A.C. Flora Takes First-Round Lead in Quest for Repeat at 2024 Palmetto Championship
Defending team champion A.C. Flora (S.C.) picked up right where it left off, racing out to a four-stroke lead after first-round play Thursday at the 2024 Keiser University College of Golf Palmetto Championship at Tradition Golf Club, True Blue Golf Club and Caledonia Golf & Fish Club.
Each of A.C. Flora’s top four golfers finished at or under par at Caledonia for a team total of 3-under, four strokes clear of second-place Hilton Head Christian Academy (S.C.), which finished 1-over par after its opening round at True Blue. Sitting in third is Greenwood (S.C.) at 4-over par, following their opening round at Caledonia.
Chapin (S.C.) is within striking distance at 5-over par following their opening-round 293 at Tradition.
Among the Palmetto’s individual medalist contenders, 15 players finished first-round play under par with Casey Kosney of Dorman (S.C.) and Chase Cline of Chapin sharing the first-round lead at 5-under. Kosney and Cline each posted a 67 at Tradition to finish Day 1 one shot clear of Hilton Head Christian Academy’s Sage Bradshaw (68 at True Blue) and CJ Peterson of North Raleigh Christian Academy (N.C.) (66 at Caledonia).
The Palmetto is a 54-hole, collegiate-style tournament that has grown in demand and popularity to attract more than 40 teams each year from as many as 10 states and Canada, spanning the continent from the Carolinas to Texas to California. Past participants include such PGA TOUR stars as Rickie Fowler and Harris English, with this year’s field loaded with young talent that looks to someday join them at the highest level.
Teams rotate course assignments for Friday afternoon’s round two, with final-round morning tee times set for Saturday.
