Former S.C. Amateur champions experience PGA Tour near-misses on consecutive weeks

This scenario belongs in the against-all-odds category: A former South Carolina Amateur champion who grew up in the state’s junior program played in the final pairing of the final round of a PGA Tour tournament and had a strong opportunity to earn his first career victory in golf’s major league in back-to-back weeks.

First, Carson Young, former Clemson standout from Pendleton, came close in the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico. Then, Andrew Novak, who grew up in Mount Pleasant and starred at Wofford, did the same in the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in Bermuda.

The odds against that golfing double would be staggering.

“I’m getting closer,” Novak said after finishing second Rafael Campos in Bermuda. “This is my best season and have done a lot of good things. I’m very happy with the year.”

Indeed, Novak’s third PGA Tour season included five top-10 finishes and 12 top-25s. He recorded three consecutive top-10s early in the year, added another in the John Deere and had his best finish, a second, in Bermuda. He moved from 289th to 122nd in the world rankings this year.

“Statistically, I have met or exceeded my goals for the year,” he said. “Next year, I will reset and the big thing I want is more consistency. I need to put together four good rounds in a tournament.”

Getting into the final pairing and battle for the Bermuda title only whetted is appetite for more. He wants to be in the title hunt from the start.

He climbed into contention in Bermuda with a 9-under-par 62 in Saturday’s third round that included 7-under 29 on the front nine.

Although opening the tournament with scores of 67 and 68, “I had missed a lot of putts in the first two rounds,” he said. “I hit a good shot into 1 (to start the third round), made probably a 12-footer that just kind of get me going. ... I kind of kept it rolling and just got hot.”

Novak, who won the 2014 South Carolina Amateur at the Reserve Club at Pawleys Island, had a 29 for nine holes on the Korn Ferry Tour, and his 62 is a career best on the PGA Tour.

Now living in Saint Simons Island, Georgia, he hopes to use the home-course advantage for another strong finish in the RSM Classic, the season’s final tournament that ends Sunday. Given the right circumstances, he could move into the top 60 and earn a place in the first two PGA Tour signature events for 2025.

Then, it’s the offseason, and his focus will be on improving his putting.

“My ball-striking, off the tee and short game have been pretty consistent, but my putting needs to get better,” Novak said. “I know I won’t be a top-five putter, but I hit a lot of greens and adding improved putting to my strengths will be the goal.”

In addition to the state players challenging for a Tour title on consecutive weeks, there’s one more believe-it-or-not moment from Bermuda: Novak’s 62 was not the low South Carolinian in the third round.

Rather, that honor belonged to former USC and Dutch Fork High standout Wesley Bryan, who fired a 10-under 61. And Bryan can identify with the Young-Novak close calls; he experienced the same result this spring in the Tour’s Dominican Republic event.

▪ Chasing full status. Bryan has used a strong fall performance — five top-25s in six starts — to advance 31 spots to 125th in the FedEx Cup standings headed into the RSM Classic.

In addition to Novak (86 to 70) and Young (109 to 89), state players who have climbed in the fall include Lucas Glover (Greenville/Clemson), 78 to 62 and Jacob Bridgeman (Inman/Clemson), 121 to 109. Matt NeSmith (Aiken/USC) has dropped from 122 to 141 and Trace Crowe (Greenville) went from 135 to 145.

The top 125 after the RSM earn full playing status for 2025, making Bryan the last player “in” with one event remaining. Players 126-150 receive conditional status.

Glover hopes to use the RSM to get into the top 60 and qualify for the first two signature events in 2025.

▪ Chip shots. Eila Galitsky (Thailand), ranked 24th among the world’s women amateurs, headlines USC’s women’s golf’s fall signees. In addition to Galitsky, who will enroll in January and will join the nation’s third-ranked team for the spring season, the recruiting class rated No. 3 by Golfweek includes Molly McLean (Australia) and Laura Nepper (France). ... Clemson’s men’s recruiting class includes Jackson Byrd, a top-10 player from Saint Simons Island, Georgia who is son of former Clemson star Jonathan Byrd and nephew of Clemson coach Jordan Byrd. The Tigers also signed Tip Price (Greenville) and international player Samuel Duran (Panama). ... Clemson’s women’s signees include South Carolinian Claire Green (Okatie) in addition to Keya Naik (Ashburn, Virginia) and Sarah Uebelhart (Switzerland). . . . Spartanburg’s Todd White (first team, senior men), USC’s Louise Rydqvist (honorable mention, women) and Greer’s Dawn Woodard (honorable mention, senior women) earned All-Amateur recognition from the Global Golf Post.

This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 8:54 AM with the headline "Former S.C. Amateur champions experience PGA Tour near-misses on consecutive weeks."