Watson Cup thrives in linking South Carolina-Scotland connections in golf

Take this challenge: Find a way to link South Carolina, where golf was first played in America in the 1740s, and the Edinburg/East Lothain region in Scotland, which exported golf equipment to Charleston in 1739.

Ben Zeigler did.

A Florence attorney, golf historian and junior golf advocate, Zeigler had an idea, got the ball rolling, overcame skeptical responses and led the way in establishing what has become the Watson Cup, a Ryder Cup-like competition featuring junior golfers from South Carolina against a team of Scottish youngsters.

The event unfolds for the third time Oct. 17-18 at Yeamans Hall near Charleston and, Zeigler said, “This is how I hoped it would evolve. It has developed in stature beyond my fondest dreams.”

Hall of Famer Tom Watson, who won four of his five Open championships in Scotland, readily agreed to put his name on the competition, and the first two editions of the Cup “have been outstanding,” Zeigler said.

They played at Kiawah Island on the Ocean Course and Cassique in 2018, the inaugural event. After a hiatus for COVID, they played in Scotland at Royal Burgess, Muirfield and Gallane in 2022. And now they will tackle Yeamans, a treasured Seth Raynor design that dates to 1925.

“With the history of the event, what better place than Yeamans?” asked Alex Hamilton, senior director of the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation.

Added Zeigler: “No junior golf association offers anything like this.”

South Carolina dips into its past to connect with today’s juniors. Jack Lewis, the state’s first Walker Cup player, served as the team captain in the inaugural Watson Cup. Stephen Behr Jr., the 2010 State Junior champion, led the second and Paul Woodbury, a former USC player and now acclaimed teaching professional, takes the reins this year. Next up will be Todd White, who has carved out an amateur record to envy.

Opening ceremonies will feature formality in addition to fun with a bagpiper on hand to welcome the players. Competition includes foursome and four-ball play the first day and singles the second.

Dave Stockton, captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 1991 at the Ocean Course, talked to the teams prior to the 2018 event at the Ocean Course and the Watson-designed Cassique. Watson flew in for the final day of competition.

“We want it to be first class in every way and provide the players with a memorable experience,” Hamilton said.

The Watson Cup, Zeigler said, “is a wonderful example of what is great about the game of golf.”

▪ U.S. Mid-Amateur update. Stephen Behr Jr., who grew up on Florence, sparkled at Clemson and now works for a multinational software company in Atlanta, advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Mid-Amateur before losing to former Wake Forest player Evan Beck 5 and 3.

Beck had eliminated Charleston’s Connor Doyal, a former Auburn player who is a caddie at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course, in the quarterfinals 1 up.

The luck of the draw after 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying pared the field of 264 to 64 pitted Behr against West Columbia’s Sam Jackson, a U.S. Mid-Amateur semifinalist a year ago, in the first round of match play. Behr prevailed 4 and 2. Jackson had edged Behr in the quarterfinals a year ago.

Austin Langdale (Easley/Clemson) and Phillip Mollica (Charleston/Clemson) both lost 1-up decisions in the first round of match play.

▪ Chip shots. USC All-American Hannah Darling earned the SEC’s golfer of the week award after starting her senior season by winning one tournament and finishing second in the other. She led the Gamecocks, fourth-ranked nationally, to a team win in the Annika, then USC placed second in the Mason Rudolph Championship. ... Clemson women, ranked 18th, placed 11th in the Mason Rudolph. ... Frankie Harris took fourth and both Zach Adams and Brock Blais posted top 20 finishes individually, leading USC’s men to a third-place finish in the Tindall tourney in Sammamish, Washington. ... Clemson’s men placed 12th in a field of 15 in the Valero Texas Collegiate tourney in San Antonio, Texas. ... Will Marter (West Columbia) and Jack Parrott (North Charleston) joined forces to win the SCGA’s Players Four-Ball title at Columbia CC. ... In qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball at Dataw Island Club, the teams of Brad Sill (Spartanburg)-Reed Bentley (Lyman) and Christopher Couch (Mount Pleasant)-Matt Jackson (Millen, Georgia) advanced to the national tournament.