Yancy Johnson found a way to make the South Carolina Golf Association Senior championship both exciting and boring, both at the same time,

Playing on the challenging Moss Creek Plantation’s Devil’s Elbow course, Johnson finished the rain interrupted 54 hole championship at 2 over par for a 6-shot victory margin.

“I played great for three days,” said Johnson. “It wasn’t stressful and it was just a great tournament for me,” he said.

Johnson opened the championship shooting a scrambling even par 72.

“I had to make some good up and downs but I was able to score well,” he said.

Johnson trailed first round leader Chris Culler from Conway by two shots.

The second round of the championship had to be halted because of weather after Johnson had played 8-holes.

The field came back for what would be a long day on Friday finishing the second round and playing the final round.

Johnson played his way into the lead by finishing his second round at 1-over par 73 to move in front of Culler and Laurens’ Walter Todd  who moved up into a tie for second.

The finish to the rain delayed round gave Johnson a 2-shot lead, but it might have been a short warm up session before the final round that gave him the win.

“After I finished the second round I was on the practice tee and something just clicked. I don’t know what it was, but I was hitting the ball much better,” Johnson recalled.

Whatever  he found on the range went with him to the course.

Culler pressed Johnson at the start of the third round. His birdie on the second hole and Johnson’s bogey on the third hole allowed the first round leader to catch Johnson.

On the fourth hole Culler bogeyed while Johnson birdied to retake the lead. and never lost rhe lead.

“I didn’t use my driver. I just kept hitting two irons right down the middle. It actually got to be boring,” Johnson joked.

Drives that went straight down the middle. Solid second shots put Johnson in position for easy pars as he built his lead.

“It was no stress. I didn’t even come close to making a bogey until the last few holes and by then I had a good lead,” he offered.

The final four holes played into a strong gusty wind off the marsh.

“Par was my friend on those holes. Let the other guys get aggressive and take chances,” he said.

Johnson finished the final stretch of holes at 2 over-par.  None of the golfers behind him were able to do any better,

The 2016 Greenville County amateur champion shot a final round 73 to finish the tournament at 2–over par 218 and the  win.

Johnson has had success winning several SCGA over 40 events and finishing as the top amateur in several Carolinas PGA Senior tournaments, but winning a state championship heads his list of golf accomplishments.

“This is a highlight for me. I cherish my Greenville County win because that is where I live and I have so much respect for the Gravleys (who run the Greenville County tournaments,), but this is a state major with all the best players  All in all this was a great day a great week. It was awesome,” said the new SCGA Senior champion.

Culler finished in second place while Richard Rebholz from Johns Island was third.

Five golfers tied for fourth.

Scores from the 66th SCGA Senior Amateur https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4582796