Renewed focus fuels Sam Jackson to SC Golf Association’s Player of the Year honors

From his high school days in Pelion to his college years at Presbyterian, Sam Jackson always could compete on the golf course. He even took a swing at the pro game.

His credentials included winning the 2A Lower State tournament his freshman year in high school and qualifying for the U.S. Junior Amateur.

But taking that next step, continually contending at higher levels, proved elusive.

Then, a light-bulb moment: “I had been taking the game too seriously,” he said.

With a different focus, he flourished and fashioned his best year in 2022, a steady performance of success that earned him the South Carolina Golf Association’s Player of the Year honors.

Jackson and Eddie Hargett, the Senior Player of the Year for the fourth time, will be among the honorees at the S.C. Golf Day celebration on Jan. 14 at Columbia Country Club.

“I used to have the mindset that ‘I have to play well,’ ” Jackson, 30, said. “I’m looser now. I don’t put as much pressure on myself. I’m just more confident.”

The results speak for themselves.

The “new” Sam showed promise with a top-10 finish in the 2021 South Carolina Amateur. This year provided more of the same, only better.

He and partner Zach Herold won the season-opening Partners Championship to set the tone. He earned top-five finishes in six tournaments, qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur and reached the Round of 32 in the national tournament.

“I knew after the 2021 State Amateur that I wasn’t that far off,” said Jackson, who lives in West Columbia and plays at the Country Club of Lexington. “Then, Zach (Herold) and I won the Partners Championship (the first SCGA tournament of the year) to get off to a great start.”

The pair earned medalist honors in the SCGA Four-Ball and Jackson became a familiar name on leaderboards. In a memorable August, he tied for fifth in the State Amateur at the Dunes Club in Myrtle Beach and claimed a place in the U.S. Mid-Amateur in qualifying at the Patriot Golf Club at Grand Harbor in Ninety Six.

In the national tournament at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, his 71-71—142 in stroke play tied for 28th and put him into the match-play that leads to the championship. He won once before falling.

“I’d like to have advanced more, but I had a great experience,” he said.

That’s a long way from taking up the game in the sixth grade and honing his game at the old Cooper’s Creek golf course.

“There are so many good players in this state, and that makes winning the award even more meaningful,” he said.

Looking ahead, Jackson, a sales representative for Pella Windows and Doors, has no specific golf goals. There are the obvious ones, a USGA tournament, the Amateur or Mid-Amateur, and, he said, “playing well around here.”

Jackson edged Jon Weiss for the Player of the Year honors. Herold, Jackson’s four-ball partner, placed third with Walt Todd Jr. and State Amateur champion Zach Adams rounding out the top five.

Meanwhile, Hargett dominated among the seniors in earning his fourth-straight Senior Player of the Year honor. The Blythewood resident won three times in 14 tournaments and placed in the top five in nine starts.

Rick Cloninger, the other player to win the senior award four times, followed in second with Walter Todd third, Stan Sill fourth and Yancey Johnson fifth.

In addition to recognizing the players of the year, Golf Day ceremonies will feature the induction of Sherri Turner, Todd White and Charlie Roundtree III into the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame.

This story was originally published December 17, 2022 at 11:17 AM.