Young stars grow in S.C.

In his 35 years at the helm of the South Carolina Golf Association, executive director Happ Lathrop has watched the game grow by leaps and bounds, and little pleases him more than the number of youngsters who have been introduced to golf.

He can — and does — reel off statistics and achievements since his organization established its emphasis on junior golf in 1990, and those are impressive.

Players who got their start in South Carolina’s junior golf have won 18 PGA Tour tournaments and at least 10 Nationwide titles since 2002. Six have represented the United States in the Walker Cup competition for amateurs, one has made the U.S. Ryder Cup team, three have played on the U.S. Presidents Cup team, and one on the U.S. Solheim Cup team.

There is a U.S. Open champion, Lucas Glover, and a FedEx Cup winner, Bill Haas. There are two USGA Public Links winners, D.J. Trahan and Corbin Mills, and a U.S. Amateur runner-up, Ben Martin. Charles Warren won the NCAA men’s individual championship and Austin Ernst, who will represent the U.S. at the 2012 Curtis Cup, won the NCAA women’s individual title.

There’s more. Cody Proveaux, who will play at Clemson this fall, won the PGA Junior national title and Rolex player of the year honors in 2011. USC-bound Matt NeSmith followed Proveaux in winning the AGJA Polo title and added the Junior Heritage to his trophy collection. Both rank in the top five nationally.

“Those show the caliber of players who have developed their games in the state,” Lathrop said, “but what matters just as much is the number of young people we have introduced to golf and have learned the lessons of life that golf teaches.”

This week, two “alumni” showed their gratitude. Jamie Thomas stopped at Lathrop’s office to express appreciation, and Martin, who played on the PGA Tour in 2011, hosted a fundraiser in Greenwood.

“Jamie and I looked at the pictures we have on the wall, and it’s hard to believe the players who came through the program,” Lathrop said. “We started the junior emphasis in 1990 with the goal of giving the youngest the chance to play the year-round. At that time, there was very little during the school year. We established the Junior Golf Foundation in 1995 and added more tournaments and more programs and started to award scholarships.”

Programs include Little Legends, Clubs 4 Kids, Junior Golf Land and Golf in Schools. Lathrop estimates the Golf in Schools initiative has reached more than 8,000 youngsters in four years.

Players of the year

Three players from South Carolina — Austin Ernst, Seneca (women), Carson Young, Pendleton (junior boys) and McKenzie Talbert, North Augusta (junior girls) — won the Carolinas Golf Assocation’s Richard S. Tufts player of the year awards. The prizes are presented to the golfer ranked No. 1 in the CGA amateur rankings in each category.

Ernst, a sophomore at LSU, won the NCAA women’s individual title and advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. women’s amateur. Young captured two CGA titles, the Carolinas Junior and the South Carolina Junior Match Play. Talbert won three CGA tournaments.

Joining Young on the 2011 All-Carolinas boys’ team are Will Starke of Chapin and Benjamin Griffin of Chapel Hill. The All-Carolinas girls’ team includes Talbert, Kelli Murphy of Elgin, and Sarah Bae of Cary, N.C.

Chip shots

Musgrove Mill Golf Club, one of the state’s most challenging courses, will remain open, at least for the time being. …

College Golf Night, which provides information on advancing from the junior ranks to college golf, will be Feb. 2 at the Thornblade Club in Greer. Champions Tour player Jay Haas will be the featured speaker and the program includes a forum with college coaches and information on strength training and nutrition. Pre-registration, at www.scjuniorgolfshowcases.com, is required.