Duncan, Biershenk Top Two Seeds for South Carolina Match Play

June 12, 2003

Greenville, SC–Clemson rising sophomore Brian Duncan of Greenville, fired a course record nine-under par 63 to win medalist honors at the 31st CGA South Carolina Amateur Match Play championship. Duncan, who played in two events for the National Champion Clemson Tigers, recorded seven birdies and an eagle in route to his course record setting 63.

Defending champion Nick Biershenk of Boiling Springs, who will be a red-shirt freshman on Clemson’s team next year leads the field into match play Friday morning. He was exempt from the stroke play portion by virtue of his championship last year. He faces Kevin Driggers of Mt. Pleasant in the first round.

Tripp James, who was a senior at Clemson two years ago and was a member of four Clemson top 10 teams, shot a 69 on Thursday and was the number-two qualifier. Other players with Clemson ties who qualified for the match play portion on Friday were former Clemson All-American Dillard Pruitt and former Clemson students Mickey Plyler and Bill Duncan.

Duncan is the father of Brian Duncan, the aforementioned medalist and Ben Duncan, a starter on Clemson’s national championship team this past year who is now a professional. Stephen Poole, a member of the Clemson team, missed the cut by just one shot after shooting his second consecutive 77.

(Note: NCAA rules prohibit the Clemson sports information office from publicizing he accomplishments of student-athletes who will be entering Clemson this coming August.)

First round match play pairings are listed at bottom. This championship is conducted by the Carolinas Golf Association.

Second Round Qualifying Scores Match Play Qualifiers Brian Duncan, Greenville 71-63–134 Tripp James, Spartanburg 72-69–141 Michael Maness, Galivants Ferry 66-75–141 Dillard Pruitt, Greenville 75-67–142 Jon Stephenson, Columbia 71-71–142 Todd White, Moore 73-69–142 Thomas Cameron, Clover 70-73–143 Jason Huguet, Greer 73-71–144 Tucker Ervin, Mt. Pleasant 77-69–146 Mike Gravley, Simpsonville 71-75–146 Chad Meldrum, Aiken 73-73–146 Matt Robinson, Rock Hill 69-77–146 Brandon Hiott, Walterboro 73-74–147 Jackson Hughes, Jr., Greenville 72-75–147 Shane Birckbichler, Greenville 75-73–148 Lee Palms, Greenville 76-72–148 Mickey Plyler, Greenville 74-74–148 Jake Thompson, Greenville 76-72–148 Eddie Hargett, Blythewood 75-74–149 Taylor Hough, Spartanburg 76-73–149 Ellison McCoy, Greenville 76-73–149 Rick Boone, Travelers Rest 75-75–150 Josh Campbell, Williamston 74-76–150 Keith Parkinson, Duncan 73-77–150 Adam Dox, Columbia 77-74–151 Bill Duncan, Greenville 78-73–151 Tanner Ervin, Mt. Pleasant 78-73–151 Ben Karns, Gaffney 72-79–151 Jay Haas, Jr., Greer 74-78–152 Chase Butler, Irmo 75-78–153 Kevin Driggers, Mt. Pleasant 79-74–153

Failed to Qualify Dustin Adair, Spartanburg 76-77–153 Battle Hartman, Jefferson 75-78–153 Kyle Owings, Pauline 76-77–153 Gavin Gillespie, Lexington 74-80–154 Stephen Lindsay, Spartanburg 73-81–154 Jay McKnight, Bluffton 74-80–154 Stephen Poole, Jr., Spartanburg 77-77–154 Wayne Rogers, Easley 78-76–154 Clark Carpenter, Blythewood 81-74–155 Richard Cox III, Pawleys Island 81-74–155 Scott Friday, Simpsonville 76-79–155 Ken Martin, Lexington 76-79–155 Ryan Potter, Greenville 76-79–155 John Ellis, Greenville 77-79–156 David League, Easley 84-72–156 Marshall Swails, Jr., Columbia 76-80–156 Thomas Self, Greenwood 82-75–157 Paul Butler, Gaffney 79-80–159 Justin Gandy, Darlington 76-83–159 Joe Jones, Pendleton 80-79–159 Chase Stone, Anderson 81-78–159 Joe Vignati, Okatie 76-83–159 Roy Neal, Mt Pleasant 78-82–160 Raymond Wooten, Clemson 80-80–160 Richard Burgess, Roebuck 80-82–162 Ross Ellis, Greenville 81-81–162 Jay Sylvan, Columbia 79-83–162 Michael Wiland, Aiken 82-80–162 Austin Reeves, Greenville 82-81–163 Henry Thomas, Jr., Roebuck 79-84–163 Bill Fedder, Greenville 77-87–164 Wil Hutchens, Columbia 80-84–164 Mark Souza, Simpsonville 80-85–165 T.J Walsh, Spartanburg 88-78–166 Jared DeCamps, Johnsonville 85-83–168 Steve Peterson, Columbia 85-83–168 Butch Crawford, Hemingway 81-88–169 Scott Brazell, Columbia 82-89–171 Dave Bailey, Kiawah Island 86-86–172 Colin Griffin, Beaufort 93-81–174 Robbie Hayes, Spartanburg 92-88–180 Matthew Bayliff, Easley —DNS

First Round Match Play Pairings and Tee Times#1 Tee8:00    (DC) Nick Biershenk, Boiling Springs        (153) Kevin Driggers, Mt. Pleasant8:10    (148) Shane Birckbichler, Greenville        (148) Jake Thompson, Greenville8:20    (143) Thomas Cameron, Clover        (150) Rick Boone, Travelers Rest8:30    (144) Jason Huguet, Greer        (150) Josh Campbell, Williamston8:40    (141) Michael Maness, Galivants Ferry        (151) Adam Dox, Columbia8:50    (146) Chad Meldrum, Aiken        (149) Taylor Hough, Spartanburg9:00    (142) Todd White, Moore        (151) Bill Duncan, Greenville9:10    (146) Matt Robinson, Rock Hill        (149) Ellison McCoy, Grenville

#10 Tee 8:00 (134) Brian Duncan, Greenville (153) Chase Butler, Irmo 8:10 (147) Jackson Hughes, Greenville (148) Lee Palms, Greenville 8:20 (142) Jon Stephenson, Columbia (151) Tanner Ervin, Mt. Pleasant 8:30 (146) Tucker Ervin, Mt. Pleasant (150) Keith Parkinson, Duncan 8:40 (141) Tripp James, Spartanburg (152) Jay Haas, Jr., Greer 8:50 (147) Brandon Hiott, Walterboro (148) Mickey Plyler, Greenville 9:00 (142) Dillard Pruitt, Greenville (151) Ben Karns, Gaffney 9:10 (146) Mike Gravley, Simpsonville (149) Eddie Hargett, Blythewood