2017 RBC Heritage - Wesley Bryan Wins

The 2017 RBC Heritage golf tournament in Hilton Head marked the first time in their 49-year history

Wesley Bryan played with confidence at RBC Heritage

that a South Carolina native took home the tartan jacket. Wesley Bryan is a 2012 graduate of the University of South Carolina, and this PGA Tour rookie played four days of solid golf in perfect weather, propelling him to a one-shot victory over a veteran field of golf’s top competitors.

Harbour Town Lighthouse

            

The final round score reveals that former Gamecock golfer Bryan finished 4-under par that day, shooting a score of 67, to finish 13-under par for the tournament. He started the day four strokes behind several other players, but in the end those leaders faltered and Bryan played with remarkable composure to outlast them all. When Bryan completed the 18th hole, he could not celebrate before other players on the course were mathematically eliminated. The Plaid Nation was at first patient, and then so proud, to celebrate their native son winning on Easter Sunday.

Bryan is well known to social media followers for a series of golfing trick shot videos that he and his brother George have produced, garnering many You Tube views. Bryan has spent time on the Web.com Tour, and was voted their 2016 Player of the Year, after winning three events last year. Bryan even has ties to the Lowcountry, since he represents the Kiawah Island Golf Club on the PGA Tour. With the 50th edition of the RBC Heritage next year, Bryan will be at the center of attention during all the fanfare leading up to the springtime spectacle at the Sea Pines Resort.

Bryan has the Gamecock Logo on his golf bag

To view the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries about the RBC Heritage click 2016 - 2015- 2014 - 2013

To view past blog entries from the BMW Charity Web.com click on 2016 - 2015 - 2014

To view past blog entries from The Masters click on 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2009

Davis Love III celebrated a 53rd Birthday on Thursday,
playing with Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker

To view past blog entries from the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island click on 2012

   

An April Rattlesnake Strikes My Hunting Dog

The small canebrake rattlesnake that bit Chester,
did not have any rattles, thus gave no warning.

The warm winter has created some challenges for those who like to spend time in the outdoors, with an extended allergy season likely the cause with the broadest range of effects. For prescribed fire managers, and turkey hunters, the threat of encountering a snake can be mitigated somewhat by wearing snake boots. On April 4, during a simple afternoon dog walk with my English Setter bird dog, a chance encounter with a small canebrake rattler admitted me into the unenviable club of attending to a canine under the influence of snake venom.

            

The left leg became very swollen 
from the snake bite for 48 hours.

The subject of any rattlesnake bite is a serious one, so I want to share first that my hunting dog survived this encounter, with the assistance of emergency veterinary care. At 9-years of age, my bird dog is a veteran of countless quail hunts in piney woods, where the chance of wildlife encounters are very high. However, this afternoon walk in Western Colleton County was along a well-worn trail not far from the house at our family farm. We literally had walked by the same spot hundreds of times over the years.

            

A few blades of early spring grass conspired to make a clump of cover that was just big enough to make this small rattler feel concealed. The dog was walking ahead of me, and was likely on top of the snake before either of them realized it. When Chester performed a circus jump, moving upward and backward at the same time, I peered into the grassy patch and visually confirmed my worst fear that a rattlesnake had just struck my dog. What to do now? In that instant, your life switches into family crisis mode!

To view the feature story in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog entries about canebrake rattlesnakes click on Edisto Serpentarium.

To view past blog entries on snakes click September Snakes Seen Slithering - Duck Season Snakes -  2014 Snakes at SEWE - 2016 SEWE

To view past blog entries about encounters with the natural world click on Hummingbird Moth - American Oystercatcher - Bats - Snakes - Honey Bees - Wood Storks

To view past blog entries about Field Notes and Photos click on January 2017 - December 2016 - June 2016 - February 2016- December 2015 - October 2015 - September 2015 - August 2015 - July 2015 - June 2015 - February 2105 - October 2014 -  September 2014 - August 2014 - June 2014 - March 2012 - February 2012 - October 2011 - September 2011

2017 Volvo Car Open - Finals / Daria Kasatkina Wins

Kasatkina played the best tennis all week - Congrats!

Daria Kasatkina won her first ever Women's Tennis Association title at the 2017 Volvo Car Open. This was the first all-teenage final on the WTA Tour in more than seven years. Both Kasatkina and Ostapenko are just 19-years old, and they hold promising careers. The match on Sunday lasted just 65-minutes with Kasatkina winning both sets 6-3, 6-1. She is now the 6th teenage winner all-time during this tourney's 45-year history joining Sabine Lisicki, Martina Hingis, Steffi Graf, Tracy Austin and Chris Evert.

In doubles tennis it was Lucie Safarova and Bethanie Mattek-Sands taking home the title after three sets of solid tennis. The final set required a tiebreaker and they won 6-1, 4-6, 10-7 in a match that lasted 1-hour and 21-minutes. It was this dynamic duo's tenth doubles title!

Bethanie Mattek-Sands and 
1979 Champ Tracy Austin

For blog entries on the 2017 Volvo Car Open click on Semifinals - Tennis Channel Takeover - Tuesday Tennis - Tennis Begins

To view past blog entries about the Volvo Car Open click on  2016- 2015- 2014- 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009 

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