BLYTHEWOOD, SC— 93 junior golfers from across the state competed in the Thanksgiving Eve One Day on Wednesday, November 25 at Columbia Country Club. The golf course proved to be a formidable test, with the average 18-hole round coming in at just shy of 85 strokes.
The round of the day belonged to Luke Walmet (Mount Pleasant), who was the lone player to post a round under par in the entire field. Following a level-par front nine, Walmet overcame a double-bogey on the par-five ninth hole with birdies on four of his final six holes to post a round of 71 and take the Boys 13-18 division. Finishing runner-up was Harris Holstein (Orangeburg), who joined Walmet as the only players to post rounds of even-par or better for the tournament. Ashton Eubanks (Lexington) and Jay Wilkins (Simpsonville) each carded one-over par (73) to claim a tie for third place.
The star of the Girls 13-18 contest was Blythewood’s Elizabeth Madden, who took home the title by posting a round of nine-over par (81). Madden claimed a two-stroke victory over runner-up Alexis Hodge (Lexington). Kate Nyers (Mount Pleasant) rounded out the top three finishers with a score of 14-over par (86).
Perhaps the most crowded leaderboard of the day came in the Boys 12 & Under division, with four different competitors being within two strokes of the lead coming down the stretch. MacLean Fulmer (Spartanburg) sealed the tournament with a clutch birdie on the tricky par-three eighth hole, posting two-over par (38). The birdie on hole eight and a par to finish his round was good enough for a one-stroke triumph over runner-up Gaines Reed (Lancaster). Owen Atkinson (Columbia) finished alone in third place at four-over par (40).
The SCJGA would like to thank Columbia Country Club for their hosting of the Thanksgiving Eve One-Day and their continued efforts to growing the game of golf throughout the state.