GA – SC Junior Team Matches – 2019 Final Results
Event: 44th Annual Georgia-South Carolina Junior Team Matches
Playing dates: July 19-20, 2019
Tournament site: Country Club of Spartanburg – Spartanburg, SC
South Carolina Wins Third Straight Georgia-S.C. Team Matches
Spartanburg, SC – Following up on a first round lead of the 44th annual Georgia-South Carolina Junior Team Matches, the home S.C. squad won another five of eight matches at the Country Club of Spartanburg and took the 2019 title. The players experienced overcast and humid conditions that sparked some great junior golf. Competitive matches and good sportsmanship was on display during this year’s Matches – the longest running interstate junior matches in the country.
The lead-off match was another close contest as Luke Koenig (Statham, GA), defeated South Carolina’s Gene Zeigler (Florence) taking a one-up advantage finishing on the dramatic 18th finishing hole. Jackson Buchanan of Dacula, GA took down Daniel Brasington (Woodruff, SC) earning a point 1Up. Brandon Masters (Piedmont, SC), who had a sour taste leftover from his loss the day before, made eight birdies in 12 holes and defeated Suwanee, GA’s Myles Jones 7&6. In another close match, Blythewood, S.C.’s Matthew Hutto and Shaun Cook (Peachtree Corners, GA) finished up All Square after Cook made a comeback winning the final two holes.
From that point on, team South Carolina earned three and a half of the possible four remaining points as Zachary Reuland (Rock Hill), Trey Crenshaw (Lancaster) and Austin Scott (Daniel Island) all won their Matches. Scott, recent SCGA Junior Champion closed out the GSGA Junior Champion Brock Hoover (Woodstock) on the 15th hole finishing 4&3. Manning Sloop (Rock Hill) and Jay Spivey (Macon) battled it out and ended up All Square after 18 holes. Earning another five points on the day and adding to the five the day before, South Carolina retained the trophy and won the 2019 event 10-6.
Forty-four years ago, Pete Cox of the Georgia State Golf Association and Charles Rountree, Jr. of the South Carolina Golf Association formalized the idea of the GA - SC team matches. The winning team has their victory inscribed on the beautiful Rountree - Cox trophy that was donated by the Rountree family. Every junior golfer that has participated in the 44-year-old competition will find his name on the trophy with his teammates. The Georgia teams have produced 24 victories as compared to the 16 for the SC teams and four ties. Last year’s event held at The Landings Club – Deer Creek Course in Savannah, GA saw the South Carolina squad earn their second victory in a row and the first non-tie in the state of Georgia since 2008.
Teams from both states were selected by accepting the top eight finishers at each state's Junior Championship. It should also be noted that the Carolina’s Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Georgia Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association, and Titleist are proud supporters of the Georgia- South Carolina Junior Challenge Matches.
Second Round - Saturday, July 20
Team SC – 5, Team GA – 3
Overall: Team SC – 10, Team GA – 6
8:00 a.m. – Luke Koenig (Statham, GA) 1Up Gene Zeigler (Florence, SC)
8:09 a.m. – Jackson Buchanan (Dacula, GA) 1Up Daniel Brasington (Woodruff, SC)
8:18 a.m. – Brandon Masters (Piedmont, SC) 7&6 Myles Jones (Suwanee, GA)
8:27 a.m. – Matthew Hutto (Blythewood, SC) AS Shaun Cook (Peachtree Corners, GA)
8:36 a.m. – Zach Reuland (Rock Hill, SC) 1Up Beck Burnette (Blairsville, GA)
8:45 a.m. – Manning Sloop (Rock Hill, SC) AS Jay Spivey (Macon, GA)
8:54 a.m. – Trey Crenshaw (Lancaster, SC) 1Up Jack Boltja (Thomasville, GA)
9:03 a.m. – Austin Scott (Daniel Island, SC) 4&3 Brock Hoover (Woodstock, GA)
