2005 Georgia-South Carolina Junior Challenge Match

Georgia Holds On to Win Junior Challenge Match for Second-Straight Year

HANAHAN, S.C. - Georgia's juniors held off a second-day charge from their South Carolina counterparts to claim victory, 9 ½ to 6 ½, at the Georgia-South Carolina Junior Challenge Match, which took place at Yeamans Hall Club, July 15-16. South Carolina won four of eight matches in the final round, but it wasn't enough to overcome Georgia's 6-2 performance on the first day, as Georgia wins the title for the second-straight year and 19th time overall in the 30-year history of the event.

Leading by four points going into the final round (6-2), Georgia needed just 2 ½ points to clinch the overall match. The first match of the day, between Macon's Russell Henley and Jacob Burger of Orangeburg, finished All Square and resulted in a ½ point for each team. South Carolina then gained some ground when Columbia's Charles Wagner defeated Sam Braver of Roswell, 2 up.

The match became even closer when South Carolina notched a pair of 4 and 3 victories to make the score 6 ½ to 5 ½. Gaffney's Josh Gallman defeated Scott Lord of Martinez, while Drew Ernst of Seneca topped Athens' Whit Roper. Meanwhile, T.J. Mitchell of Albany secured a key point for Georgia, when he posted a 3 and 2 win over Daniel Bowden of Easley. Then Robert Andrews of Woodstock clinched the team's victory with a 1-up win over Scott Glaze of Sumter.

Alex Jones of Woodstock iced the Georgia win a 1-up victory over Paul Woodbury of Lake City. In a battle of the two states' reigning Junior Champions, South Carolina's Patrick Rada, who hails from Anderson, defeated Ryan Zebeau of Cedartown, 2 and 1, for the final point tally of Georgia 9 ½, South Carolina 6 ½.

Andrews and Jones posted perfect 2-0 records for Georgia during the match, while Henley, playing in this event for the second-straight year, remains undefeated with a 3-0-1 ledger. Andrews, who provided the clinching win for Georgia, was the last player to secure a spot on this year's team. After finishing in a five-way tie for seventh at the Junior Championship, Andrews survived a four-hole playoff for the eighth and final spot on the Challenge Match squad.

This was the 30th playing of the Georgia-South Carolina Challenge Match, which brings together the top junior golfers in the two neighboring states. Teams are composed of the top eight finishers from each state's Junior Championship. Georgia now owns a 19-11 lead in the all-time series.

Many notable players have represented Georgia in this competition over the years, including PGA Tour Professionals Davis Love III, Gene Sauers, Bob Tway and Larry Mize and several Georgia Amateur Champions, including Bill Bergin (1981), Carter Mize (1993-1994), Jack Croyle (2000) and Jonathan Shiflet (2002). The 2005 Georgia Amateur Champion, Brian Harman, who was also the nation's top-ranked junior player and two-time Georgia Junior Champion, competed for Team Georgia from 2001-03.

Final Results
Final Results: Georgia 9 ½, South Carolina 6 ½

 

Round One Results: Georgia 6, South Carolina 2
Scott Glaze, Sumter, S.C. def. Sam Braver, Roswell, Ga., 3 and 2
Robert Andrews, Woodstock, Ga. def. Jacob Burger, Orangeburg, S.C., 5 and 4
Scott Lord, Martinez, Ga., def. Daniel Bowden, Easley, S.C., 3 and 2
Josh Gallman, Gaffney, S.C. def. T.J. Mitchell, Albany, Ga., 1 up
Whit Roper, Athens, Ga., def. Charles Wagner, Columbia, S.C., 6 and 5
Russell Henley, Macon, Ga., def. Drew Ernst, Seneca, S.C., 3 and 2
Ryan Zebeau, Cedartown, Ga. def. Paul Woodbury, Lake City, S.C., 2 and 1
Alex Jones, Woodstock, Ga. def. Patrick Rada, Anderson, S.C., 4 and 3

Round Two Results: South Carolina 4 ½, Georgia 3 ½
Burger, S.C. vs. Henley, Ga., All Square
Wagner, S.C. def. Braver, Ga., 2 up
Andrews, Ga., def. Glaze, S.C., 1 up
Mitchell, Ga. def. Bowden, S.C., 3 and 2
Gallman, S.C. def. Lord, Ga., 4 and 3
Ernst, S.C. def. Roper, Ga., 4 and 3
Jones, Ga. def. Woodbury, S.C., 1 up
Rada, S.C. def. Zebeau, Ga., 2 and 1