Legacy first-round leader at Sonic Columbia City Women’s Golf Championship
Sydney Legacy made her debut in the Sonic Columbia City Women’s Golf Championship an impressive one, seizing the first-round lead with a 2-under-par 70 at the Woodlands on Tuesday.
Legacy, who played on Lexington High’s outstanding teams, made the turn at 2-under 34 and came home in even-par 36 to open a three-stroke advantage over four-time champion Kelli Murphy. Jeanie Atkinson followed at 76 with Catherine Shealy at 77 and four players at 80 – Leigh Coulter, Diane Hamrick, Karin Wolfe and Suzann Bartley.
Legacy recently completed her freshman year at Seminole State (Fla.) and led her team to the national junior college championship. She finished second in the individual competition.
Murphy, a high school standout at Lugoff-Elgin, also just completed her freshman in year in college. Playing for Auburn, she had a best finish of second in a tournament in Greensboro, N.C. and earned a place on the SEC’s All-Freshman squad.
Parker Stalvey, a rising ninth-grader who was an age-group finalist in the Drive, Chip and Putt competition in April, fired an 82 in her first city tournament.
Sixty-six players are competing in three flights in the 54-hole championship that ends Thursday.
Championship flight scores:
70 – Legacy, Sydney, 34-36; 73 – Kelli Murphy, 36-37; 76 – Jeanie Atkinson, 36-40; 77 – Catherine Shealy, 36-41; 80 – Leigh Coulter, 38-42; 80 – Diane Hamrick, 42-38; 80 – Karin Wolfe, 38-42; 80 – Suzann Bartley, 40-40.
81 – Juliana Sebastian, 39-42; 81– Ann Elizabeth Gore, 38-43; 82 – Parker Stalvey, 41-41; 82 – Lynn Holmes, 42-40; 83 – Natalie Huff, 40-43; 83 – Louise Givens, 40-43; 84 – Cecilia Fournil, 44-40; 85 – Julie Snider, 40-45; 96 – Barb Syler, 47-49.
Salzer leads state juniors Sumter’s Christian Salzer, the runner-up a year ago, fired a 1-under-par 71 to capture the first-round lead in the State Junior Championship on Tuesday at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach.
Salzer owns a one-stroke edge on Jordan Warnock (Roebuck) and a two-shot advantage on five players, including defending champion Jack Parrott (Columbia), in the 54-hole event that ends Thursday.
In the boys’ 13-14 division, Drayton Stewart (Charleston) posted a 3-over 75 to establish a two stroke lead on Drew Weary (Bluffton)..
State Juniors Leaders
Boys’ 15-17 Division
71 – Christian Salzer (Sumter), 36-35; 72 – Jordan Warnock (Roebuck), 37-35; 73 – Jack Parrott (Columbia), 38-35; 73 – James May (Ninety Six), 37-36); 73 – Levi Moody (Greenville), 38-35; 73 – Nick Willis (Cowpens), 36-37; 73 – Stephen Reynolds (Greenville), 40-33; 74 – Ian Stewart (Columbia), 36-38; 74 – Wil Sheppard Mt. Pleasant), 35-39; 74 – Zack Gordon (Gaffney), 38-36; 75– Colby Bradley (Greenville), 40-35; 75 – Patrick Golden (Murrells Inlet), 39-36; 75 – Tyler Gray (Lugoff), 39-36.
Boys’ 13-14 Division
75 – Drayton Stewart (Charleston), 37-38; 77 – Drew Weary (Bluffton), 36-41); 78 – Daniel Azallion (Hilton Head Island), 40-38; 78 – Zachary Lawler (Inman), 41-37; 80 – Gordon Corbin (Inman), 41-39; 80 – Nicholas Mayfield (Rock Hill), 39-41; 80 – Rafe Reynolds (Greenville), 40-40.
NeSmith withdraws from Palmetto Amateur After qualifying for the U.S. Open on Monday, University of South Carolina star Matt NeSmith withdrew from the Palmetto Amateur in Aiken to make his travel connections to next week’s national tournament in Washington state.
“We hate to lose Matt, but we understand that he would have to leave before the tournament ends (on Saturday),” tournament co-chairman John Roy said. “The field is still strong, and we expect another outstanding tournament.”
The field of 78 begins play at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at Aiken’s Palmetto Golf Club.