Aiken club pro looks forward to playing in Heritage
The venerable Palmetto Golf Club buzzes with activity during Masters week and a few days after the year’s first major championship. Golfers make the short trek from Augusta to Aiken to test their skills on the course that dates to 1892.
The dawn-to-dark play makes long days for the Palmetto staff, but head professional Brooks Blackburn said he hopes he can slip away earlier than usual on Monday. He has week-long date on Hilton Head Island in the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage.
Blackburn earned the spot in the Tour’s only stop in South Carolina reserved for a PGA Carolinas Section member in qualifying last week, firing a 5-under 67 at Wexford Golf Club on Hilton Head Island.
“Got lucky,” he claimed, but the scoreboard suggests otherwise. Only one other player broke 70 that day over the demanding Wexford layout.
Blackburn’s triumph will give Palmetto a strong presence in the Heritage. Tour pros and South Carolina natives Kevin Kisner and Scott Brown have homes adjacent to the course and hone their games there.
“We’re planning to play a practice round together on Tuesday,” Blackburn said, “and that’s going to be a real treat for me.”
In fact, the entire week will be a treat for the club pro. He has never played the Harbour Town Golf Links at Sea Pines Resort and is anxious to step into uncharted territory.
“I’ve been to Harbour Town and watched a lot of golf there, but this is going to be my first time to play there, and it’s also my first PGA Tour tournament,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun for me.”
After college at USC Aiken and two attempts at PGA Qualifying School, Blackburn came to Palmetto in 2008 as assistant professional. He took over the head pro position after Tom Moore retired in 2012. He has been a consistent contender in area tournaments and won the CPGA’s 2015 Head Professional championship.
The first round of the 36-hole Head Professional tournament serves at the RBC Heritage qualifier and this year Blackburn lost in a playoff for the championship.
“This year is just the opposite of 2015,” he said. “I came back the second day to win in 2015, but the first-day leader got the Heritage spot. This time, I led the first day and slipped up on the second.”
In a playoff for the 2017 title, Blackburn “sprayed my tee shot into a water hazard and (after a penalty) tried to hit it too cute,” he said. The ball plugged in the face of a bunker and he made double-bogey, losing the title to Larry George.
Nevertheless, his “consolation” prize – the opportunity to play in the Heritage – salves the wounds.
“I’m obviously excited,” Blackburn said. “No matter what, it’s going to be a great experienced.”
Chip shots
Walter Todd and Eddie Harget earned their second consecutive SCGA Senior Four-Ball title, edging Todd Hendley and Bobby Hines in a playoff at the Reserve Club at Pawleys Island. … Adam Hunt (Columbia) earned the boys’ title and Molly Hardwick (Lexington) won the girls’ competition in the SCJGA’s Pee Wee Championship at Columbia CC. Hugh Faulkner (Greenville) led the boys’ 8-9 competition and Madison Messimer (Myrtle Beach) won the girls’ 8-9 age group in a playoff. … In the Can-Am Junior team matches at Wachesaw Plantation Club in Murrells Inlet, the South Carolina team rallied on the second day to edge Team Ontario, 219-213. The teams are composed of eight boys and eight girls from each association. … The 34th annual Myrtle Beach Amateur Handicap Championship, expected to again have more than 3,200 competitors, will begin accepting entries on Wednesday. The 72-hole, net stroke play event will be played on 60 Myrtle Beach area courses Aug. 28-Sept. 1. For information and to register, go online to www.myrtlebeachworldamateur.com. … The Columbia Golf Ball, which supports junior golf in South Carolina, is set for April 6 at the State Fairgrounds. For tickets or sponsorships, go online to www.scgolf.org or call 803-732-9311.
This story was originally published March 24, 2017 at 5:46 PM with the headline "Aiken club pro looks forward to playing in Heritage."