NOW PLAYING: 2024 Azalea Invitational

March 24, 2024 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

CC of Charleston is ready to host the Azalea (CC of Charleston Photo)

Stewart Hagestad and Nathan Smith highlight the field at the Country Club of Charleston in South Carolina

The Azalea Invitational is now playing. The 72-hole amateur stroke play event is held at the Country Club of Charleston each Spring a couple of weeks before the Masters.

The Azalea attracts the very best mid-amateurs and juniors from across the country and internationally each year, along with a unique blend of college players. As one player stated, “Because of the time of year the Azalea is played, The Azalea brings together a rare combination of accomplished golfers along with golfers who are beginning their careers.”

Last year, PJ Maybank III put on a ball-striking clinic and broke C.T. Pan's scoring record by three shots with rounds of 66-64-68-64. He lapped the field at The Country Club of Charleston by a staggering 11 shots. He recorded the low score in three of the four rounds and racked up 22 birdies and three eagles. He also made just one bogey on the final 36 holes.

The barrage of birdies from Maybank added his name to the illustrious record books at the Country Club of Charleston.

The Azalea has featured a number of the country’s top amateur players. Starting with Frank Ford Sr., past champions include Dale Morey, Billy Joe Patton, Dick Siderowf, George Burns, Buddy Alexander, Vance Heafner, Ken Green, and D.J. Trahan. Ryuji Imada a native of Japan, in 1996 became the first foreign player to win the Azalea. In 2001, Casey Wittenberg, a sixteen-year-old high school sophomore, became the youngest player to win the championship.

U.S. Open Champion Webb Simpson won the Azalea in 2004 and 2007. Other PGA Tour players that have competed in the Azalea are Rickie Fowler, Luke List, Jordan Spieth, Eric Compton, Patrick Reed, Billy Horschel, Mathew Wolf, CT Pan and William Mcgirt.

Notable players in this year's field include mid-amateurs Nathan Smith of Pittsburgh, Pa., Stephen Behr Jr. of Atlanta, Ga., Stewart Hagestad of New York, N.Y., Blanton Farmer of Bradenton, Fla., and Hayes Brown of Charlotte, N.C. Behr and Hagestad are the last two winners of the prestigious Crump Cup.

Hagestad is currently ranked No. 4 in the AmateurGolf.com Mid-Amateur Rankings.

Written with contributions from the Azalea

Results: Azalea Invitational

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Stewart Hagestad	Newport Beach, CA	500	66-69-71-70=276
2	Matthew Troutman	Louisville, KY	400	68-73-67-69=277
3	Peyton Blackard	Fort Branch, IN	300	70-69-72-67=278
4	Patrick McCann	Tallahassee, FL	300	75-69-65-70=279
T5	Austin Langdale	Townville, SC	300	73-70-68-69=280

View full results for Azalea Invitational

About the Azalea Invitational

DUE TO COURSE RENOVATIONS, THE 2026 TOURNAMENT HAS BEEN CANCELED. IT IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO THE MAJORS CALENDAR IN 2027 AT COUNTRY CLUB OF CHARLESTON, 72-hole stroke play championship with a 54-hole cut on a 1925 Seth Raynor design. Good mix of col...