Two Lowcountry junior golfers have strong showing at Grant Bennett Classic

Two Lowcountry junior golfers finished in the top three at the Grant Bennett Junior Classic at Florence Club.

Hilton Head Christian’s Max Green finished second and Beaufort’s Jerry Bruns was third in the three-day event, which wrapped up Friday. Green, the first-round leader, finished with a 6-under 207 and Bruns tied for third at 3 under.

It was Bruns second straight top-three finish. He was third at the SC Junior Championship presented by the Heritage Foundation on June 8-10.

Spartanburg’s Drew Harrill won the tournament with a 12 under and all three rounds in the 60s. He shot a final-round 67.

The Grant Bennett Florence Junior Invitational is in it’s 69th year of existence and is the longest running junior golf tournament in South Carolina. Formerly known as the Florence Junior, the tournament was renamed after the famed Grant Bennett back in 2013. Bennett started the Florence Junior in 1952 after his inaugural year as both Head Professional and Course Superintendent in 1951. Bennett coached his high school golf teams to 11 straight state titles, had one of his pupils win the US Junior Championship (Buddy Baker), help host the 1963 US Junior Championship at Florence Country Club, was co-founder of the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association and a member of multiple Halls of Fame.