Walter Todd from Laurens is the top Palmetto State golfer after the first round of the US Senior Amateur. (GolfClub file photo)

South Carolina is well represented in the US Senior Amateur being played at the Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham. Six golfers with ties to the Palmetto State are in the field for the championship.

After the first round of stroke play Dean Channell fro Cary, NC has the lead. Channell shot a 4-under par 68 to hold a two stroke lead over the field going into the final qualifying round on Sunday.

Rick Cloninger, who has been a SCGA Senior Player of the Year and now resides in McDonough, GA is tied for 15th place after shooting a 1-over par 73.

Walter Todd, the reigning SCGA Senior Player of the Year is in a tie for 30th place. The Laurens golfer shot a 2-over par 74.

Duke Delcher and Kevin King, both from Bluffton are tied for 37th after shooting rounds of 3 over par 75.

Matt Grandy from Greenville is in a tie for 62nd. (GolfClub file photo)

Upstate golfers Mike Gravley and Matt Grandy both finished the first round of stroke play at 5 over par 77. The two golfers are tied for 62nd place.

The battle to remain in the top 64 includes 19 other golfers tied for 62nd place with Gravley and Grandy.

Among the golfers tied for 62nd place is Paul Simson from Raleigh. Simson is the all-time winningest golfer in Carolinas Golf Association history.

The top 64 golfers will advance to the match play portion of the championship after the final round of qualifying on Sunday.

The Match Play tournament field of 64 will begin play on Monday.

Complete scoring is available at

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2019/u-s–senior-amateur.html#!scoring