Golf Notes for Sept. 3

Back-to-back aces made at Dataw

Dataw Island residents Bill McMahon and Sandi Fischer had never met before playing the Cotton Dike Golf Course on Saturday.

McMahon was in a group of men immediately ahead of Fischer's group when he shot his first hole-in-one on the par 3, No. 2 hole. The Fischer group watched the men jumping up and down on the tee as their group approached the No. 1 green.

When Fischer's threesome reached the tee on No. 2, a strange thought ran through her mind.

"Wouldn't it be wild if I had a hole-in-one, too?"

Fischer hit an arcing tee shot, the ball landed on the edge of the green, rolled straight up to the hole and in.

Another celebration ensued. It was Fischer's third hole-in-one, her second on Cotton Dike No. 2.

Holly Dolan was walking home from picking flowers at the common island garden nearby and witnessed the rare feat.

"I have never seen a hole-in-one and now I see two back-to-back," Dolan said.

She gave Fischer a rose to celebrate the event.

Penley to enter SC Golf Hall of Fame

Larry Penley will be inducted into the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame in December. The longtime coach of Clemson University will become the 58th member to enter the state's golf shrine on Dec. 5 with an induction ceremony at Columbia Country Club.

A native of Dallas, N.C., Penley, 50, took over the Clemson golf program in 1983. Since then, only two of his teams have failed to reach the NCAA finals.

He has been named ACC coach of the year six times, NCAA district coach of the year five times and national coach of the year once.

He has coached two U.S. Public Links champions (Kevin Johnson in 1987, D.J. Trahan in 2000), a U.S. Amateur champion (Chris Patton in 1989), an NCAA champion (Charles Warren in 1997) and a U.S. Open champion (Lucas Glover in 2009).

His program has produced more than 50 All-American selections.

Berger defends LWGA title

Chris Berger from Hampton Hall successfully defended her title as the stroke play champion for women in the Lowcountry. Berger shot 1-under-par 70 in the final round of the two-day Lowcountry Women's Golf Association tournament at Long Cove Club to win the title for the second year in a row.

Other winners were Sharon Son Hing of Long Cove Club in the championship flight, Judy Wade of Haig Point in the first flight, Cathy Sigler of Palmetto Dunes in the second flight, Anita Jewell of The Golf Club at Indigo Run in the third flight and Phyllis DeFrancesco of Sun City in the fourth flight.

Locals unable to qualify for US Mid Amateur

Several local golfers attempted to qualify for the US Mid Amateur over the weekend at Country Club of Charleston.

Bluffton's Jay Boring and Beaufort's Rob Simmons both shot 71s to finish two strokes behind the sixth and final qualifier.

Other local golfers in the qualifier were Beaufort's James Banyas (72), St. Helena Island's Paul Davies (73), Hilton Head Island's James Feucht II (74), Bluffton's Bob Engler (75) and Bluffton's Pratt Reed (78).

Coakley 59th in eGolf event

Bluffton's Kenny Coakley shot a 71-68-73-73 -- 285 to tie for 59th place in the eGolf Professional Tour's inaugural championship at Savannah Harbor. Roberto Castro of Alpharetta, Ga., won the tournament with a 269, earning $40,000. Castro moves to No. 1 on the tour's 2009 money list with just over $108,000 in earnings.

Pastor's Cup coming to Palmetto Dunes

The South Carolina Fellowship of Christian Athletes will host the 2009 Pastor's Cup golf tournament on Sept. 26 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course at Palmetto Dunes on Hilton Head Island.

The tournament is four-person captain's choice. Threesomes must invite their pastor, youth minister or music minister.

For more information, contact Brett Wetherington at 843-304-1652.

Tomedolskey leads professional championship

Mark Tomedolskey of Yemassee leads the Carolinas PGA Section's Professional Championship. Tomedolskey shot a 33-34 -- 67 in Wednesday's first round at The Point Lake Golf Club in Mooresville, N.C.

Hilton Head Island's Keith Bach and Bluffton's Matt Lucchesi are tied for 44th place. Both players shot a 75 and sit eight strokes behind Tomedolskey.

Other local golfers in the field include Bluffton's Rob Anderson (76), Beaufort's Chris Byrd (76), Bluffton's Tony Branham (76), Hilton head's Matt Stewart (76), Hilton Head's Bill Sampson (79), Hilton Head's Tom Logue (79) and Bluffton's Michael Fries (84),

The final round of the tournament is today.