Gamecocks open fall golf seasons with two individual champions

Maybe this should not be surprising. After all, the top players on the University of South Carolina men’s and women’s golf teams rank among the world’s best amateurs.

Still, how’s this for daily double: a pair of individual champions in season-opening tournaments?

In the Gopher Invitational at Maple Plan, Minnesota, Frankie Harris shared first place in leading the Carolina men to a second-place finish in the team competition.

In another Minnesota tournament, the Annika Intercollegiate at Lake Elmo, Eila Galitsky used a flying finish to secure a tie for the individual title, and the Gamecocks’ women placed sixth in the 12-team field.

“A good start overall,” Carolina men’s coach Rob Bradley said.

Harris, who entered the season with the USC men’s program’s lowest career average and ranked No. 36 in the world amateur golf rankings, shared the individual title at 8-under-par 205. Overall, the Gamecocks, No. 21 in pre-season polls, trailed only No. 20 Texas A&M in the 15-team tournament.

“Frankie’s a great player,” Bradley said. “He’s No. 12 in the PGA Tour’s University Rankings and winning certainly won’t hurt. I knew it was a great golf course for him. There’s fescue on both side of the fairways, so you’ve got to keep it straight and he did.”

While Harris thrived with accuracy off the tee, some of his teammates struggled with the driver. “Exposed,” Bradley said. “As a whole, we have to drive the ball better.”

Senior Zach Adams and sophomore Marek Fleming tied for 20th individually. Junior Brock Blias and sophomore Ismael Encinas rounded out the opening-tournament lineup.

“We will probably tinker with the lineup throughout the season,” Bradley said. And players to keep an eye on include freshmen August Petersson and Talan Harrison.

Petersson, Harrison and junior Bo Carpenter played as individuals in an auxiliary Minnesota tournament, and Petersson, a native of Sweden, made an immediate impression.

“He shot 9-under-par in his first college round,” Bradley said.

Petersson placed second overall. Carpenter finished ninth and Harrison 17th.

Petersson faced the challenge of adjusting to a new environment off the course and changes on the course.

“They have mostly bentgrass in Sweden and bermuda here, so expect him to get better with experience,” Bradley said. “Harrison didn’t have his best stuff, but he’s a nice player and we have to figure a way to get them in the lineup at some point.”

The Gamecocks’ next start is a home tournament, the Bryan Bros Collegiate at Solina Golf Club in West Columbia Sept. 29-30. The field will include, among others, Clemson, LSU, Duke, N.C. State and the Gamecocks.

“It’s always nice to host a tournament, and it’s a great opportunity to showcase Solina, which has been good to us,” Bradley said. “The Bryans all played at Carolina, and they’ll be involved, and that’s another plus.”

Meanwhile, the USC women’s team, No. 12 in preseason polls, faced the daunting challenge of replacing three starters, including a pair of four-time All-Americans, from a team that advanced to the 2025 national championship tournament. But Galitsky provides strength at the top.

A sophomore, she is No. 7 in the women’s world amateur rankings, and she showed why in the Annika. She birdied the 17th hole and eagled the 18th to become the third-straight USC player to win or share the tournament individual title. Louise Rydqvist won in 2023 and Hannah Darling triumphed a year ago.

Junior Vairana Heck had a T-19th finish, and freshman Laura Nepper tied for 34th. Junior Maylis Lamoure and junior transfer Alicia Olsson rounded out the lineup.

Chip shots. Senior Thomas Higgins tied for eighth place individually, leading Clemson’s men to a tie for second in the team competition in the Myrtle Beach Golf Trips Intercollegiate at the Grande Dunes Resort course. Touted freshman Jackson Byrd played as an individual and tied for 20th in his first collegiate start. ... With Sarah Uebelhart, a freshman from Switzerland, sharing seventh place individually, Clemson’s women finished fifth in the team standings in the Cougar Classic at Yeamans Hall Club in Hanahah. ... Michael Sims (Lexington) and Connor Doyel (Charleston) joined forces to earn a spot in the 2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball in qualifying at Dataw Island Club’s Cotton Dike Course. ... Mims Liner (Irmo) and John O’Brien (Columbia) teamed to win the SCGA’s Senior Better Ball Championship at Santee Cooper CC in Santee. Their 13-under-par 131 total edged Robert Dargan Columbia)-Rob Hrubala (Spartanburg) by two strokes.

This story was originally published September 12, 2025 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Gamecocks open fall golf seasons with two individual champions."