South Carolina’s senior golf depth was on display again when the team of Yancey Johnson, Geno Berchiatti, and Rick Cloninger won the Golfweek Senior National “International” Team Championship at Cartersville Country Club in Georgia.

The event, which drew state and international teams from as far away as Ireland, Scotland, England, and Denmark, combines both team and individual play over three days. The top two scores each day count toward the team total, while every player also competes individually for World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points.

“It’s a tournament within a tournament,” said Johnson, the reigning South Carolina Senior Champion. “You play for your team, but every shot still matters for the individual side.”

The South Carolina squad opened with a three-under-par team total, stayed near the top through the second round, and finished at six under to edge Utah by two shots. Johnson posted rounds of 71-70-70 for a five-under total, placing fourth individually, while Cloninger finished one under for the week.

“I didn’t even know exactly where we stood coming down the stretch,” Johnson said. “I birdied 18 after making a couple of tough pars to finish it off. We both birdied the last hole, which sealed it.”

A Strong Field and a Stronger Team

Cartersville Country Club impressed the field with firm, fast bent-grass greens and a layout that demanded every club in the bag. “It’s one of those courses where you hit every shot you’ve got,” Johnson said. “Long par fours, short ones, reachable par fives—it’s a great test.”

Golfweek organizes and sponsors the event with support from Georgia Power and other corporate partners, mixing community engagement with high-level competition. “They bring in local officials, business leaders, even some up-and-coming juniors for the practice round,” Johnson said. “It’s a fun touch—you meet people from all over.”

For South Carolina, the lineup was as experienced as any in the field. Johnson’s steady play anchored a team that also included Berchiatti, fresh off his North-South Super Senior victory at Pinehurst, and Cloninger, a multi-time Carolinas Senior champion.

The original trio had been set a year earlier with current SCGA Senior champion Eddie Hargett, but he could not join the group this year so Berchiatti filled in. “Whether it was Geno or Eddie, we knew we had a strong team,” Johnson said.

Ranking Points and What Comes Next

Johnson’s individual finish added to his WAGR standing, keeping him in the mix for invitations to national and international senior events. “I don’t chase the math too hard,” he said with a laugh. “I just like to play golf. But those points do matter—sometimes they open doors to things like the U.S. or British Senior Amateur.”

Next up for Johnson is the Wachesaw Plantation Senior in Myrtle Beach, followed by an especially meaningful start: an invitation to play in the Palmetto Amateur at historic Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken next month — a rare opportunity for a senior player.

“ I don’t play in a lot of these big-time tournaments,” Johnson said. “So I’m still having to learn and get my name out there. Even with that history right there, I had no idea — I just knew it was a big tournament and a lot of big-time players have won it. It’s an honor to have been asked to play in it.”