Schedule benefits USC men
Unlike most college sports with restricted schedules, the golf season stretches across the academic calendar from September to May or June, and that time table works favorably for South Carolina’s men’s team this year.
The Gamecocks faced the challenge of replacing three seniors from a squad that finished among the top eight nationally in the 2015-16 season, and coach Bill McDonald said, “the schedule gives us time to make adjustments.”
USC, ranked 18th in the coaches’ poll released Friday, opened the season with a 10th-place finish in the Carpet Classic in Georgia, and last weekend took fifth in the Maui Jim in Arizona.
“Like you would think,” McDonald said in gauging the performances.
The veterans – junior Keenan Huskey and sophomore Scott Stevens – played well, with Stevens finishing second individually in Arizona, but inconsistency characterized the remainder of the lineup.
“We obviously need more production to be where we have been and to compete at a high level,” McDonald said. “The best thing is, we have time. We need experience. Only Keenan and Scott have very much played in competition (in college) in more than a year, and it’s tough to get back and be competitive immediately.
“We’re not that far off. I’ve seen some good things in the tournaments. We have good talent, and adjusting is something that comes on difference schedules. When does a player get comfortable? When do they become confident? They won’t be the same players in March or April that they are now. We have time for development.”
Junior Ben Dietrich, sophomore Ryan Stachler and sophomore Will Miles joined Huskey and Stevens in the lineup in the first two tournaments. Freshman Jamie Wilson played as an individual.
“We have some time off before we play again (Oct. 22 in Camden), and we’ll evaluate each player during those three weeks and see what we need to work on,” McDonald said. “Then, after the Hawaii tournament (Nov. 4-6), we’ll see what we are.
“In the time off (until the spring schedule begins in February), we’ll work on academics and do the work to focus on the spring. You want to be playing your best headed into the SEC and national tournaments, and I’m confident we’ll be a much better team in six months.”
Qualifying school
Gerorge Bryan IV (Chapin/USC), Thomas Bradshaw (Columbia/Clemson) and Adam Hart (Columbia/Francis Marion) are among seven players with South Carolina connections who advanced to the second stage of the Web.com qualifying school Friday at Florence CC.
Others from the Palmetto State who’ll compete in the second stage, which will be played at five venues in early November, include Ryan Cornfield (Duncan/USC Upstate), Zack Byrd (Murrells Inlet/Coastal Carolina), Matt Davidson (Greenville/Furman) and Dykes Harbin (USC).
Trevor Cone (Concord, N.C.) led the field at 22-under par 258 for 72 holes. Cornfield, a native of England, finished third at 262, Byrd and Davidson shared sixth at 265 with Bryan at 266, Bradshaw at 267, Hart at 268 and Harbin at 270.
The low 25 players and ties advance from each of the 12 first-stage sites. The final stage will be played in Florida in December.
Chip shots
USC’s women’s team set a school-record for a 54-hole tournament, firing a 15-under par 849 in finishing sixth in the Annika Intercollegiate in Reunion, Fla. Among individuals in the first event of the season, senior All-American Katelyn Dambaugh tied for sixth at 8-under 208 and freshman Anita Uwadia shared 11 th at 6-under 210. “Overall, it was a great starting point,” said coach Kalen Anderson, whose team finished seventh nationally last season. The Gamecocks are ranked sixth nationally and Clemson’s women’s team is eighth. … Freshman Doc Redman won medalist honors with the lowest 54-hole score by a Clemson golfer in 13 years – 13-under- par 203 – to lead the Tigers to the team title at The Jackrabbit in Valentine, Neb. It was the 69th tournament victory of Larry Penley’s Clemson coaching career. The Tigers are ranked sixth nationally in the latest coaches’ poll. … The teams of Doug Hanzel-Bob Royak and Thomas Hunter-Charles Ipock to 7-under par 65s at the Reserve at Pawleys Island to qualify for the 2017 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship.