Lake City Country Club Scholarship Invitational draws 114 golfers

LAKE CITY — The 37th Annual Lake City Country Club Scholarship Invitational golf tournament brought 114 golfers to compete for prizes and give four $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors.

“It’s always been a good tournament because of the scholarship part of it,” said Lynn McClary of Cades, green superintendent at the country club. He previously ran the tournament for seven years.

The tournament was held July 17 and 18.

The scholarships will be awarded to two students from Lake City High School and two students from The Carolina Academy.

The tournament awarded around $8,000 in prizes that included cart bags, wedges, fairway No. 3 metal woods, putters, drivers and sets of irons.

Five title sponsors and various other sponsors make it possible to award the scholarships and prizes, McClary said.

The golfers were paired in “flights” according to their official South Carolina Golf Association or Carolinas Golf Association handicaps.

In the fourth flight was 16 and up, and the golfers’ net score was used to determine the winners. In the third flight were 13-15 handicaps; second flight, 9-12 handicaps; and first flight, 7-9 handicaps. In the Championship B flight were 4.5 to 6 handicaps, and in the Championship A flight were 0 to 4 handicaps.

The winner of the Championship A flight, Mark Willis of Southern Pines, N.C., was able to take the trophy away from two-time champion Paul Woodbury of Lake City by one stroke.

Willis shot a 66 and a 72 for a 36-hole total of 138. Woodbury shot under par both days to shoot a 71 and a 68 for a 36-hole round of 139.

Glen Ruthven, a four-time past champion, placed third with a 144. Tripp McAllister of Lake City, a Coastal Carolina University golf team member, placed fourth with a 144 after a score card playoff.

Warren Glover of Murrells inlet, a two-time past champion, scored a 149. Gene Windham of Lamar, a one-time past champion, placed sixth with a 151. Johnny Graham of Lake City, a two-time past champion, scored 152.

In the Championship B flight, tied for first place were Jason Holiday of Kingstree and one-time champion Englis Glover of Murrells Inlet. Holiday won the scorecard playoff. In third place was Lake City’s Kevin Myers. Lee Barton of Florence placed fourth. Larry Gay of Florence placed fifth, and Joey Barnhill of Hemingway placed sixth.

The first flight champion was Clark Gibbs of Sardis, who shot 149. Mike Cumbie of Kingstree shot a 151 for second place. Billy Lewis of Hemingway was third with a 159 and tied with Wayne Altman of Johnsonville, who shot a 159 but lost during a scorecard playoff. With 4 golfers tied at 160, Trevor Floyd of Lake City won a score card playoff for fifth place and Bobby Matthews of Darlington placed sixth. Also with a score of 160 were Lindy Swails of Georgetown and Steve Balton of Lake City.

The second flight champion was Drew Godwin of Lake City with a score of 153. After a tie at 157, Kenny Jones of Florence placed second following a score card playoff with Larry Lyerly of Florence. At fourth place was Sammy Cox of Lake City with a 161. Heyward King of Lake City placed fifth with a 164, and Jeff Whaley of Sumter placed sixth with a 165.

The third flight champion was Kenny Lee of Lake City, who tied at 164 with Happy Pendergraft, also of Lake City, and won in a score card playoff. Spencer Cox of Lake City was third with a 166. Wesley Strowman of Coward finished fourth with a 169. Buddy Ward of Lake City was fifth with a 172, and in sixth place was Scott Gainey of Florence with a 177.

The fourth flight champion was Jamie Graham of Lake City with a 146. Kenneth Lee of Lake City placed second with a 152. In third place was Hank Williamson of Kingstree with 155; he tied Johnny Thigpen of Lake City, but won in a scorecard playoff. Jody McAllister of Lake City placed fifth with a 160. Pee Wee Floyd of Lake City finished sixth with a 162.

This year’s tournament also featured a new prize for the golfer with the most improved score on the tournament’s second day. The prize was a concrete golfer statue made by Lake City High School students and donated by Kevin Wright, a teacher at the school.

— Lake City News & Post Editor Charles Tomlinson contributed to this report.