Liebler, Boyd Selected for South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame
Steve Liebler
(South Carolina Athletics Photo)
IRMO, SC (September 2, 2016) -- Steve Liebler and the late Bob Boyd, two of the state’s most decorated players, have been chosen for induction into the South Carolina Golf Hall of Fame, president Frank Ford, III announced Saturday. Liebler, whose victories span more than four decades, and Boyd, the Carolinas PGA Section’s player of the year eight times, will become the shrine’s 66th and 67th members in ceremonies during the South Carolina Golf Association’s Golf Day in January. Liebler is one of the few golfers to play in every USGA event (except the newly minted U.S. Amateur Four-Ball) from which he is eligible. He began that journey in the 1973 U.S. Junior and completed his “cycle” in the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur. Perhaps his most remarkable achievement came in making the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links at age 52 --- the same year he qualified for the U.S. Senior Open. On the national scene, he reached the semifinals in both the 2005 U.S. Mid-Amateur and the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur, falling in the latter match on the 21st hole. Along the way from developing his game in his native Tidewater area of Virginia, he earned All-American honors at the University of South Carolina, played on the PGA Tour for four years, coached his alma mater to six NCAA Tournament appearances in 10 seasons, regained his amateur status and won numerous state and regional competitions.
Few have played at a high level longer. He won the Eastern Amateur 30 years apart, and earlier this year succeeded against much younger players in finishing second in the Carolinas Mid-Amateur and winning the Festival of Flowers. Experience is a great equalizer, he says, and notes that he has learned from all the players at all levels. He competed against Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson during his tour years and has re-discovered the challenges of high-level amateur golf today. Boyd, a native of Mt. Olive, N.C., put his stamp of excellence on competition in the Carolinas PGA Section during his 27-year career that included stops on the PGA Tour and the European Senior Tour. He played his college golf at the University of Maryland, then returned to the Carolinas and served as head professional at the Country Club of Charleston, Florence Country Club and Melrose Club on Daufuskie Island during his career. Inducted into the Carolinas PGA Hall of Fame in 2007, his triumphs include four Carolinas PGA Section championships, four Carolinas Open titles, five South Carolina Open championships, the national club pro championship and two South Carolina PGA titles. He played in 10 PGA Championships, five U.S. Opens, three British Senior Opens and two Senior PGA Championships. Overall, he won 22 Carolinas PGA major championships and earned the section’s player of the year honor eight times. The Carolinas PGA Professional of the Year award was named in his honor in 2008. Boyd passed away in 2011 at age 56. The Hall of Fame induction ceremonies will be held January 14, 2017 at Columbia Country Club.