Strong SC Amateur field tees off at Dataw Island Club

Youth versus experience has been the mantra of recent memory for the annual battle of the South Carolina Golf Association’s Amateur Championship.

Perhaps it’s a youngster taking the early lead after a stellar opening round, or a veteran-competitor withstanding the grueling four-day competition. Whichever way it unfolds, a champion will be crowned and will join others in history like Bill Haas, Lucas Glover, Mark Anderson and DJ Trahan.



The 87th SCGA Amateur Championship is set to begin Thursday at 7:30 a.m.

The scene will play out over one of the best kept secrets in the Lowcountry – Dataw Island Club. The Club’s Cotton Dike Course will provide just the test for a steady, consistent and well executed game plan in which the field will most certainly deliver some excitement.



Former Clemson golfer Gregg Jones captured the championship on his home course at Florence Country Club last year. Jones’ experience on tight fairways should be an edge for him as Dataw Island’s Cotton Dike course requires strategy and accuracy off the tee. With experience earlier this year in the winner’s circle at Dataw, Daniel Azallion, a Hilton Head native and 2018 SCGA Junior Champion, will have the knowledge needed to make a surge to the top of the leaderboard.

Joining the reigning Amateur and Junior champion will be the 2018 Senior Champion, Rich Weston. Weston will be paired with Jones Azallion in the first two rounds.

Other past champions in the field, Lee Palms (2008) and Austin Reeves (2011), will bring the upstate contingency to the Lowcountry.



Dataw Island has four members in the field - resident members Mark Everson and Steve Dietz, and Dataw Island Country Club members Patrick Mitchell and Matt O’Quinn.



Beaufort’s Tommy Holloway was invited to compete in the championship as a recipient of one of the Dataw Island Club’s exemptions. Holloway, a class 4A All-State player, is no stranger to Dataw Island playing his home matches there.

Other notables include: 2017 Senior Champion (held at Dataw Island Club) Geno Berchiatti, Florida State golfer Jake Carter, South Carolina men’s golfer Caleb Proveaux, and SCGA Qualifier Medalists Gene Zeigler (Florence), Seth Robertson (Inman), Andrew Orishack (Hilton Head) and Cal Brock (Greenwood).



Notable locals include: Keaton Butler, Chris Jones, Matthew Campbell, Rob Simmons, Turner Wegener, Tommy Holloway, Andrew Orischak, Travis Mancill, Kyle Putkonen, Nick Russell, Christian Garruppo, Jake Williams, Gavin Lindstrom, Charlie Spencer-White, Connor Moore, Tony Nimmer, Matt Lehman, Alec Weary, Drew Weary, and JD Patterson.



Play begins for the 87th SCGA Amateur Championship at Dataw Island Club on Aug. 2 with tee times starting at 7:30 a.m. at the 1st and 10th tees.

This story was originally published July 31, 2018 at 4:42 PM.