Mickey Plyler and Raymond Wooten, the South Carolina Four-Ball Champions
(South Carolina Golf Association photo)

As the more “experienced” team left in the Match Play portion of the event, the 49-year-old Plyler and the 31-year-old Wooten, jumped to an early advantage with a chip in birdie on the par five 3rd hole by Plyler. With the teams halving the next two holes, it was Wooten’s turn to shine as he hit his approach shot on the par four 6th hole to a foot to go two up on the day. The treacherous par three 7th cost the young team of Howell and Bruns as a three-putt bogey left them three down and in an early hole. The match may have been decided on the 10th hole however, as Howell knocked his approach shot to inches only to have Plyler chip in for the second time on the day to halve the hole. On hole 13, a 568-yard par five, Wooten made a three-foot putt to give the team a four up lead with five to play. Bruns kept him and his former Furman University golf teammate alive with a birdie on the 15th hole, but after trading birdies on the 16th, the Plyler and Wooten team had done enough to capture their first State Championship.

The 54th Annual Four Ball Championship was played on the 6,779 yard, par 72 golf course at Musgrove Mill Golf Club in Clinton, SC. The field began with 60 teams competing for 32 Match Play spots. Howell, one half of the 2016 Champions, had to play his way back in to Match Play due to the exact team not participating.