Hartsville welcomes S.C. Junior Golf Association

By: | SCNOW
Published: November 16, 2009

This Saturday and Sunday, more than 110 high school athletes from all across the state will descend on the Hartsville Country Club to compete in the prestigious 12th Annual Junior Golf Players Championship. The Players Championship is the year-end event for the S.C. Junior Golf Association.

The City of Hartsville and the Hartsville Country Club have hosted this event since its inception. During the past 12 years, more than 1,500 boys and girls ages 8 to 18 have visited Hartsville for the two-day event. Many of these players have gone on to enjoy collegiate experiences. Last year’s overall boys’ winner, Crawford Reeves, is now a member of the Clemson’s Men’s Golf team. The 2008 girls’ winner, Haley Stephens, is a now a member of the Texas Longhorns Ladies Golf team. Haley won in dramatic fashion with a birdie, eagle finish in a two-hole playoff. This year’s group of participants includes players who have committed to USC, N.C. State, Winthrop, College of Charleston and Charleston Southern. Many other players will be joining the college ranks next year but have not committed to a specific school.

The event and registration begins Friday with a cookout and golf. The competition begins at 8 a.m. Saturday and continues through Sunday. The golfers will be put into groups with three or more boys or girls based on age.

The largest number of local players in tournament history, including Claire Brown and Preston Dixon Hartsville’s top ranked players, will be in the field this year. On the girls side of the ledger 9 of the state’s top 10 ranked will be in playing this weekend. On the boy’s side 22 of the top 25 will be in town. The tournament is open to the public. Tee times start at 8 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

According to Lewis Brown, tournament director, this is a great event for junior golf and an opportunity to showcase a great golf course, Hartsville and the Darlington County community as well. There is a tremendous positive impact on the local economy when you consider over 60 percent of the players will be commuting 70 miles or more. Almost 90 percent of the field comes from outside the Pee Dee region.

For more information, visit at www.scjga.org or call Darlington County Tourism at (888) 427-8720 or the Hartsville Country Club at (843) 332-1441.