This weeks PGA Tour event is in Charlotte, NC, just 90 minutes away at Quail Hollow Country Club.

In 2 weeks, the 2nd major of the season, the PGA Championship, will be played at Kiawah Island.

On June 10-13, the PGA Tour’s first ever Palmetto Championship will be played at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland.

Ridgeland is on I-95 just a few miles from Beaufort and Hilton Head in Jasper County. It will be fun researching if there has been a concentration of world class golf events in such close proximity to the Midlands.

A pair of men’s professional golf majors, The Masters and PGA Championship, and 3 PGA tour events during an 8-week span. Quite a special way to kick off our 2021 golf season.

While the world’s number 1, the Midlands own Dustin Johnson has to be a heavy favorite for the PGA Championship. Patrick Rada, who spent 4 years here on the South Carolina men’s golf team, will also be in the field.

Rada is a former South Carolina Junior Champion and a 4-year member of the SEC Academic Honor roll.

Rada is currently the Head Professional at the McArthur Club in Florida and earned his spot in the PGA Championship by placing in the top 20 in last weeks National Club Professional Championship.

This week kicks of the run to high school state golf championships with region events. Several local teams head into post season play with respectable rankings. Chapin and Lexington are ranked 6th in 5A while River Bluff is 10th.

AC Flora is ranked 1st in Class 4A and could be the strongest high school team in the state. Each of their starters will play college golf. This Falcons’ team could possibly rival the Dutch Fork teams of the early 2000s where all of the players on the teams played college golf.

An interesting fact about Dustin Johnson’s senior year at Dutch Fork. In his final high school event, the now number 1 ranked golfer on the planet played number 2.

Adam Dox outplayed Johnson, finishing 2nd in the tournament and 1st on the Silver Foxes.

In the Region 5-5A tournament completed this past Monday at the Ponderosa Club in Batesburg-Leesville, Chapin held off Lexington to win by 3 strokes.

Up next is the Class 5A Lower State tournament at Shaftesbury Glen Golf Club in Conway.

The 2-day SC High School League Class 5A final starts May 17 at Mid-Carolina Country Club in Prosperity.

Isabella Rawl is South Carolina’s 5th ranked girl while Karlee Vardas is 8th. Both are from Lexington and Adam Hunt is the only locally ranked boy in the top 10.

There is a brand new Family Fun Golf format offered through the local parks. Registration opens soon. Here are the parks that offer the Family Jr Programs: http://richlandcountyrecreation.com/fall-golf-programs-at-linrick-golf-course/, icrc.net, https://sports.bluesombrero.com/lcrac and https://sports.bluesombrero.com/lcrac/.