Cory Kaufman

Kaufman and Coakley lead the pack at rain softened Columbia  

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Blythewood, SC- Bluffton, SC residents Cory Kaufman and Kenny Coakley each fired 7-under-par 65’s as the normally diabolical Columbia Country Club greens yielded a surplus of low scores. Overnight rains contributed to much softer conditions and a birdie barrage followed.

Kaufman, the Spring Creek Classic runner-up in June, recorded eight birdies against just one bogey in Tuesday’s first round and attributed his 65 to his quality wedge play. “With a few of the tees moved up because of the weather, wedge play was critical today, and I was able to hit a few in real close to the hole and convert.” Kaufman’s friend and fellow Bluffton resident Kenny Coakley made an astonishing nine birdies against a pair of bogeys to also card a 7-under-par 65.

Coakley and Kaufman will take the lead into second round play on Wednesday by one stroke over a host of players including local Blythewood native Adam Hart. Hart, who calls Columbia Country Club home, played a spotless round in recording 6-birdies and firing 66. “I knew the course was playing fairly easy today, and I was just trying to keep within shouting distance heading into tomorrow. I took advantage of the par-fives and didn’t make any mistakes. I’m certainly content with 66 today.”

Hart was joined by 2004 U.S. Amateur runner-up Luke List, and a host of South Carolina natives including Sapona Open runner-up Gregg Jones and Bermuda Run Open Champion Kevin Kisner in a share of third.

Among the established group just two shots back at 5-under is three time tour winner and leading money winner David Robinson, Manor Classic runner-up Scott Weatherly, and current Nationwide Tour player Blake Adams. 2006 Rock Hill Open Champion Alex Hamilton, who won the coveted 2004 South Carolina Amateur at Columbia, is off to a solid start with a 4-under-par 68.


The 128 players who completed the first round took advantage of the soft conditions on one of the tour’s most difficult courses, as 73 players broke par and the field averaged just 71.02 strokes on Tuesday.

The first round will resume at 8:10 a.m. on Wednesday morning with the second round beginning on schedule at 8:30 a.m. With warm and sunny conditions forecasted for the rest of the week, the fire that defines the greens at Columbia is likely to return and make the golf course much more difficult for the rest of the week.

The Tarheel Tour conducts 20 tournaments throughout the year across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Everyone in the greater Columbia area is encouraged to come out to watch the best players in developmental tour golf vie for the Columbia Open title. In accordance with all Tarheel Tour events, admission to the Columbia Open is free and open to the public.





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