SPARTANBURG – Chase Cline didn’t run away from the field—but he didn’t let anyone catch him either.

The rising sophomore from Western Carolina backed up his sizzling 8-under 64 on Thursday with a composed 4-under 68 on Friday at The Carolina Country Club, maintaining his lead at the midway point of the 97th South Carolina Amateur Championship.

Cline sits at 12-under heading into Saturday’s third round, holding off a strong charge from Columbia’s Sam Jackson, who fired the round of the day with a 7-under 65 to reach 11-under overall—just one shot back.

Cline talks his first two rounds at the Am

“You just look around at so many really good players, I just wanted to get off to a good start,” Cline said. “I knew there were going to be a lot of golfers who could win.”

He’s not wrong. The leaderboard is stacked, the golf course is showing more teeth in Round 2, and several elite players are still within striking distance.

Jackson, a three-time SCGA Player of the Year, used his familiarity with the tournament—and the course—to post the low score of the day and surge into the final pairing.

“I’ve played this tournament maybe 18 times,” said Jackson, who closed with an eagle on his final hole. “It’s not the biggest event from a ranking standpoint, but it’s the one closest to my heart. My wife works for the Golf Association. This means a lot to both of us.”

For Cline, the significance of the week stretches beyond just a trophy.

“The winner gets to play in the U.S. Amateur,” he said. “That’s something to shoot for.”

A former SC Junior champion, Cline said his goal coming into the tournament was to push for a 20-under total, and so far, he’s on track.

“My last 10 tournament rounds, nine have been under par,” he said. “I felt like I had a chance to put myself in position, and I’ve done that.”

Jackson credited a steady, “boring” approach—fairways, greens, and a few timely putts—for his second-round surge.

“I tried to hit a lot of greens and give myself stress-free pars,” he said. “Then a couple of putts dropped, and I finished with an eagle, which is always nice.”

Sam Jackson talks about his 7-under 64

Behind the leaders, the second round separated the field. Bluffton’s Jack Wieler (69-70) worked his way into the final group at 5-under.

Thursday co-leader Brad Sill struggled Friday, falling back with a 2-over 74. Past champion Todd White, Will Ruth, and Adam Fielding remain in the mix but will need a big Saturday to close the gap.

As the course begins to firm up and the pressure mounts, experience and mindset could prove decisive.

“You don’t just come out here and play well because you feel like it,” Jackson said. “You have to put in the work, mentally and physically. That’s what helps you when the pressure hits.”

Cline knows the target is on his back—but he’s not looking back.

“I just want to keep pushing forward,” he said. “Fairways, greens. Build the lead. Don’t give it back.”

Scores from the second round of the SC Amateur https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/5188671