After promising first steps, organizers want to keep growing Midlands golf championship

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind,” author, scholar and theologian C.S. Lewis once said, and the folks who oversee the annual competition that decides the Midlands area’s best golfer hope those words come true in their endeavor.

First reports are positive.

“Lots of good things,” Steve Liebler said in reviewing the revamped and rebranded Midlands Chevy Dealers Championship, played in July at Spring Valley Country Club.

The event that dates to 1936 had fallen behind the times in terms of promotion and technology, and Liebler took a leading role with a goal of restoring its luster.

“The feedback I’ve received has been very good,” Liebler said. “The players felt good about the experience. They enjoyed themselves and say they’ll be back.”

New things this year ranged from changing the event’s name, expanding eligibility, a revised format to 36 holes with play on Saturday and Sunday plus a new focus on technology to assist with promotion and registration.

“We need to look at several things going forward, starting with attracting more players from Sumter, Camden, Orangeburg, Winnsboro, anywhere in the Midlands,” Liebler said. “Doing that will be a benefit in terms of both competition and for our sponsors.”

Size of the field, the format and dates also will be discussed.

Members of the South Carolina Golf Association staff — Dawson Thornton, Caden Quiles and Austin Sweitzer — provided the behind-the-scenes operation, marking the course and setting the pin placements.

“From our standpoint, everything went smoothly,” Thornton said. “The course was in great shape and the (Spring Valley) people were great to work with. We didn’t have any weather problems, the pace of play was fine and we saw some outstanding golf.”

The most outstanding was Thomas Bradshaw, the 2008 State Junior champion who played in Clemson’s high-powered program and tried the pros before regaining his amateur status.

The father of three boys who works for M.B. Kahn Construction, Bradshaw took command midway through the final round with a torrid stretch — three birdies and an eagle over a five-hole stretch. He posted a final 66 and finished five shots clear at 10-under-par 134.

“Winning means a lot,” said Bradshaw, who began the final round one shot off the lead. “I knew Patrick (Stephenson, the 2022 and ’23 champion) shot a 62 here at a club event the other day and I had to play well.”

Stephenson placed second at 139, with Zachary Herold at 141 and both David Dargan and Brian Lee at 142.

“There was some really good play,” Thornton said. “I ran the numbers and the average handicap was about scratch (0).”

Despite a late start in promoting the dates, the tournament drew a field of 69 over three divisions — championship, senior and super-senior. With more planning and expanded use of technology, Liebler expects the number to expand.

“But what’s the right number or the best date?” he asked. “This week, we were a week ahead of the State Amateur (which moved its date into July for the first time this year).

“We had a lot of good things, a lot of positives. But this is just the first step. We have to decide, where do we go from here?”

That answer must wait, but the positives to preserve the heritage that dates back almost 100 years are encouraging and suggest the Lewis’ words from long ago still ring true.

Chip shots. Banks Steele, Cade Kriscunas and Bennett Scaletta won two matches each and led the South Carolina team to a 9.5-6.5 victory over the Georgia squad in the South Carolina-Georgia Junior team matches at Florence CC. ... Landry Williams (Bluffton) earned the boys’ title and Claire Green (Okatie) took the girls’ championship in the Jimmy Self Junior Invitational at Palmetto Dunes’ Arthur Hills Course on Hilton Head Island. ... A field of 250 junior golfers will compete in a sub-regional qualifier in the Drive, Chip and Putt program at Fort Jackson GC on Aug. 23. Top players in each of eight age groups advance to the regionals next month in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Finals are set for the Sunday prior to the 2026 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in April.