USC sophomore Huskey takes lead at South Carolina Amateur Championship

Keenan Huskey, a rising sophomore at the University of South Carolina, sparkled Friday and opened a five-stroke lead at the halfway point of the 84th South Carolina Amateur Championship at Greenville Country Club’s Chanticleer course.

Huskey, who stood at 2-under-par when darkness halted his first-round Thursday, added two more birdies on Friday morning for a 68, then followed with a 5-under-par 67 in the second round. For two days playing in his hometown, he has made an eagle and 12 birdies in posting a 9-under 135 total.

He had moved to 10-under-par for the tournament before making double-bogey on No. 8, his 17th hole of the round Friday. He bounced back with a birdie on his finishing hole.

Lee Palms, the Greenville Country Club champion and last “older” player to win the SCGA’s most prestigious title, followed his opening 68 with an even-par 72 on Friday to stand alone in second place at 4-under 140. Another veteran, Walter Todd (Laurens), shot a bogey-free 67 to vault into third place at 3-under 141.

First-round leader Trent Phillips, a rising sophomore at Boiling Springs High, followed his opening 66 with a 4-over 76 Friday and shares fourth place at 142. Also at 142 are Ryan Carpenter (Aiken/Coastal Carolina) and Thomas Todd III (Greenville), who is Walter Todd’s nephew.

A pair of rising juniors on the Clemson team, 2013 State Amateur champion Carson Young and Austin Langdale, join Michael McKee (Ware Shoals/Winthrop) and Jonathan Hardee (Greer/Alabama) at 1-under 143. Seventy-seven players made the cut, which fell at 12-over 156.

Huskey played in three tournaments during his freshman year at USC, posting a 73.9 scoring average with a tie for 16th place in the Bayou City Classic as his best finish. Prior to joining the Gamecocks, he won the state Class AAA individual title twice at Greenville High, captured the Big I national championship and finished fourth against an international field in the 2014 Sage Valley Junior Invitational.

Huskey will attempt to continue the domination of younger players in the state’s premier amateur event. Players college-age or younger — both Young and Cody Proveaux in 2012 won before entering Clemson — have claimed the State Amateur every year since 1997 except one. Palms broke the streak in 2008, winning at Musgrove Mill in Clinton. Palms and the Todds give mid-amateurs three of the top six headed into the final two rounds.

The third round begins at 8 a.m. Saturday off both the first and 10th tees. The leaders tee off at 10 a.m.

Keenan Huskey (Greenville)68-67—135

Lee Palms (Greenville)68-72—140

Walter Todd (Laurens)74-67—141

Thomas Todd (Greenville)69-73—142

Trent Phillips (Inman)66-76—142

Ryan Carpenter (Aiken)68-74—142

Michael McKee (Ware Shoals)67-76—143

Austin Langdale, (Townville)73-70—143

Carson Young (Pendleton)75-68—143

Jonathan Hardee (Greer)74-69—143

Caleb Proveaux (Lexington)72-72—144

Will Miles (Hilton Head Island)69-75—144

Jackson Moore (Isle of Palms)70-74—144

Nick Eberhardt (Lake Wylie)69-75—144

Chris Eassy (Greer)73-72—145

Jarrett Swan (Mt. Pleasant)72-73—145

Jordan Sease (Lexington)74-71—145