Three SC college golfers take first steps into pro golf tours
After wrapping up distinguished college careers, USC’s Ryan Hall and Clemson’s Jacob Bridgeman stepped into professional golf in most impressive ways.
In open qualifying for the Korn Ferry Tour’s Rex Hospital tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina, Hall led the field at Greensboro’s Forest Oaks CC with a 9-under-par 63. Bridgeman shared medalist honors at Greensboro’s Bryan Park GC with an 8-under 63.
The impressive debuts into the play-for-pay ranks highlighted a memorable week for both. The PGA Tour announced Monday that Bridgeman, a native of Inman, placed second and Hall, from Knoxville, Tennessee, finished 11th in the Tour’s University Rankings.
Add Trent Phillips, an Inman native who played for Georgia and finished eighth in the Tour University Rankings, and the state of South Carolina had three of the top 15 seniors in college golf this year.
Like Bridgeman and Hall, Phillips will be in the Rex Hospital tournament that began Thursday. Phillips earned a sponsor’s exemption by winning the Williams Cup during the college season.
The top five in the Tour University Rankings earn immediate status on the Korn Ferry Tour, making Bridgeman eligible for a spot in all of the tour’s full-field events. He will be in next week’s BMW Charity Pro-Am in Greenville and is exempt into the final stage of this fall’s Korn Ferry Tour’s Qualifying Tournament.
Hall and Phillips receive status on the PGA Tour’s Canadian Tour and will be exempt into at least the second stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.
In the final World Amateur Golf Rankings before turning pro, Bridgeman ranked seventh, Phillips 12th and Hall 28th.
Hall compiled the best career scoring average, 70.59, in USC’s history and coach Bill McDonald rated him alongside current PGA Tour pro Matt NeSmith as the best players in his 15 seasons.
Hall earned four individual college titles, tied for second most in USC history, and finished in the top 20 in eight of his 10 tournament this season.
In the Rex Hospital qualifier, Hall recorded nine birdies and nine pars to take medalist honors by one stroke.
Bridgeman, the ACC’s player of the year, fashioned an equally impressive round in his qualifier, posting eight birdies and 10 pars en route to his 63.
“Jacob belongs among the elite who have played for Clemson, and we have had some great players,” Tigers coach Jordan Byrd said. “He’s in (contention) every week, finishing in the top four of his final five tournaments with two wins.”
His career average, 70.74, is second best in Clemson history behind on Doc Redman’s 70.70.
Phillips set the Georgia record for career scoring average, 70.35, and tournament scoring record, 20 under par. He is third in the program’s history with 24 top-10 finishes and is the only Georgia player to be named first-team All-SEC four times.
Hall and Phillips probably will make their first Canadian Tour stars in the ATB Classic in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada that begins June 16.
Chip shots. Matt NeSmith (Aiken/USC) and Andrew Novak (Mt. Pleasant/Wofford) earned U.S. Open berths in sectional qualifying in Dallas. The Open field will be finalized in sectional qualifying at nine sites on Monday. ... USC freshman Hannah Darling earned first-team All-American honors on the Women’s Golf Coaches Association’s honor squad. She forged one of the best season’s in the program’s history with a 72.7 scoring average that included seven top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments. ... The team of Trevor Gerard (Hartsville) and Grant Sellers (McBee) won the SCGA’s Four-Ball title with a 4 and 3 victory over Walter Todd Jr. (Greenville) and Brandon Truesdale (Rock Hill) in the final at Musgrove Mill GC in Clinton. ... Sophia Burnett (Bluffton), who plays at Furman, will defend her title in the WSCGA’s Women’s State Amateur, set for June 14-16 at Fort Jackson GC’s Old Hickory Course.