A better-than-average day of high school golf unfolded across the Upstate on Tuesday, with two strong events taking place on opposite sides of the region.

At River Falls in Duncan, the Rebel Invitational featured another quality field and required extra holes to decide the individual title.

Riverside’s Brennan Kelly shot a 1-over 73 and defeated Atlantic Collegiate’s Nick Tarbert in a two-hole playoff.

Kelly, who broke through last fall with an SCJGA major victory at the Orange Jacket, parred the second playoff hole to secure medalist honors.

His round at River Falls was a far cry from his first competitive experience on the course.

“I shot a 92 out here that day,” Kelley said. “It took five years to win.”

The Riverside junior relied on a steady putter after a slow start.

“I got off to a tough start, but I made a couple 15-foot birdie putts to get back in it,” he said.

Gaffney claimed the team title at the Rebel with a 305 total, finishing five shots ahead of Riverside. Atlantic Collegiate placed third, while Dorman and Gilbert tied for fourth.

The Indians were led by all-tournament performances from senior Cole Vinesett and sophomore Ty Childers.

The all-tournament team included Kelley and Tarbert, along with Spartanburg’s Emmet Walsh and Riverside’s Nate League, who tied for third.

Also of note, Dorman freshman Trotter Chastain recorded his first career hole-in-one, using an 8-iron on the 151-yard 15th hole at River Falls.

Hanna and McCurry win Yellow Jacket Invitational

At The Club at Brookstone in Anderson, the state’s top-ranked team, T.L. Hanna, showed no signs of opening the door for challengers in Class 5A Division II.

If anything, the Yellow Jackets looked even stronger than they did in winning their third straight title last spring.

Led by former South Carolina Junior Golfers of the Year Bennett Scaletta and Erik Erlenkeuser, Hanna posted an impressive 8-under-par team score of 280 to win by 20 shots.

Scaletta and Erlenkeuser each fired 4-under 68s to tie for second, just one shot behind Greenwood’s Bryson McCurry, who earned medalist honors with a 5-under 67.

McCurry’s scorecard told the story. He birdied his opening hole and eagled his fourth to make the turn at 5-under. He added two more birdies on the back nine to secure the day’s low round.

Erlenkeuser looked poised to match or better that number. The future Georgia Southern golfer recorded seven birdies, but bogeys on his final two holes dropped him into a tie for second with Scaletta.

Blue Ridge’s Dawson Szabo, the reigning Class 3A state champion and future South Carolina Gamecock, finished fourth with a 69.

With Hanna separating itself early, the steady play of Scaletta and Erlenkeuser was expected. The difference-maker came from eighth-grader Wilson Cauley, whose even-par 70 helped turn a solid win into a dominant one.

Greenville continued its strong play despite graduating key players, finishing second ahead of Blue Ridge, Greenwood and Mauldin.