Blue Ridge is the top Upstate 4A qualifier
By Stan Olenik, Editor Publisher, The Golf Club
Some, but not all, high school golf teams completed their Upper and Lower State qualifying tournaments on Wednesday. While the lower part of the state will have a say in the final outcome, the Upstate 4A qualifiers are already shaping up to be fierce contenders for the state title.
Tigers Take the Lead
Blue Ridge High School topped the 4A Upper State Qualifying Tournament at Smithfields Golf Course with a team score of 295.
Leading the way were junior standouts Dawson Szabo and Owen Kinnunen. Szabo, ranked as the top junior golfer in South Carolina, carded a 3-under-par 69. Kinnunen followed closely with a 2-under-par 70.
“Owen is playing great, and I’m playing pretty well too,” said Szabo, who was the AAA medalist last year. “The rest of our guys are improving. I’m looking forward to next week.”
Last season, the Tigers narrowly missed a championship, falling in a playoff to Wren in Class AAA. After this year’s realignment, both Blue Ridge and Wren have moved up to Class 4A, facing off against tougher competition.
AC Flora and the Championship Standard
Now competing in a bracket historically dominated by Columbia’s AC Flora—winners of the second-most state titles in South Carolina high school golf—Blue Ridge will need to stay sharp.
AC Flora finished second in the qualifier with a team score of 303, behind Blue Ridge’s 295.
Park Powers Wren’s Bid for Repeat
While Szabo and Kinnunen continue to perform at a high level, no one has won more this season than Wren’s Dylan Park. Park, who has already collected five tournament victories this year, shot a 4-under-par 68 to finish one stroke ahead of Szabo at Smithfields.
“I changed putters during the season, and that made a difference,” Park said. “Tee to green has been fine, but once I got the putter rolling, I really started to play well.”
With Park leading the way and teammate Garrett Gillespie finishing third in the qualifier, Wren earned a third-place finish overall and secured their spot in the 4A State Championship.
“This year’s team is younger, but they’re working hard and want to get better,” said Wren coach Tyler Barnes. “We think we can be contenders again. If the guys can shave just a couple of strokes, we could repeat.”
Park, who is committed to play at Winthrop University, has one final high school goal in mind.
“I want the team to win, and my personal goal has always been to win the state championship,” he said. “From the scores I’ve seen and the players I know, the 4A tournament is going to be stacked with great teams and talent.”
Final Qualifiers – Upstate 4A Teams Advancing to State Championship
- Blue Ridge 295
- AC Flora. 303
- Wren. 307
- Daniel. 316
- Travelers Rest. 324
- Fountain Inn. 327
- Seneca. 330
- South Pointe. 338
Individuals advancing to the championship were Walker Clarke (Pickens) Oliver Stone (Pikens) Jasper McClure (Greer)
North Augusta and Bishop England tie on top of the Lower State 4A qualifier
At the Darlington Country Club North Augusta, state champions in 2023 and Bishop England each carded team scores of 301 to tie for the top spot in the Lower State 4A qualifying tournament.
Also qualifying for the state championship on May 19th and 20th at Cross Creek Plantation in Seneca were
- 1 -North Augusta 301
- 1 -Bishop England 301
- 3 Gray Collegiate 304
- 4 Gilbert 313
- 5 Aiken 314
- 6 May RIver 327
- 7 Bluffton 333
Three golfers tied for the top individual spot. Andrew Baxley and Luke Johnson from North Augusta and Teddy Dunn from Grays Collegiate each shot an even par round of 72.
Categories: High School Golf
