<a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image015.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1804" title="image015" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image015-300x201.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="201" /></a>The Beaufort Summer Splash at Dataw Island Club culminated Sunday with 18 title matches. A field of 117 players from three states battled it out over the three-day event at its new venue, Dataw Island Club. Top seeded  <strong>John Chryst</strong>, of Bluffton, a longtime chair umpire on the ATP Tour, took the Men’s 4.0 Singles title over No. 2 seed Kosmus Ochran of Mount Pleasant.<!--more-->

<strong><a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image016.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1805" title="image016" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image016-300x270.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="270" /></a>Tyler Davis</strong>, director of the Mount Pleasant Tennis Club, defeated Brian Hattaway, of Beaufort, 6-1, 6-3 for the Men’s 4.5 Singles title. Davis, a Beaufort native, played college tennis and was the women’s tennis coach at Presbyterian College, Clinton, S.C. “Great to have moved the Splash here to Dataw!” said Davis. “Terrific amenities!”

<a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image017.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-1807" title="image017" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image017.jpg" alt="" width="242" height="274" /></a>The most exciting match of the day was for the Women’s 4.5 Doubles title in which Dataw Tennis Pro <strong>Donna McKenna</strong> and partner <strong>Cindy Vander Berg</strong>, of Sun City, outlasted Jeanne Arlow and Michelle Hrabanek in a whiplash-paced, two-hour-plus duel that saw the winners overcome a 2-5 deficit to catch up and win the first set in a tie break, then continue on to take the title 7-6(2); 6-3. The youngest competitor,<strong> Samantha Light</strong>, 16, of Cramerton, N.C., crowned her Splash debut with a 6-0, 6-0 victory over  Annie Bass, Charleston. “This Summer Splash was a blast. The facility is fantastic!” she said. Light noted she is playing next weekend in a qualifier for the Junior US Open.

<a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image018.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1808" title="image018" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image018-300x292.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="292" /></a>Only two entrants doubled in the finals: <strong>Robert Tillison</strong>, a Hilton Head Pro League player, won the Men’s 4.5 Doubles with partner David Holland by defeating John Bauer/Justin Rogers 6-1, 7-5. He then teamed with Julie Taylor, also of Hilton Head, to take the hotly contested Combo Mixed 8.0 Doubles 6-1, 6-3 over John Chryst/Palma Chryst. The other player to win two titles was <strong>Kelly Walsh</strong> with 2.5 Doubles and Combo Mixed 6.0 Doubles crowns.

<a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image019.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1809" title="image019" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image019-171x300.jpg" alt="" width="171" height="300" /></a><a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image020.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1810" title="image020" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/image020-213x300.jpg" alt="" width="213" height="300" /></a>The tournament was a huge success with Dataw Island Club offering players the use of the pool, pub and grounds, turning the former downtown event into an all-clay, family-friendly long weekend. We anticipate record registration at the <strong>Beaufort Summer Splash at Dataw Island Club 2012</strong> once the buzz on 2011 spreads. See you there!!

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