Often when a good team hosts a tournament, they expect a little extra home course knowledge to give the home team an edge.

The Wren Hurricanes have been a very good team, but had not been able to use some of that home course knowledge to get a win in the tournament they host on their home course at Southern Oaks.

For the first time since back in 2018 the Hurricanes won their home event. Wren finished the 36 hole championship with a score of 593 for a 9-shot victory margin over Mauldin.

Christ Church had been in second place, but the Cavs top player and top ranked junior in the country, William Jennings, became ill early in the final round and left the course. Food poising was blamed.

Without their top player, the Cavaliers finished in fifth place .

While the team competition wasn’t close, the battle for the top individual spot needed two extra holes to decide a winner.

Richard Anaclerio, from Aiken, posted a final round 70 to hold the clubhouse lead until Wren’s Dylan Park rolled in an eagle putt from the other side of the world to force a playoff for first place.

Playing 18 again both golfers hit good shots, made nice putts and tied forcing a second play off hole.

On the second playoff hole, Anaclerio’s approach shot landed about three feet behind the hole, while Park’s was a few feet further back.

When Park’s putt rolled past the hole, Anaclerio’s 3-footer was a tap in for the win.

It was the third win since last summer for the future USC Aiken golfer, and all have been close, highly competitive victories.

“I was a little nervous to start the playoff, but I settled down,” he said. “I’ve been in this situation a few times and I settled down and hit some good shots,” said the winner.

The win by the Hurricanes was the third of the season and the team accomplished the victory the way their coach hopes to see them play every round, shooting under 300.

“At the start of the year, we wanted to shoot every round under 300. We were under 300 winning the Anderson County Championship and at the Aynor Blue Jacket and both rounds here,” said Head Coach Tyler Barnes.

The top ranked AAA team in South Carolina has had to work hard for its success and it has been recognized. Wren has been invited to compete in the Southern Cross at the Palmetto Golf Club.

“We were not in so we applied and our body of work was considered, and we will play in the tournament. Our guys are really excited to be back and play against the best teams”he said.

Scores from the Hurricane Invitational https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XzfU9JWVLOnpbh-mEG5lbQH8Z9MyGnMH/edit#gid=2117780584