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Four rounds, 121 players, culminating with the best South Carolina amateur hoisting the coveted Billy Lewis Trophy. Florence Country Club, host of numerous USGA and professional events, sits ready to provide a challenge for players as the 86^th SCGA Amateur Championship Presented by McLeod Health takes place August 3-6 in Florence, South Carolina.

Some competitors won’t need to travel far to compete. Florence Country Club member, Club Champion, and Clemson Alum Gregg Jones (Florence) will tee it up with a plethora of knowledge of the course, the competition, and what it takes to battle for a win. Jones has won numerous times since joining the amateur circuit, mostly with his Four-Ball team member Michael Maness (Greenville), who will also tee it up at the Amateur for the first time since 2003 upon regaining his amateur status. Another Florence favorite and FCC Junior Club Champion, Gene Zeigler (Florence) will tee it up for the first time in the Amateur and will be the youngest player competing at the youthful age of 14. Zeigler holds a lot of knowledge of the course and the youthful drive to make his name and game known. These along with seven other Florence residents fill out the local delegation. 

Although the hometown guys will have knowledge, numerous players will travel to the event with 2017 resumes that prove they will give the title a run. Geno Bechiatti (Greenville) captured the 2017 SCGA Senior Championship, Chris Eassy (Greer) battled to win the 2016 SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship, Tate Hoisington (Hilton Head Island) won the 2017 South Carolina Open as an amateur, RJ Keur (North Charleston) recently won the Carolinas Amateur Championship at Briar’s Creek and future Wofford Terrier, Ryan Marter (Columbia) recently took medalist honors at the US Amateur qualifier at Columbia Country Club and captured the Carolina’s 4-Ball Championship.

Florence Country Club was founded in 1924. While the original architect is unknown, the 18-hole course was built in the “Donald Ross" style, using the natural contours of the small 77-acre site. When asked about this prestigious honor about returning to Florence Country Club for the 86th Amateur Championship, SCGA Senior Director Biff Lathrop replied, "We are excited about coming back to Florence Country Club for the 9th time in the history of the Amateur Championship, the first time since 1983.  Florence CC and their membership have been long-time friends to the SCGA and have hosted multiple events with us through the years.  It will be fun to watch some of the best Amateurs in South Carolina compete on this historic layout." FCC has hosted the PGA Tour Qualifying School eight times and is a popular venue for the participants with several current Tour players having qualified here. Seven members of the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame came from the Florence Country Club, including Buddy Baker, the 1958 USGA Junior Amateur champion. 

The SCGA, founded in 1929, is the governing body for amateur golf in South Carolina.  As a non-profit organization, the SCGA’s purpose is to promote, preserve and serve the game of golf.  Made up of more than 270 member clubs and more than 50,000 individual members, the SCGA annually conducts 21 SCGA statewide championships, 71 one-day contests, ten USGA qualifiers, seven 40-plus tournaments and six special events.  Other Member services offered include GHIN – the USGA Handicap Computation System, a Tournament Software System and support, Rules of Golf and Handicap education, USGA Course/Slope Ratings and Course measuring, Amateur Status information, the Palmetto Golfer Magazine and the SC Golf Hall of Fame.  The SCGA also houses the offices of the SC Junior Golf Foundation and SC Junior Golf Association in a combined effort to support junior golf and grow the game’s initiatives.