Local golf: 3 Lowcountry juniors to play Dustin Johnson event

Bluffton's Alec and Drew Weary and Hilton Head Island's Anna Eddy are among 90 golfers set to tee off this weekend in the inaugural Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship, a three-day event at TPC Myrtle Beach.

The invitational event, which Johnson unveiled last November, will feature players from 12 states and eight countries. Nearly a quarter of the entrants are international players.

"Dustin wanted to make sure we took care of local and state juniors while ensuring a high-quality international field," said Allen Terrell, managing partner of the Dustin Johnson Golf School in Myrtle Beach.

All three Lowcountry golfers played in last weekend's Sea Pines Junior Heritage, with Alec Weary earning a share of 10th in the boys' division and Eddy tying for 11th among girls.

The field features three of the top 100 juniors in Golfweek's current rankings, headlined by North Carolinians Eric Bae and Patrick Stephenson. Eight of the top 12 boys in the South Carolina junior rankings are entered, along with seven of the top 10 girls.

JAMES TAKES HJGT WIN AT KIAWAH

JPGA student Katie James used her only birdie in Sunday's cold and windy conditions to hold off fast-closing Victoria England for a victory at last weekend's Kiawah Island Junior Challenge at the island's Osprey Point course.

Though James held a three-shot lead after the opening round, strong winds created an adventure for everyone in Sunday's finale. Three double bogeys in a four-hole span allowed England to nudge in front with two holes to play, but James rebounded with a birdie at No. 17 while England stumbled.

England double bogeyed the 17th, then followed with another bogey while James parred.

Fellow JPGA student T.J. Nolan went to a playoff in the boys' division, only to finish runner-up when Mexico's Jose Aguilar drained a 30-foot putt on the second extra hole.

AMERICAN LEGION FUNDRAISER

Openings remain for the American Legion Beaufort Post 9's annual fundraiser, set for Feb. 26 at The Legends at Parris Island. Proceeds go toward financing the post's youth programs.

Entry fees are $100 per person or $400 for a foursome, with food and drinks included. The tournament also is offering $10,000 for a hole-in-one during play. For more information, call George Miller at 843-470-0928.

EXPOSURE CAMP REGISTRATION

Monday is the deadline for aspiring collegians to sign up for the third annual Junior Golf Exposure Camp, taking place March 18-20 at Hampton Hall GC.

At least a dozen college programs have committed to sending coaches, who will play 45 holes with campers over three days. Colleges represented include Charleston Southern, Georgia Southern, Furman, Davidson, Charlotte and Mississippi.

The camp is open to any golfer ages 12-18, with an entry fee of $1,695. Go to CollegeGolfCamps.com to register or for more information.

ACES & ALBATROSSES

• Ron Discher recorded a hole-in-one Feb. 6 on the 12th hole at Hidden Cypress Golf Club, using a 6-iron to find the cup from 140 yards. Witnesses were Ken Bieschke, Ron Kuchinski and Bill Trainer.

This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 10:15 AM with the headline "Local golf: 3 Lowcountry juniors to play Dustin Johnson event."