Sydney Legacy cruises to victory at Columbia City Women’s Golf Championship

Sydney Legacy shot a 1-over-par 73 Thursday to complete her wire-to-wire march to the title in the Sonic Columbia City Women’s Golf Championship at The Woodlands.

Legacy, who recently completed her freshman year in college, finished the 54-hole tournament at 5-under-par 211 and prevailed by three strokes over four-time champion Kelli Murphy.

Competing in the city tourney for the first time, Legacy, who played high school golf at Lexington and college golf at Seminole State (Fla.), opened a three-stroke lead with a first-round 70 and built her advantage to seven strokes with a 4-under-par 68 in the second round. Murphy, an All-SEC freshman on Auburn’s golf team this year, closed the gap with her final-round 69.

Salzer wins state juniors Reversing roles from a year ago, Sumter’s Christian Salzer edged Columbia’s Jack Parrott to capture the State Junior Championship at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach.

Salzer fired a final-round 3-under-par 69 to overcome a one-shot deficit and nipped Parrott by a stroke. Salzer competed the three rounds at even par 216. Parrott, seeking to become the first back-to-back champion in 25 years, bogeyed the final two holes and finished at 71 (217). Stephen Reynolds (Greenville), who shared the second-round lead, fell out of contention with a final 84.

In this tournament a year ago, Parrott beat Salzer in a playoff for the title.

The low eight scorers qualify to represent the state in the Georgia-South Carolina Junior team matches in July. Joining Salzer and Parrott in earning spots are Kent Lawrence, Jr. (Mt. Pleasant), Nick Willis (Cowpens), Logan Sowell (Kershaw), Wil Sheppard (Mt. Pleasant), Patrick Golden (Murrells Inlet) and 13-14 age-group winner Drayton Stewart (Charleston).

Auburn golfer leads Palmetto Amateur Ben Schlottman (Advance, N.C.) fired a bogey-free 6-under-par 64 and seized the second-round lead in the Palmetto Amateur Championship in Aiken.

Schlottman, who plays for Auburn and finished second in this year’s SEC Championship, posted a two-round total of 7-under 133 at Palmetto Golf Club. Austin Langdale (Townville/Clemson) shot 68 Thursday and is second at 134. Billy Kennerly (Alpharetta, Ga./Clemson) holds third at 135, followed by Anthony Quayle (Australia) at 136, Todd White (Spartanburg) at 137 and David Kocher (Charlotte/Maryland) at 137.