PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. — Elizabethtown teen Cade Hancock, a sophomore at Harrells Christian Academy, competed in the Golf Week Magazine Invitational over the weekend at the Litchfield Country Club and finished 23rd among a strong field of 48 players.
On the first of the two-day tournament, Hancock was paired with a player from South Africa and another from Pennsylvania, but it was the course that challenged him most.
Hancock battled through the first round and carded an 81, which put him tied for 28th.
Determined to rebound positively, Hancock came out on Sunday and took a birdie on the first hole — but bogeyed the second hole to remain even. He then carded a par over the next five holes, breaking the string on No. 8 with a bogey before earning a par on No. 9 to finish the front side at one over.
The 15-year-old got pars on the first three holes of the back side before running into trouble on No. 13 and taking a bogey to fall to two over.
Hancock responded on the long, par 5 No. 14 with a par, but bogeyed No. 15 and stood at three over.
Pars followed on Nos. 16 and 17 before Hancock hit a good tee shot that split the middle of the 18th fairway and set him up with a great angle to shoot at the pin and finish strong. His second shot, however, flew right over the pin and came to rest about 25 feet from the hole. The first putt looked good but traveled by the cup by about four feet. Hancock needed to make the come-backer to shoot a four over 76, but the ball burned the edge and lipped out, giving him a five-over-par 77.