River Hills G&CC hosting Palmetto State Open this week

The third annual Palmetto State Open, being played Wednesday through Friday at River Hills Golf & Country Club in Little River, has a relatively small but quality field and a first-place check that is expected to be about $5,000.

The tournament is staged by the Grand Strand-based SwingThought.com Tour.

The inaugural Palmetto State Open in 2013 featured 65 players. Participation dropped to 35 players last year and there were 34 players entered this year as of midday Monday.

Entrants include Nick Palladino of Highland Heights, Ohio, who played collegiately at Division III University of Rochester and was one of 24 players named to the 2014 All-Nicklaus Team as selected by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

SwingThought.com Pro Series regulars Chris Wolfe of Warner Robbins, Ga., and Paul Brown of Hartsville, University of South Carolina alum George Bryan, Jamaicans Wesley Brown and Fabian Campbell, and 2013 tournament champion Paul Woodberry of Lake City, a 2010 South Carolina graduate, are all entered.

Last year’s winner, Brian Richey, is a member of the Web.com Tour this year. Cory Martin of North Myrtle Beach and Joseph Kezer of Myrtle Beach are the only players from the Grand Strand entered.

The tournament is 54 holes and the field will be cut to the low one-third and ties after 36 holes. The entry fee is $650 for all players and entries will be accepted until noon Tuesday. Interested players can call the SwingThought.com Tour at 800-992-8748.

Morning tee times begin at 7:30 each day.

This story was originally published August 3, 2015 at 10:52 PM with the headline "River Hills G&CC hosting Palmetto State Open this week."