The South Georgia Classic brought a great event to Valdosta in its first year in 2007.
This year, like the goal of the Nationwide Tour’s players, the 2008 version of the professional golf tournament at Kinderlou Forest made the move to another level.
Reflecting back on the South Georgia Classic, maybe it left such a good memory with so many people because it fits so well with the area which hosted it.
The inaugural event brought top players to the area, but it also brought a level of uncertainty, with what it was all about, whether it was for real or a stop to something bigger.
The people of the Nationwide Tour and The Golf Channel coming into town probably thought the same thing about Valdosta, whether it was a quality place to be or a stop not too far from Atlanta.
Judging by the crowded restaurants and the big city crowd on the streets of downtown Friday, the city left a good impression, just like the golfers of the Nationwide Tour.
This weekend, the uncertainty was replaced by spectacular golf, fanfare and international exposure.
As soon as the news hit Valdosta that The Golf Channel would be broadcasting this year’s event, the excitement level built to a new high.
Months later, when the field list hit the presses, the names brought veterans with PGA experience and youngsters with more NCAA credentials than a graduation.
The excitement hit town Monday, needing two days for Pro-Am events because the sponsorship support was so vast. That support went throughout the week with clear sunshine and mid-80s temperatures welcoming spectators.
The weather was even kind to the folks at Kinderlou. Last year, Mother Nature welcomed the tournament with overcast skies and heavy wins. This year, it was picturesque.
The sunshine went through the weekend and shined on both the experienced players and those whose stories brought humanism to the tournament.
The tournament’s winner, Bryan DeCorso, has been trying to find his way in the sport for more than a decade, runner-up Greg Owen wants to find his way back on the PGA Tour, and is primed to do so.
Following the lead group was David Miller, a 21-year old who qualified Monday and was within striking distance of the biggest payday of his life.
Daniel Summerhays also had a chance at the title, which certainly would have brought a smile to his wife Emily’s face, as she carried five-week old Jake to watch his father play.
Others were equally as hungry for the title, with equally as heart-warming, long-shot stories, while others were top-notch players bringing a sense that you were just catching a glimpse of someone destined to return to facing Tiger and Phil in the near future.
That was the beauty of the South Georgia Classic and the Nationwide Tour this weekend.
All those stories, all those dreams and all those struggles coming to a town with the same qualities.
What the Tour brought was almost a microcosm of Valdosta, with its metropolitan status and its small town qualities.
COLUMNS
May 5, 2008
Column: SGC fits well in Valdosta
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