Swanson leads by one shot

North Augustan shoots 1-under 71 in Persimmon Hill opening round

Web posted June 21, 1998

By Chris Gay
Staff Writer

SALUDA, S.C. -- The wind was gentle and the greens were soft, but that didn't matter. Of 146 golfers in the 11th annual Persimmon Hill/North Augusta Exchange Club Classic only two were able to break par on Saturday.

Rick Swanson, of North Augusta, shot a one-under-par 71 to lead the tournament by one shot over Brian Cunning, Craig Godwin and Greg Gadapee, and two shots over Mickey Owen and Andy Gardenhire.

Swanson birdied the first and third holes before hitting the shot of the day. On the par-5, 520-yard 11th hole, he hit a 6-iron over the water protecting the front of the green to within a 1 1/2 feet of the hole to set up his only eagle of the round.

``I thought the course was set up benign today,'' said the 34-year-old Swanson, a former North Augusta High School golfer. ``I played pretty steady today. Hopefully, I can keep the same thing going. I have kind of a wild swing. I can go from a 68 to an 80.

``My partner, Jim Brisson, describes my swing as smooth and violent. It's not a classic swing.''

Swanson, co-owner of Graves Engineering Services, said his best finish in a Cadillac Cup tournament has been 19th or 20th.

Rusty Flanders, winner of the Gordon Uhl/Golf Capital tournament, the first Cadillac Cup tournament of the season, played in one of the final groups of the day and shot a 74 in the late afternoon heat.

Owen, a Persimmon Hill Golf Club employee, is looking for his first Cadillac Cup tournament as well. He had birdies on 8, 9, 11, 14 and 17 that were offset by bogeys on 10, 12, 16 and a double bogey on 6. On the par-4, 410-yard 17th hole, he hit his best shot of the day, a 9-iron from 150 yards to within two feet.

``Playing in the morning was an advantage because there were no footprints on the green, no spike marks,'' said the 20-year-old former Strom Thurmond golfer. ``Hopefully, I'll shoot a 68 or 69 tomorrow.''

Lance Jones, who shot a 39 on the back side and a 75 for the day, wasn't surprised at the tournament's high scores.

``This is a course that has holes that you can score some big numbers on. If you try to get cute, that's what happens to you,'' he said.

Jones has played with the winners of the Persimmon Hill/North Augusta Exchange Club tournament the past two years -- Joe Jackson in 1996 and Dr. Terry Ezell in 1997.

In the seniors tournament, Doug Padgett leads with a two-under-par 70. He leads Gerard Maxfield by three shots. Of the 146 golfers in the field, 31 are seniors.