FLORENCE, SC – Round one results from the 70th Grant Bennett Florence Junior Invitational hosted by Florence Country Club on Monday June 28, 2021.
Round One Information
Current Scores & Results | Media Results
Round Two Information
Florence Country Club greeted 110 players this morning for the first round of the 70th Grant Bennett Florence Junior Invitational. Jerry Bruns of Beaufort carded a five-under 66 to take the round one lead. The Beaufort native’s aggressive play and red-hot wedge game led to seven birdies to go along with a lone double-bogey leaving Bruns holding a one-stroke lead heading into round two.
“I hit a couple good shots and then I had a couple that got away from me,” said Bruns. “The main thought moving forward is just birdies.”
Walker Jennings of Greenville holds the second-place spot after round one carding a four-under-par 67. Jennings caught fire in the middle of his round, making six consecutive birdies on the fourth through ninth holes after a tumultuous start to climb up the leaderboard.
“Going into tomorrow the plan is to just keep grinding,” Jennings said. “I need to straighten out my driver because that got me in a little trouble, but I putted well today so hopefully I can continue doing that and just have fun and enjoy competing.”
SCGA Junior Champion Rowan Sullivan of Charleston and Ollie Rotermund of Daniel Island finished the day in a two-way tie for third place after they each posted one-under-par 70 for round one.
Hugh Faulkner of Greenville shot even-par 71 to take the round one lead in the boys 13 and 14 division. He is closely trailed by Mount Pleasant native Tyler Taber.
In the Boys 11 and 12 division, John Wylie Richardson of Florence leads round one posting one-over-par 72. Defending champion Owen Atkinson of Columbia lurks behind Richardson, just one stroke behind at two-over par.
After the initial nine-hole round for the Boys 10 and under division, Connor Wolfe of Blythewood carded an even-par 35 to lead round one. Greenville’s Thomas DeMint birdied his final hole of the day to pull within one of Wolfe.
The Grant Bennett Florence Junior Invitational is in its 70th year of existence and is the longest running junior golf tournament in South Carolina. Formerly known as the Florence Junior Invitational, the tournament was renamed after the famed Grant Bennett 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), helped to 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.
About the South Carolina Junior Golf Association
The purpose of the South Carolina Junior Golf Association is to continue the history and traditions of the ancient game of golf through its members and an active outreach to the youth of our state. Established in 1990 by community leaders with a love for the game and a commitment to passing on golf’s heritage to the youth of South Carolina, the SCJGA is committed to meeting the needs of all young people in the state and providing playing opportunities to boys and girls that might not otherwise have the chance to experience golf and its many benefits.Through affordable opportunities of play, instruction and competition, juniors of all ages, walks of life and skill levels will be touched by the character of the game. It helps to teach them honor, sportsmanship and respect and makes them better prepared to face the challenges ahead in life.
