Isabella Rawl is back playing golf, competing successfully and picked up where she left off over a year ago.

The rising junior at Lexington HS committed early to play college golf over 2 years ago which means Clemson saw something very special in her future.

A back injury made even sitting down uncomfortable.

“I missed golf so much it was hard to watch on TV,” described the recently crowned 2020 SC Junior Golf Association Beth Daniel Junior Azaela champion.

Rawl found a specialist in Raleigh, NC who helped her heal and last week she captured the prestigious SC Junior Golf Association Major Championship named for LPGA Hall of Fame member who resides in Charleston.

Rawl won in a playoff against Chloe Holder.

“Chloe would hit a good shot, then I would and it went back and forth all day,” Rawl said. “I parred the first hole in the playoff to win.”

Next week, more on Rawl’s comeback so stay tuned.

The WSCGA South Carolina Womens Open was also played last week. Sidney Legacy, a former Lady Wildcat golfer playing pro, put up a strong defense of her 2019 title.

She finished 2nd to another local professional, Katelyn Dambaugh who won the title contested at Cobblestone Park Golf Club.

Charlotte Twitty of Chapin and Gilbert natives Karen Wolfe and Nancy Dodge placed 3rd, 6th and 8th, respectively. Louise Givens of Lexington and Lynn Holmes of Chapin placed 13th and 17th.

“The SC Womens Open is truly an open event,” commented co-Tournament Director Clarrisa Childs.We have players from all over the country competing in the amateur and professional divisions.”

Former Lexington golfer Gracyn Burgess of Clemson placed 15th overall with a fine score of 7-over-par for 3 rounds.

There was also a Legends division that featured former LPGA players Kris Tchetter, Charlotta Sörenstam and numerous others, including South Carolina’s very own, Rosie Jones. Jones was the runner-up in the senior division to Laura Diaz who fired an impressive -11 for two rounds.

The seniors played 2 rounds while the Championship contestants played 3.

The Legend senior pros played just over 5,650 yards and Open Pro/Am played 6,200 yards, so both the tournament and the course was longer for those competing for the Championship.

Congratulations to these local juniors for earning a spot in the SCJGA All Star Championship this weekend in Greenville:

Sawyer Adams, Hampton Smith, Luke Parsons, Matthew Roff, Chase Cline, James Gibson, Jack Brady, Luke Hammond, Mia Andrade, Taryn Smoak, Emily Anne Beiers and Emily Baker.

They all played their way on to the SCJGA Tri-County All-Star Team, which places them in a field competing against the state’s best at Carolina Springs Golf Club this weekend.

This week’s lesson is short, sweet and a quote from Hunter Lyle, an 8-yearold participating with his family in the new Lexington Recreation and Aging Commission Junior Family Program.

When asked why we can play better when we play faster, Lyle said “we think less.”

To find about about Family Golf options visit the LRAC website, then find Athletics for the upcoming fall season.