Dawson Szabo Joins the List as the 67th SCGA Junior Champion
COLUMBIA, SC (June 19, 2025) – Final round results of the 67th SCGA Junior Championship Presented by the Heritage Classic Foundation, hosted by Forest Lake Club in Columbia, South Carolina on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Championship Links: Final Round Results | Championship Website
Entering the day four shots behind the lead, Dawson Szabo of Greer fired a final-round score of six-under par 65 to claim the 67th SCGA Junior Championship title. Szabo carded five birdies and an eagle today to finish the tournament with an overall score of nine-under par 204.
When asked what the victory meant to him, Szabo reflected on both the challenge and the opportunity. “I just knew the past couple of days I wasn’t driving the ball great,” said Szabo. “I always knew that this course is really gettable if you get in the fairway—it’s just really hard to get in the fairway out here. The goal is to get to the U.S. Junior this year, and I didn't have a qualifier, so I had to either win this one or the Carolina Boys. I just told my dad, ‘I’ll win one of them, so we’ll be good.’ It’s just unreal. It’s really a dream come true. To win this and also get an exemption to the U.S. Junior is really cool.”
Bennett Scaletta of Belton finished the tournament in second place with an overall score of eight-under par 205.
The top eight finishers qualified for the 49th annual Georgia-South Carolina Junior Team Matches. The 2025 South Carolina team is comprised of Dawson Szabo, Bennett Scaletta, Cade Kriscunas, Sage Bradshaw, Dylan Park, Banks Steele, Connor Wolfe, and Hudson Hatch.
The matches will be played August 2 and 3 at Florence Country Club in Florence, South Carolina.
Each participant of the 2025 GA-SC Team Matches will earn 350 bonus Heritage Classic Foundation points for competing in the matches. Each member of the 2025 South Carolina team will earn an additional 150 bonus Heritage Classic points for a South Carolina Team victory over Georgia.
A continued partnership with the South Carolina Golf Association, Junior Golf Association and Foundation, the Heritage Classic Foundation is again the presenting sponsor of the Junior Championship, showcasing the best players across the state. At the heart of the Heritage Classic Foundation is a history of philanthropic giving that goes far beyond golf. Since 1987, they have raised and donated $56.9 million to educational and charitable initiatives that lift lives in South Carolina. And they’re still going strong. Every year, this 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization hosts a world-class PGA TOUR event as a primary fundraising effort.
About the South Carolina Golf Association
