Gallman Finishes Second In S.C. Amateur Championship
8/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Aug. 10, 2008
Clinton, S.C. - Josh Gallman carried a one-stroke lead into the final round of the 77th South Carolina Amateur Championship at Musgrove Mill Golf Club Sunday. After carding an even par 72, the USC Upstate standout golfer and Gaffney native finished one stroke behind the tournament champion, finishing in a tie for second in the championship to Lee Palms.
Palms, who entered the final round two shots back of Gallman and playing in the group ahead of him, birdied two of the first three holes to make up ground and force a tense competition throughout the round. Palms bogeyed the 10th hole, but picked up birdies on the 11th, 13th, 14th and 16th holes to open a two-stroke lead over Gallman and Spartanburg's Will Oldham.
Palms bogeyed the 18th hole to open the door for Gallman and Oldham. Both players put their approach shots on the green and had putts for birdie to send the tournament into a playoff. However, neither could convert and settled for par and a tie for second place, one shot back of Palms.
Palms finished with a 283 total, having shot 67 and 69 over the weekend to finish at 5-under-par. Gallman shot rounds of 71, 74, 67 and 72 to finish with a 284 total at 4-under. Oldham entered the day one stroke back of Gallman and shot 71 to finish in a tie with Gallman for second.
Another Upstate player, Baxter Culler from Hartsville, turned in a 76 to finish with a 297 total at 9-over-par and tied for 38th.
Gallman capped a solid summer of amateur golf with his second-place finish at the S.C. Amateur. He began the summer teaming with Culler to win the Carolinas Four Ball Championship in May. He finished tied for 24th in the prestigious Southern Amateur Championship in Florida in July. He narrowly missed qualifying for the USGA Amateur Championship, missing a qualifying spot by one stroke and losing in a playoff for the alternate position from his qualifying site. He closed out the summer at the S.C. Amateur Championship, bettering his finish from last year by 13 positions after being tied for 15th last year.
Gallman and Culler have been the backbone of the Upstate men's golf program for the better part of three years. Gallman had a strong season as a sophomore in 2007-08 leading the Spartans in their first season playing on the Division I level. He led Upstate to two team tournament titles and won four individual tournament championships. He was an A-Sun All-Conference selection and was named the A-Sun Golfer of the Month three out of the six times it was awarded during the year. He finished the 2007-08 season ranked No. 56 in the Golfstat ratings, ranking all collegiate golfers playing in all levels of college golf.
Culler had as equally strong a year as a sophomore in 2006-07. He won two individual tournament championships, including Peach Belt Tournament medalist honors, and led the Spartans to a team tournament title. He led the Spartans to a second-place finish at the 2007 NCAA Division II National Championships and a final No. 2 national ranking.
