Austin Scott captures SCGA Junior Championship Wednesday

Lexington, S.C. (SCGA) – A cool breeze and rain welcomed players in the parking lot as the first groups of the day began the final round of the Heritage Classic Foundation SCGA Junior Championship Presented by Capital City Lake Murray Country. A cell that stationed itself over the Country Club of Lexington lingered throughout the first wave of competitors, but once the second wave and leaders were set to begin, the clouds cleared, providing a chilly, damp and breezy experience.

Entering the day in a tie for the lead, Austin Scott (Daniel Island) and Brandon Masters(Piedmont) were ready to battle for the coveted title of the SCGA Junior Champion. Masters would start the round with a birdie but continued to lose ground over the course of the round, compiling three bogies per side to finish his round at 76 in a tie for 7th place. Scott would use this to his advantage but not until he was able to dunk his approach shot on the par-4 8^thhole and move himself into the lead position. Scott would remain consistent throughout his round, only missing a short putt on the par-3 17^th hole to slide back into a tie with Hilton Head Island’s JT Herman. Herman launched himself to the top of the leaderboard posting a 1-under par on the front and besting that with a 2-under par performance on the back nine. Just enough to place himself into a play-off for the Championship.

The two would begin on the 1^st hole of the Country Club of Lexington as the battle began to crown the 61^st champion. Chasing daylight, both Herman and Scott would par the first hole, advancing to the par-4 5^th hole where a champion would be decided. Scott split the fairway with a beautiful drive while Herman would unfortunately have to re-tee after a lost ball. Scott would again use this to his advantage, having two putts and the title of the Junior Champion. Scott expressed how much this championship meant to him saying, “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but adding my name to the trophy with so many great players is really special.”

Herman secured the runner-up position and also a spot on the coveted Georgia – South Carolina Team Matches – the longest running junior matches in the country – at the Country Club of Spartanburg in July. Trey Crenshaw (Lancaster), Manning Sloop and Zachary Reuland (Rock Hill) and Matthew Hutton (Blythewood) all qualified for the matches. There was a six-man playoff for the final two spots on the team of the 44^th edition of the Matches. Brandon Masters (Piedmont) and Daniel Brasington (Woodruff) would prevail after three playoff holes and multiple chip-offs to fulfill the team.