From staff reports
The United States Golf Association (USGA) held a Mid-Amateur Championship Qualifier on Monday, Aug. 15 at Dataw Island. A field of 75 players teed off on the Tom Fazio “Cotton Dike” course on a beautiful summer day, with the sun in full force and a light breeze blowing in from Jenkins Creek and the Morgan River.
From the event conducted by the South Carolina Golf Association (SCGA) on behalf of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA), three qualifiers and two alternates advance to the USGA Mid-Am at Erin Hills, in Erin, Wis.
With 6 birdies, Weston Bell of Piedmont, finished at 6 under, one stroke ahead of Jon Weiss, Jr., of Florence, who also had 6 birdies but took a bogey on the par-3 No. 16. Osborn Theam of Jacksonville, Fla., secured third place, shooting 4 under.
A five-way tie for third brought on a tie-breaker on the scenic and challenging 18th hole. After two goes in a shootout at the 558-yard par 5, Cole Isban earned as spot as the first alternate. After a neck-in-neck battle on 17 and again on 18, Patrick Beste emerged as the second alternate.
“We love the welcome we receive coming down to the Lowcountry to compete,” Tournament Director Kyle Maloney said. “To host a USGA national championship, there is a high standard of quality, and Dataw always exceeds that in every aspect. In 2018 we held the state junior and the state amateur here, which had never been done before, but Dataw always exceed our set standard.”
