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35th Annual Georgia-South Carolina Junior Challenge Match
Atlanta Country Club, Marietta
July 16-17, 2010
Match Preview
Format and Schedule
The 35th annual Georgia-South Carolina Junior Challenge Match takes place Friday and Saturday, July 16-17. The two-day event consists of eight singles matches per day. Each match is worth one point, and both teams are awarded a half point for matches that are all square after 18 holes.
Eligibility
Teams are composed of the top eight finishers from each state’s 2010 Junior Championship. Any necessary player substitutions follow the order of finish as well. Golfers were eligible for the Georgia Junior Championship if they were between the ages of 14 and 17 at the time of the Championship (June 21-23), are Georgia residents and GSGA members or dependents of GSGA members.
Event History
This interstate competition, which alternates between the two states each year, was the first of its kind when it started in 1976. Georgia owns a 21-13 advantage in the all-time series and has won four of the last six matches, although the South Carolina squad cruised to an 11 ½ to 4 ½ victory at The Reserve at Lake Keowee in Sunset, S.C., last year. Back in the Peach State, however, Georgia holds a dominating 12-4 series lead.
Our state has a distinguished list of past competitors, including PGA Tour professionals Davis Love III, Gene Sauers, Bob Tway and Larry Mize and Georgia Amateur Champions Bill Bergin (1981), Carter Mize (1993-94), Jack Croyle (2000), Jonathan Shiflet (2002), Brian Harman (2005), Harris English (2007) and Russell Henley (2008-09). The recently crowned Georgia Amateur Champion, Lee Knox of Augusta, was also a participant in 2008.
Host Club: Atlanta Country Club
TAtlanta Country Club opened in 1965 and was designed by Willard Byrd. The course has a long rich history of hosting competitive golf events. It hosted the PGA TOUR’s Atlanta Classic for 30 years, starting in 1967. It also hosted the inaugural Tournament Players Championship in 1974, an event won by Jack Nicklaus.
The club has welcomed numerous GSGA events, but is hosting for the first time since 1999. It was the site of the 1972 Greater Atlanta Women’s Amateur and 1983 Atlanta Amateur Championships, and has also hosted several team events, including the 1969 GSGA-GPGA Challenge Cup, 1987 and 1999 Georgia-Florida Women’s Team Matches and the 1988 Georgia-South Carolina Junior Challenge Match.
Over the years, modifications to the course have been made by Bob Cupp, Jack Nicklaus and most recently Mike Riley. The newest major changes came in 2001 with the redesign and renovation of all 18 of the green complexes.
Directions to Atlanta Country Club – I-75 N. to Exit 261/East Delk Road. Turn right on Delk Road. Cross over Powers Ferry Road, which becomes Terrell Mill Road. Turn right on Paper Mill Road, follow through three-way stop at Woodlawn Drive. Take first right on Atlanta Country Club Drive, club is on the right.
Team Georgia Highlights
- Team Georgia has just one returning player from last year’s squad, but that player is the two-time Georgia Junior Champion, Scott Wolfes of St. Simons Island. Wolfes won his second-straight title at Green Island Country Club in Columbus last month with a birdie on the 18th hole.
- Other team members, in order of their finish at the Georgia Junior, include Davin White of Locust Grove (2nd), Jack Gibbs of Evans (T-3rd), Caleb Morris of Metter (T-3rd), Austin Vick of Evans (T-3rd), Jimmy Beck of Columbus (T-6th), Joe Lewis of Savannah (T-6th) and Matthew Beringer of Macon (8th).
- South Carolina’s team features no returning players from their victorious 2009 squad. Their 2010 champion, Stephen Behr of Florence, who competed in 2007 and ‘09, is not able to participate this year and has been replaced in the lineup.
- Three members of Team Georgia – Lewis, White and Wolfes – competed in last week’s Georgia Amateur Championship at The Landings Club in Savannah. Wolfes made the 36-hole cut for the second-straight year, finishing tied for 24th. White also made the cut, placing 59th.
- At the conclusion of the Challenge Match, both Wolfes and Vick will depart for Egypt Valley Country Club in Grand Rapids, Mich., where they will compete in the U.S. Junior Championship.
Pairings
| Round One - Friday, July 16 |
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| Time |
South Carolina |
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Georgia |
| 8:00 a.m. |
Will Murphy, Columbia |
vs |
Joe Lewis, Savannah |
| 8:08 a.m. |
Wick Andrews, Columbia |
vs |
Matthew Beringer, Macon |
| 8:16 a.m. |
Ford Blanchard, Orangeburg |
vs |
Caleb Morris, Metter |
| 8:24 a.m. |
C.J. Liner, North Augusta |
vs |
Jimmy Beck, Columbus |
| 8:32 a.m. |
Austin Langdale, Townville |
vs |
Austin Vick, Evans |
| 8:40 a.m. |
Cody Proveaux, Leesville |
vs |
Jack Gibbs, Evans |
| 8:48 a.m. |
Grant Wagoner, North Charleston |
vs |
Scott Wolfes, St. Simons Island |
| 8:56 a.m. |
Hayden Garrett, Easley |
vs |
Davin White, Locust Grove |
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| Round Two - Saturday, July 17 |
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| Time |
South Carolina |
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Georgia |
| 8:00 a.m. |
Cody Proveaux, Leesville |
vs |
Austin Vick, Evans |
| 8:08 a.m. |
Hayden Garrett, Easley |
vs |
Scott Wolfes, St. Simons Island |
| 8:16 a.m. |
Will Murphy, Columbia |
vs |
Matthew Beringer, Macon |
| 8:24 a.m. |
Wick Andrews, Columbia |
vs |
Joe Lewis, Savannah |
| 8:32 a.m. |
Ford Blanchard, Orangeburg |
vs |
Jimmy Beck, Columbus |
| 8:40 a.m. |
C.J. Liner, North Augusta |
vs |
Caleb Morris, Metter |
| 8:48 a.m. |
Austin Langdale, Townville |
vs |
Jack Gibbs, Evans |
| 8:56 a.m. |
Grant Wagoner, North Charleston |
vs |
Davin White, Locust Grove |
About the GSGA
Founded in 1916, the Georgia State Golf Association (GSGA) received its official charter on June 24, 1924. Since that date, the GSGA has grown to one of the largest state amateur golf associations in the country, with over 350 member clubs and 85,000 individual members. With a mission to promote and preserve amateur golf in the state of Georgia, GSGA offers a computerized handicapping service, course rating and measuring, and annually conducts a full schedule of statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups. Other services include a summer-long junior sectional program, award-winning Golf Georgia magazine, membership recognition and rewards programs and a charitable foundation administering two college scholarship programs.
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