Golf Notebook

Strong field set for SCGA Amateur

The 78th annual South Carolina Golf Association Men's Amateur Championship will take place Aug. 6-9 at Berkeley Hall in Bluffton.

Greenville's Lee Palms returns to defend his title against six former champions, a contingent of proven amateurs and many of the state's top collegiate players.

Palms shot a final-round 69 for a 5-under-par total of 283 to edge Will Oldham of Spartanburg and Josh Gallman of Gaffney by one stroke a year ago. Both challengers return, and Gallman, who plays at USC Upstate, prepared for the tournament by winning the 2009 Palmetto Amateur.

Palms broke a stranglehold that collegiate stars held on the tournament, becoming the first over-30 champion since Frank Ford III in 1996.

Among those in the field of 124 golfers are two-time champion Bert Atkinson of Charleston, who recently qualified for the U.S. Senior Open; Duke Delcher of Bluffton, a former Walker Cup performer; Steve Liebler, 10-time winner of Columbia's Fairway Outreach championship; Todd White of Moore, who won the 1990 State Amateur and the 2004 State Match Play title, and Beaufort's Mark Anderson, a former USC player and Walker Cup candidate who is currently ranked No. 8 among the nation's amateurs.

Other former State Amateur champions in the field include Luke Hopkins of Greer (2007), who plays at Clemson, Taylor Hough of Spartanburg (1993) and Bill Smunk of Kingstree (1984), the current state seniors champion.

Top college players in the field include South Carolina's Wesley and George Bryan IV, Coastal Carolina's Tripp McAllister, Clemson's Crawford Reeves and South Carolina's Paul Woodbury.

Gaffney to caddie for son in PGA Championship

Hilton Head Island's Tom Gaffney expects to be the oldest caddie on the course when he totes the bag for his son Brian Gaffney in the 91st PGA Championship Aug. 13-16 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.

Tom Gaffney, 70, also carried the bag for his son in 2000 when Brian competed in his first major at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

"I'm thrilled to be playing in the championship and it comes after a lot of practice and hard work," Brian Gaffney said. "All signs point to me playing well and just going out and enjoying it. To have my Dad caddying is great. I wanted to give something back to him after all he gave to me."

Brian Gaffney lives in Monmouth Beach, N.J., and is the head professional at Rumson Country Club. Tom Gaffney moved to Hilton Head after a career in commercial real estate.

Simmons 2nd in Oglethorpe Invitational

Beaufort's Rob Simmons tied for second place in the Oglethorpe Invitational on Sunday at Wilmington Island Club in Savannah.

Simmons shot a three-day score of 67-68-67 -- 202 to finish three strokes behind winner Mark Silvers III of Savannah.

Krause 8th in Senior Championship

Bluffton's Peter Krause tied for eighth place in the Carolinas PGA Senior Championship on Wednesday at Thistle Golf Club in Sunset Beach, N.C. Krause shot a two-day score of72-74 -- 146 to finish 10 strokes behind winner Bob Boyd of Wilmington, N.C. Boyd used to work at the Melrose Course on Daufuskie Island.

Former Hilton Head Island resident Don Trahan, father of PGA Tour player D.J. Trahan, tied for 12th with a 147.

Hilton Head Island's Bob White tied for 34th with a 157 and islander Barry Fleming tied for 43rd with a 162.

In the contest for ages 62 and older, Bluffton's Meredith Henry finished ninth with a 161.