Golf fans in the Upstate should be pretty excited to see two of the best ever juniors from the area in contention at the UNC Health Championship in Raleigh.

Clemson grad and 2022 ACC champ Jacob Bridgeman and Georgia grad Trent Phillips, both from Inman, SC, are tied for third after the first round of the Korn-Ferry tournament at the Raleigh Country Club.

Bridgeman had a clean card with six birdies and no bogeys to be one of four golfers a shot behind the leaders after the first round.

Phillips was among the leaders for part of the round, but a bogey on his 17th hole dropped him out of a tie with Kyle Westmoreland and Matt McCarty for the lead.

The two local golfers were among the top group of PGA Tour University graduates from last years class.

Bridgeman finished second in the rankings and had the chance to play in eight Korn-Ferry Tour events last year.

Phillips dropped out of the top-five late in the year and played on the PGA Canada Fortinet Tour.

So far this year Bridgeman has notched a pair of top-10s and is currently ranked 22nd on the Korn-Ferry points list.

At the end of the year the top-30 earn PGA Tour cards.

Phillips has not played as many events as Bridgeman. He has made the cut in half of the eight events he has entered and has one top-25 finish.

His six under par round in Raleigh is his best so far this year.

The good news for Upstate golf fans is both Bridgeman and Phillips, if they continue to play well, should be in the field for the BMW next week.

Bridgeman certainly will be on the tee. His ranking in the top-30 guarantees him a spot,

Last year, in just his second Korn-Ferry Tour event the 3-time South Carolina High School champion challenged for the lead in the final two rounds at Thornblade before finishing in a tie for fifth.

Phillips likely needs a top-25 finish to be included in the field at the BMW.

Last year, as one of the top-8 college golfers in the PGA Tour University’s graduating class, the four-time All-American with the event in his hometown, inexplicably was not granted an exemption to play in the BMW.

There are a total of 10 golfers in the field at Raleigh with local ties, who could be playing in the Upstate next week,

After Bridgeman and Phillips, former Easley and Auburn golfer Trace Crowe is tied for 37th.

BMW announces Celebrity Rotation

If you were looking for a chance to square off with boxing champion Canelo at the BMW this year, it isn’t going to happen.

Canelo, originally one of the head line celebrities, is not included on the list produced by the event for the celebrities at either Thornblade Club or Carolina Country Club.

No explanation was given, but news headlines have indicated Canelo is in line for a $50 million fight and he might be hitting the speed bag instead of the golf ball to get ready for the big payday..

While Canelo is out a few new names were added to the list of celebrities.

Jesse Orosco, the 1986 Mets star reliever and the only pitcher in baseball history to pitch in over 1,000 games is now in the field with a good group of Hall of Fame baseball stars like Pudge Rodriguez and Ken Griffey, Jr..

And remember the actor who played Greenville’s “should be Hall of Famer” Shoeless Joe Jackson, D.B, Sweeney, in the movie Eight Men Out should fit in nicely with the other baseball stars in the field.

Also joining the group is the NBA’s Seth, not Steff, Curry and former Citadel football star Andre Roberts who went on to be one of the NFL’s premier return specialists.

The celebrities will play a round at each course on Thursday and Friday and the ones that make the cut will play thier final round on Saturday at Thornblade.

• Jason Scheff (Chicago Legendary Bass Guitarist)
• D.B. Sweeney (TV and Film Actor)
• David Wells (MLB World Champion)
• Justin Wheelon (Emmy Award-Winning Director and Actor)

A BMW reminder

All tickets must be purchased in advance, there are no ticket sales at the event. The BMW ticket site is http://BMWCharityGolf.com.