Another first for Gamecocks’ Darius Rucker golf event: live TV coverage

The Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, staged annually by the University of South Carolina’s women’s team, quickly earned a place among the best tournaments in women’s college golf.

The venue, Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island, ranks among the state’s best courses, and the Pete Dye design always presents a stern challenge. Add the pre-tournament concert by Rucker — the music star, USC graduate and golf enthusiast — and it’s little wonder that teams flock to compete.

The tournament’s 10th edition that begins Monday adds another “first” to its credentials. The 54-hole championship that runs through Wednesday will be the first all-women’s regular-season event televised by the Golf Channel.

“To have the opportunity to partner with the Golf Channel to televise our incredible event and showcase women’s college golf is a dream come true,” USC coach Kalen Anderson said.

The tournament is the brain-child of Hall of Famer Puggy Blackmon, USC’s men’s coach 1995-2007 and then the school’s director of golf and assistant women’s coach until his retirement in 2019.

“Puggy came up with the idea, mentioned it to someone at Long Cove and it took off,” Anderson previously told The State. “They want to make it the best event, and we’re proud to be associated with it.”

The coronavirus outbreak forced cancellation of the 2021 event, and USC substituted a high-quality tournament at Columbia Country Club. Like that one, this year’s Darius Rucker will feature what the coaches like to call “a loaded field.”

The 17-team championship includes nine squads ranked in Golfstat’s Top 25, and eight of the top 15 individuals will compete.

Anderson’s Gamecocks, ranked fourth, come in with the loftiest spot in the polls. But Wake Forest (fifth), Alabama (eighth) and Arkansas (10th) are in the Top 10, and Texas (11th) and Arizona State (13th) are right behind.

LSU’s Ingrid Lindblad (third), USC’s Hannah Darling (fifth), Arkansas’ Brooke Matthews (sixth), Vanderbilt’s Auston Kim (10th) and U.S. Amateur champion Jensen Castle (Kentucky) headline the individuals.

The Gamecocks, who won two of their four tournaments on the fall schedule, began spring competition last Sunday in the Moon Invitational in Melbourne, Florida and finished tied for seventh in another high-powered field.

Junior Mathilde Claisse’s overall performance, a tie for 14th individually, and final-round 69s by Darling, a freshman, and junior Justine Fournand provided rays of sunshine for Anderson.

“Good to see some birdies fall today, which should bring us some momentum” for the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, the veteran coach said afterward. “Overall, this team is playing very solid and steady, and we need to continue to be patient and confident in exactly what we’re doing. Great golf is in our near future.”

The Hilton Head tournament will be televised by the Golf Channel live Monday through Wednesday afternoons from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. with multiple reruns scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Long Cove is a special venue, and the hospitality of the club’s staff, membership and the private Darius concert create an even more memorable experience,” Anderson said during the announcement that the Golf Channel would televise the event.

Alabama has won five of the previous nine Darius Rucker events. Duke owns two titles, and Wake Forest will defend the pre-pandemic championship earned in 2020. Former individual champions include LPGA players Maria Fassi (Arkansas, 2018), Leona Maguire (Duke, 2015) and Cheyenne Knight (Alabama, 2016, ’17).

Chip shots. Led by senior Jacob Bridgeman’s fourth-place individual finish, Clemson’s men placed fifth in the Watersound Invitational in Panama City, Florida. The 15-team event served to preview the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship, which will be played over the same Shark’s Tooth course in April. .... Sydney Roberts (Chesnee) won the girls’ title, and Andrew Gregory (Inman) earned the boys’ championship in the SCJGA’s Morgan Lucas Championship at Greenville CC’s Chanticleer course. ... The SCGA’s major season opens next weekend (March 5-6) with the annual Partners’ Championship at Spring Valley CC and the Windermere Club. Brandon Cemprola (Columbia) and Ryan Reynolds (Elgin) joined forces to win the 2021 title.

This story was originally published February 25, 2022 at 10:37 AM.