Communities and Resorts has been a leader in the creation and management of residential and resort communities in the Southeast since 1978. The company’s association with golf has been a vital part of its history, from developing some of the region’s most beloved golf courses, to sponsorship of the Heritage Tournament and its commitment to junior golf. Over $150,000 has gone on to support the scholarship program and other initiatives of the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation.