18th Annual Mid-Amateur Championship
Thaxton Captures Mid-Am Championship
First round leader, Mark Thaxton of Simpsonville, fought off a day long drizzle, an hour rain delay and Dr. Terry Ezell of Rock Hill to capture the 18th Annual SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship 0ver the 6727 yard, par 72 Greenwood Country Club Course.
Thaxton, who began the final round in fourth place - two strokes off of the lead, started the final round with a birdie to stay to within two of Frank Wrenn of Greenville, the second round leader. Thaxton then promptly, made two bogeys before reeling off five birdies
in a span of six holes to make the turn at 4 under par 32 (7 under for the tournament), and two strokes ahead of Larry Penley of Central.
Dr. Ezell made four birdies on his front nine, but a bogey and a double bogey gave him a 35 and left him four strokes back. Rain then halted play for one hour. Thaxton played well after rain delay, with a bogey and five pars. Penley produced six straight pars and remained in contention, just one stroke back.
The last three holes provided one of the most exciting finishes in the history of this championship. The par 3 sixteenth was pivotal. Thaxton slammed a birdie home, while Penley's tee shot found the water. The three shot swing left Thaxton, seemingly in command. However, just in front, Ezell was making birdie on each of his last two holes to finish at six under par.
Thaxton answered the challenge at the last hole, a 516 yard par 5, by hitting his third shot to within three feet for birdie to finish at 8 under par, 208 and capture his first major SCGA Championship by two strokes.
First round leader, Mark Thaxton of Simpsonville, fought off a day long drizzle, an hour rain delay and Dr. Terry Ezell of Rock Hill to capture the 18th Annual SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship 0ver the 6727 yard, par 72 Greenwood Country Club Course.
Thaxton, who began the final round in fourth place - two strokes off of the lead, started the final round with a birdie to stay to within two of Frank Wrenn of Greenville, the second round leader. Thaxton then promptly, made two bogeys before reeling off five birdies
in a span of six holes to make the turn at 4 under par 32 (7 under for the tournament), and two strokes ahead of Larry Penley of Central.
Dr. Ezell made four birdies on his front nine, but a bogey and a double bogey gave him a 35 and left him four strokes back. Rain then halted play for one hour. Thaxton played well after rain delay, with a bogey and five pars. Penley produced six straight pars and remained in contention, just one stroke back.
The last three holes provided one of the most exciting finishes in the history of this championship. The par 3 sixteenth was pivotal. Thaxton slammed a birdie home, while Penley's tee shot found the water. The three shot swing left Thaxton, seemingly in command. However, just in front, Ezell was making birdie on each of his last two holes to finish at six under par.
Thaxton answered the challenge at the last hole, a 516 yard par 5, by hitting his third shot to within three feet for birdie to finish at 8 under par, 208 and capture his first major SCGA Championship by two strokes.
Final Results
| Mark Thaxton, Simpsonville 67 74 67 208 |
| Terry Ezell, Rock Hill 71 71 68 210 |
| Larry Penley, Central 72 68 72 212 |
| Sammy Truett, Surfside Beach 74 68 72 214 |
| Todd Hendley, Greenville 72 71 72 215 |
| Michael Gravley, Greer 70 73 72 215 |
| Brad Krapfel, Columbia 74 70 73 217 |
| Bill Smunk, Kingstree 72 72 73 217 |
| Steve Liebler, Irmo 69 71 77 217 |
| Casey Smith, Abbeville 73 71 74 218 |
| Keith Murphy, Charleston 74 69 75 218 |
| Ron Schroder, Aiken 69 73 76 218 |
| Kevin King, Hilton Head 72 71 77 220 |
| Norman Page, Woodruff 73 69 78 220 |
| Frank Wrenn, Greenville 67 72 81 220 |
| Lee Palms, Greenville 73 76 74 223 |
| Bert Atkinson, Charleston 79 70 74 223 |
| Timothy Pope, Spartanburg 74 73 76 223 |
| John Moore, Anderson 71 75 77 223 |
| Phillip Milner, Laurens 74 71 78 223 |
| Frank Herlong, Saluda 76 73 75 224 |
| Eddie Hargett, Columbia 76 72 76 224 |
| Gary Moore, Anderson 77 71 76 224 |
| Walter Todd, Laurens 74 70 80 224 |
| Bill Duncan, Greenville 74 69 81 224 |
| Gus Sylvan, Columbia 75 76 74 225 |
| Matt Harbin, Aiken 75 74 77 226 |
| Butch Bagwell, Spartanburg 78 69 79 226 |
| Woody Greene, Columbia 76 78 72 226 |
| Brian Kennedy, Woodruff 79 71 77 227 |
| Richard Maddox, N. Augusta 73 75 79 227 |
| Vic Hannon, Camden 70 77 80 227 |
| Terry Willis, Taylors 74 74 79 227 |
| Jimmy Hamilton, Aiken 77 76 74 227 |
| Bob Hammersla, Greenville 81 68 79 228 |
| John Hendrix, Rock Hill 76 75 77 228 |
| Mark Willis, Darlington 75 76 77 228 |
| Tim Moore, Hartsville 75 76 77 228 |
| John W. Knight, Pageland 76 77 75 228 |
| Lanny Correll, Sr., Columbia 80 74 74 228 |
| Robert Dargan, Columbia 79 75 74 228 |
| Rod Austin, Wellford 78 76 75 229 |
| Daran Womack, Aiken 73 77 80 230 |
| Jim Savage, Isle of Palms 78 70 82 230 |
| Buck Leigh, Columbia 78 74 78 230 |
| Michael Turner, Greenwood 76 77 77 230 |
| James McFerrin, Greenwood 76 78 76 230 |
| Tom Tilden, Charleston 74 74 83 231 |
| Bill Hathaway, Taylors 75 77 79 231 |
| Mike Lewallen, Williamston 78 74 79 231 |
| Mike Keaveny, Greenville 79 74 78 231 |
| Eddie Mirmow, Lexington 78 74 79 231 |
| Scott Friday, Simpsonville 75 78 78 231 |
| Lewis Wiles, Easley 75 74 83 232 |
| R.F. Taylor, Lexington 77 77 78 232 |
| Tim Murphy, Columbia 77 74 83 234 |
| Jim Barnette, Pendleton 77 77 81 235 |
