Hilton Head Island, S.C. – The weekend could not have been scripted better for the 25th edition of the Jimmy Self Invitational Presented by Greenwood Communities and Resorts. Clear skies greeted players in the final round as elite juniors golfers vied for the coveted champions title.
Entering the final round, Camila Burnett (Bluffton) held a three shot lead over defending champion Buggy Reinke (Rock Hill) after her second round even-par. (72) Burnett would get a slow start on the day with a bogey at the par-3 third hole and follow that with a double-bogey on the par-4 fifth hole. Showing her endurance, Burnett would quickly bounce back with birdies on the seventh and the ninth, taking a five shot lead into the back nine and ultimately capturing the 2020 Jimmy Self Girls Division title. Reinke would fire two late birdies, staying steady on her back nine and enough to take solo second place. Santee’s Lexi Bennett would slide up the leaderboard and finish in the top-3, carding a final round 4-over par (76).
A play-off would have to decide the 2020 boys division champion as Major Lenning (Simpsonville) and Nolan Hawkins (Hilton Head Island) would head back to the 18th hole to battle for the coveted Jimmy Self Invitational champion’s title. Posting the low round of the day, Hawkins carded a final round -4 under (68) to leap to the top of the leaderboard. Hawkins would wait for the final pairing, as Lenning would finish out his round posting a 1-over par (73) after firing a -2 under par (34) on the back nine forcing extra holes. Ultimately, it would only take one hole to decide a champion as Lenning would make a routine par on the par-5 18th hole to become a first time SCJGA champion. Andrew Swanson of Bluffton posted an even-par (72) to edge out second round leader Oliver Rotermund (Daniel Island) for third place.
The Jimmy Self Invitational is a junior specific tournament designed to showcase great players across the US. The Invitational is named for Jimmy Self, 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. First beginning as a high school team event, moving to an individual event in 2004. The presenting sponsor, Greenwood Communities and Resorts, owned and operated by the Self family has steadily, smartly, and impressively built a family of resort, residential and commercial communities in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida.
