State golfers sitting pretty in sport’s rankings

With the PGA Tour’s season rapidly approaching the playoffs for the FedEx Cup, those associated with junior golf in South Carolina can’t be blamed for their cat-that-got-the-canary smiles.

Four players who honed their skills in the state’s junior program – Dustin Johnson, Kevin Kisner, Ben Martin and Bill Haas – rank in the top 25.

“Pretty amazing,” said Happ Lathrop, executive director of the South Carolina Golf Association.

Those four have “made” their seasons. Johnson (Columbia/Coastal Carolina) leads the way at No. 4, in both FedEx points and world ranking. Kisner (Aiken) is 15th in points, 46th in the world with Martin (Greenville/Clemson) at 16th/56th and Haas at 21st/25th.

Those four can look forward to the remaining major and WCG tournaments before the playoffs begin in August. Also comfortably in the playoffs – the top 125 in FedEx points qualify – are Russell Henley (Charleston resident) at No. 54, William McGirt (Boiling Springs resident) at 80 and Scott Brown (Aiken/USC Aiken) at 82.

Others must capitalize on their remaining opportunities – six after this week’s tourney at the Greenbrier – to make the playoffs, and, more important, secure full playing status for next season. Lucas Glover (Greenville/Clemson) hovers near the cut line at 131 and Sam Saunders (Clemson) stands at 148. Others include Jonathan Byrd (Columbia/Clemson) at 166, Kyle Stanley (Clemson) at 189, Mark Anderson (Beaufort/USC) at 197, Tommy Gainey (Hartsville) at 205, Matt Bettencourt (Duncan resident) at 229 and D.J. Trahan (Mt. Pleasant/Clemson) at 231.

A positive for the others: one outstanding finish works wonders. Ask Kisner, who vaulted from 103 to 37 with his second-place finish in the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town. Or ask Kyle Thompson (Greenville/USC), who got into a Web.com event on past-champion status, won the tournament and will earn full PGA Tour status for next year if he finishes in the top 25 in Web.com earnings.

Summer seasons Sean Kelly, a rising senior at USC, and Austin Langdale, who will be a junior at Clemson in the fall, launched their summer seasons impressively in June tournaments.

Kelly tied for third place in both the Palmetto Invitational in Aiken and the Southeastern Amateur in Columbus, Ga. Langdale shared fifth in the Palmetto and lost in a playoff for the title in the Rice Planters Invitational in Mt. Pleasant. He also led sectional qualifying for the South Carolina Amateur at Greenwood CC.

Another USC golfer, rising sophomore Keenan Huskey, posted top 20s in the Southeastern Amateur and the Rice Planters, then reached the quarterfinals in the North and South Amateur.

Rising Clemson senior Cody Proveaux tied for 13th in the Sunnehanna Amateur, shared 11th in the Northeast Amateur went into the weekend tied with brother Caleb, a USC commitment, and Clemson teammate Carson Young, for sixth in the Dogwood Invitational in Atlanta.

A field of about 100, including Langdale, Young, Caleb Proveaux, Huskey and USC’s Will Murphy, will attempt to qualify for the U.S. Amateur on Monday and Tuesday at Columbia CC.

Chip shots Brent Roof (Columbia) won the SCGA’s Left-Handers title and brothers Robert and David Dargan (Columbia) earned the Lefty-Righty championship at Lake Marion GC. ... Former USC golfer Johan Kok, now general manager at Hideaway of Arrington in the Nashville area, earned his second straight appearance in the PGA Championship by finishing tied for 10th in the PGA Club Pro tourney in Philadelphia. ... Clemson golfer Austin Langdale (Townville) shot 5-under-par 67 at Greenwood CC to lead qualifying for the South Carolina Amateur. Thirty-six players advanced to the state’s top event for amateurs, scheduled Aug. 6-9 at Greenville CC’s Chanticleer Course. ... Kathleen Sumner (Charleston) edged Gracyn Burgess (Lexington) by one stroke to win the CGA’s Twin States Junior Girls title in Chapel Hill, N.C. ... Hilton Head Island’s Sea Pines Resort received a burst of publicity with the victory by Jeff Maggert, the long-time pro who now represents the resort on the PGA and Champions tours, in the U.S. Senior Open.