Gallman Leads S.C. Amateur After Day One
8/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Aug. 6, 2009
BLUFFTON, S.C. - Rising senior Josh Gallman continued his solid play this summer, as he shot a five-under-par 67 on Thursday afternoon to take an early one-stroke lead at the South Carolina Amateur Championship at the Berkeley Hill Plantation South Course. Gallman is one of just seven current, former or future Spartans in the field, with incoming freshman McKenzie Oref is tied for 19th in the field of 124 after a first-round 72.
With thunderstorms & severe lightning surrounding the area, first round play was suspended with 29 players still on the course. Play will continue at 7.30 a.m. for all players who did not complete their first round. All other players will tee off at their originally scheduled second round time.
Gallman, who finished second at the S.C. Amateur in 2008, holds a one-stroke advantage over Lee Palms, David Dannelly and Wesley Bryan. Palms, from Greenville, overtook the Spartan senior in the final round of that championship after Gallman entered the final round with a two-stroke lead. Still, the second-place finish helped Gallman earn an exemption into this year's field. Oref earned an exemption into the field after earning a spot in the 2008 USGA Junior Amateur.
Gallman played steady in the first round, posting six birdies and 11 pars while adding just one bogey during the round.
Oref sits five strokes back of Gallman, leading a pack of Spartans, including rising senior Michael Lawrence, who is tied for 39th after shooting a first-round 74. Baxter Culler, a 2009 graduate of Upstate, is right behind Lawrence after a first-round 75.
Both Jamie Lightsey, a 2009 graduate of Upstate, and Tyler Comer, a rising sophomore, shot 78 in the first round. Play was suspended with Brian Horton, who will enter Upstate in the fall as a sophomore after transferring from Gardner-Webb, still on the course.
