PROFESSIONALS SQUEEZE PAST AMATEURS TO CLAIM PALMETTO CUP
HILTON HEAD, S.C. - Led by the two senior members of its team, Randy Glover of Mount Pleasant and Dave Philo of Pawley's Island, the professionals of the South Carolina PGA scored a narrow victory over the state's best amateurs, 43 - 37 in the 17th annual Palmetto Cup Golf Matches concluded Monday at Belfair Country Club.
Glover, Philo and Teammate Phil Bland of Darlington each won five of a possible six points to lead the SCPGA to its second straight victory over the South Carolina Golf Association amateurs. The victory gave the professionals a 10-5-1 record in the matches with the 1997 event rained out.
The two day event, played over the Tom Fazio designed, West Course at Belfair, pitted the top 18 players from the SCPGA against their counterpart from the SCGA in foursome and singles matches. Players earned spots on each team through competitions help during the past year by the respective organizations. Each match was worth three points based on front nine, back nine and 18 hole scores.
In Sunday's foursome or alternate shot matches, Glover and Philo teamed to shut out the SCGA's seniors, Dick Horne of Mount Pleasant and Bill Townsend of Aiken, 3-0 Then in singles play, Glover bested Townsend while Philo topped Horne by identical 2-1 scores. Bland teamed with Hartsville's Bill Lewis to score a 3-0 shutout over the Columbia team of Bobby Hathaway and Eddie Hargett, then took a 2-1 decision from Kevin King of Hilton Head in singles play.
The SCGA led, 14 - 12 after the opening round of foursome matches but saw the SCPGA come back to take 31 of the possible 54 points available in singles play. Keith Murphy of Charleston led the amateurs, winning 5 points including a 3-0 downing of Craig Kenley of Myrtle Beach. Murphy also teamed with Bill Smunk of Kingstree to defeat Terry Johnson and David Tomlinson, 2 - .
According to SCGA Executive Director Happ Lathrop, the SCGA has never won the Palmetto Cup when leading by less than three points after the foursome matches. This year was no different as the amateurs lost the 18th hole in six different singles matches to cost themselves six points - the exact final margin of victory for the professionals.
Final Results
FOURSOMES: Bill Smunk, Kingstree, and Keith Murphy, Charleston (SCGA) def. Terry Johnson, Duncan and David Tomlinson, Kingstree, 2 - ; Tony Branham, Columbia, and Craig Kenley, Myrtle Beach (SCPGA) def. Taylor Hough, Spartanburg and Sammy Truett, Myrtle Beach, 3-0; Bill Lewis, Hartsville and Phil Bland, Darlington (SCPGA) def. Bobby Hathaway, Columbia and Eddie Hargett, Columbia, 3-0; Frank Ford III, Charleston and Cordes Ford, Charleston (SCGA) def. Tommy Pendley, Greenwood and Vic Lipscomb, Spartanburg, 3-0; Dave Philo, Pawley's Island and Randy Glover, Mount Pleasant (SCPGA) def.
Dick Horne, Mount Pleasant and Bill Townsend, Aiken 3-0; Lee Palms, Greenville and Duke Delcher, Hilton Head (SCGA) halved Rocky Catalano, Florence and John Faidley, Florence, 1 - 1 ; Steve Leibler, Columbia and Gus Sylvan, Columbia (SCGA) def. David Coker, Hartsville and Randy Few, Blythewood, 2-1; Bert Atkinson, Charleston and Mike Bright, Mouth Pleasant (SCGA) def. Clem King, Columbia and David Lamb, Easley, 2 - ; Terry Ezell, Rock Hill and Kevin King, Hilton Head (SCGA) def. George Bryan, Columbia and Jim Fellner, Myrtle Beach, 3-0. SCGA 14 , SCPGA 12 .
SINGLES: Tomlinson (SCPGA) def. Smunk, 2 - ; Hough (SCGA) halved Johnson 1 - 1 ; Murphy (SCGA) def. Kenley, 3-0; Truett (SCGA) def. Branham, 2-1; Fellner (SCPGA) def. Hathaway, 3-0; Hargett (SCGA) def. Coker, 2-1; F. Ford III (SCGA) halved Catalano 1 - 1 ;
Lipscomb (SCPGA) def. Delcher, 3-0; Glover (SCPGA) def. Townsend, 2-1; Philo (SCPGA) def. Horne, 2-1; C. Ford (SCGA) def. Faidley, 2-1; Palms (SCGA) def. Pendley, 2 - ; Lamb (SCPGA) def. Sylvan, 2-1; C. King (SCPGA) def Ezell, 2-1; Few (SCPGA) def. Liebler, 3-0; Bright (SCGA) halved Lewis, 1 - 1 ; Bland (SCPGA) def. King 2-1; Atkinson (SCGA) halved Bryan, 1 - 1 . SCPGA 31, SCGA 23.
FINAL SCORE: SCPGA 43 , SCGA 37 .
