Jan. 10, 2006

University of South Carolina men’s golf signee George Bryan IV won the South Carolina Junior Golf Association’s (SCJGA) 2005 Jay Haas Player of the Year Award, the organization recently announced. This marks the second straight year a Carolina signee has earned the award as current Gamecock freshman Allen Koon won it in 2004.

The SCJGA’s highest honor for boys is awarded annually to the state’s top-ranked player in the Dec. 1 issue of the Heritage Classic Foundation Rankings, which are based on overall finishes in tournaments across South Carolina and nationwide. Points are compiled from over 100 events conducted over each 12-month period. Bryan, a native of Chapin, S.C., signed a letter of intent to play at USC in November and will enroll in the fall of 2006. He participated in both the USGA Junior and Amateur Championships and had victories in the Four Ball and Players Championship to earn his 1,202 points.

Fellow Carolina signees Patrick Rada (935.6 points) and Paul Woodbury (829.75 points) finished second and third, respectively, in the Heritage Classic Rankings, giving USC a one-two-three sweep.