Scaletta holds off Szabo for Jackie Seawell Junior win

By golfclubsc on October 16, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

The top three finishers in the boys 13-15 year old age group were congratulated by members of the Seawell family, Son Daniel and Jackie’s wife Claire presented the awards to Bennett Scaletta who topped Dawson Szabo and Luke McMurray for the win. (GolfClub Photo)

Bennett Scalleta talks about his victory at the Jackie Seawell Junior championship played at Cobb’s Glen. (GolfClub Video)

In just two short years the Jackie Seawell Junior at Cobbs Glen has become a favorite stop for young South Carolina golfers.

None of the golfers in the field knew Seawell, the first pro at Cobb’s Glen, or his commitment to junior golf, but many of his students and friends in Anderson wanted to honor his memory when they began the event,

“Jackie had so many friends in Anderson and many of them have volunteered to help with the tournament or have given us the support we need to make this the kind of event so many juniors want to play,” said Matt Harbin, who was one of Seawell’s students and became a professional associate of the South Carolina Golf Association Hall of Fame honoree.

This year the tournament expanded the field and still had a waiting list of over 80 players wanting to play in the tournament,

The event featured competition in several age groups for both boys and girls.

The largest group in the field was the boys 13-15 year old division which also featured several of the higher ranking junior players in the state,

Dawson Szabo, the winner of The Blade and the Orange Jacket Junior championships earlier this year trailed Bennett Scaletta by two shots going into the final round,

Scaletta brought the South Carolina High School Leauge AAAAA championship and sixth in the Heritage Classic Rankings with him into the event,

Dawson Szabo had two major SCJGA wins during the summer and finished second at the Seawell. (GolfCliub Photo)

Scaletta opened the tournament with a 2-under par 70 to hold a lead he never gave up.

Szabo was able to catch up to the T.L. Hanna High School golfer, but was never able to pass him .

“I kept the ball in play all week and when I got good looks I capitalized on them,” said Scaletta. “I kept myself in it even when I would hit a bad iron shot or putt,” said the winner.

Playing the nines in reverse order, Scaletta opened a two shot lead over Szabo with his birdie on the 17th hole (front nine number 8) to have a two-shot cushion going into the final hole.

“That is one of the hardest things to do is to beat Dawson, I’m really proud I was able to do that,” he said.

The win gyves Scaletta an SCJGA victory on the level of his high school championship.

“This ranks really high on my win list and I’m excited to see what the future holds,” he said.

in the boys 16-18 year old competition the Scaletta family came within a shot of taking home two championships.

Bennett’s older brother Jackson finished one-shot behind Spartanburg’s Casey Kosney for the age group title.

Casey Kosney shot a final round 4-under par 68 to win the boys 16 – 18 age group title at the Jackie Seawell Junior. (SCJGA Photo)

Scaletta held a four shot lead after shooting a 4-under par 68 in the first round, but in the final round it was Kosney who matched the 68 while Scaletta carded a 73 as Kosney got the win.

In the girls 13-18 age group Mia Carles of Clinton added another SCJGA major to her record with a 5-shot victory margin over the field for the girls championship.

In the youngest age group for the boys, Will Miller of Spartanburg won the title by two shots over Moses Zikusooka from Duncan,

In the girls under 12 competition a pair of Spartanburg golfers battled for the age group title.