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40th Rice Planters Amateur
June 18th – 23rd, 2012 @ Snee Farm CC
www.thericeplanters.com
The Rice Planters Amateur Golf Tournament was the inspiration of amateur golfer Dick Horne. During his first Porter Cup at the Niagara Falls Country Club in 1973, Horne befriended Porter Cup chairman Dick Harvey who encouraged Horne to develop his own southern tournament and, consequently, along with other Porter Cup officials, shared enough useful information to get Horne started in the South.
The inaugural field of 51 players was mostly comprised of Snee Farm club members and other local golf enthusiasts. However, the top three players were from out of town. Dave Canipe, a 20-year-old University of Georgia Junior, won with an 8-over par 296. By the third year the Rice Planters proceeded to change. The focus became amateur status, and the tournament began attracting more prominent players. Andy Bean, an All-America from the University of Florida’s outstanding golf team, agreed to attend if his requests were met: availability of housing, a vehicle, and permission to bring a fellow Floridian golfer. Bean became the tournament favorite, shot a 70 his first time on the course, and subsequently captured the 1975 Rice Planters Amateur Championship title.
Throughout the years, an illustrious group of golfers have made the Rice Planters Amateur part of their rite of passage. Tom Lehman, Davis Love III, Andy Bean, Stewart Cink, Scott Verplank, Duffy Waldorf, Scott Hoch, Hal Sutton, Jeff Sluman, Steve Jones, Mark O’Meara, Brian Gay have all competed at the Rice Planters. 2011 champion, Austin Cody of Charleston, is set to defend his title this month. Also in the field is local player Bert Atkinson (1997, 1998 champion) and recent champion of the City Amateur. 2012 will see players from 45 NCAA teams and six countries competing. The public is invited to enjoy the tournament free of charge.
The Rice Planters Amateur Golf Tournament will celebrate its 40th year in 2012. We are proud of the quality of players who have been contenders at our course and added so much to the success of the tournament. Sponsorships are still available at thericeplanters.com through mid-June. Sponsors receive access to our Hospitality Tent and can watch some of the best young amateur golfers from the US and abroad.
Tournament Record: 270 ( -18)
2009 – Brooks Koepka (Wellington, FL)
2011 – Austin Cody (North Charleston, SC)
Course Record: 62 ( -10)
2010 – Pete Kellerman (Jacksonville, FL)
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