Gallman Finishes 24th At 102nd Southern Amateur Championship
7/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
July 19, 2008
Orlando, Fla. - USC Upstate standout men's golfer Josh Gallman shot a 1-over-par 73 and finished in a tie for 24th at the prestigious 102nd Southern Amateur Championship played at the 7,165-yard, par-72 Lake Nona Golf and Country Club Saturday.
Gallman finished the tournament with a 72-hole total of 3-under-par 285 to finish in a three-way tie for 24th. Kyle Stanley won a three-person playoff when he birdied the first playoff hole to take the championship and the invitation into the PGA Tour's 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational played at Bay Hill. Stanley finished with a 66 Saturday to move into a three-way tie with Mike Van Sickle and Judson Eustaquio at 14-under-par. Stanley, though, bettered his two counterparts on top of the leaderboard with a birdie on the first playoff hole to take the championship.
The back nine had hampered Gallman throughout the tournament and it was no different Saturday. Gallman entered the final round having gone 5-under on the front nine, while playing the back nine at 1-over. Gallman registered three birdies and two bogeys to post a 1-under 35 on the front nine, but carded three bogeys with a birdie on the back nine to shoot a 38 and combine for a 73 Saturday.
Gallman's experience in the tournament was simply strong and something to build upon. The prestigious tournament boasts a field of some of the top amateur players in the nation and from around the world. It also boasts an illustrious list of former champions including Ben Crenshaw, Justin Leonard, Lanny Wadkins, Bob Tway, Tim Simpson, Hubert Green, Len Mattiace, Steve Lowery, Mark Brooks, Lee Rinker and Chris Patton. The winner of the tournament receives an invitation to the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. Gallman was one of 168 participants who started play Wednesday and finishing in a tie for 24th was quite an accomplishment.
Gallman opened the tournament with a 69 in the first round before shooting a 74 to make the cut with a 36-hole 143 total. He put himself in position to claim a top-25 finish with a second 69 Friday and claimed the top-25 finish with the 73 Saturday.
Gallman was one of two players from South Carolina to make the cut in the tournament. He entered the final round one stroke ahead of Chapin's George Bryan. However, Bryan shot the round of the day, turning in a 9-under-par 63 to finish in a tie for fourth. In all, six players from the Palmetto state qualified the tournament.
Gallman led the Upstate men's golf team in its first season in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Sun Conference. He won four individual titles and led the Spartans to two team championships in 12 tournaments last year. He was named the A-Sun Golfer of the Month three of the six times it was awarded in 2007-08 and was an all-conference selection.
