South Carolina Team Wins NKF Cadillac Golf Classic National Finals at Pebble Beach

Teams from South Carolina stormed Pebble Beach over the holiday weekend, taking the top three places in the Premier Amateur Golf Event for Charity.

The golfers (listed below) had the rare opportunity to play the nation's most famed fairways as part of the National Kidney Foundation's Cadillac Golf Classic National Finals.

Over 50 teams played in the scramble format tournament from January 13-15, taking on the signature golf courses of the Monterey Peninsula: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Del Monte Golf Course and The Links at Spanish Bay.

Finishing first was the Columbia-based foursome comprised of Walter Hutto (Lexington, SC), Tony Golembesky (Simpsonville, SC), Edward Hinson (Blythewood, SC) and Mark Palmer (Fort Mill, SC). The team shot a three day total of 183,33-under par in the three day, 54-hole event. They qualified for Pebble Beach when they finished in the top three of the NKF Cadillac Golf Classic held in Columbia, SC at the Woodcreek County Club in October 2011.

Coming in second was the Spartanburg-based team of Edgar Casner, John Caldwell, Al Campbell and Peter Niedenbach. They finished with a three day total of 184, 32-under par. They qualified for Pebble Beach with a top 3 in the NKF Cadillac Golf Classic at the Carolina County Club in Spartanburg in August 2011.

The third place team, who also qualified during the Carolina CC event, consisted of William Thompson (Wellford, SC), Hemp Kennemore (Spartanburg, SC), Travis Yelton (Greenville, SC) and Robbie Keels (Duncan, SC). Their three day total was 188, 28-under par. To view a full field scoring summary, click here.

The NKF Cadillac Golf Classic is the Premier Amateur Golf Event for Charity with 40 events held throughout the country each year from March through December, raising over $4 million for the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). The NKF Cadillac Golf Classic is a scramble style golf event, where each four-person amateur team must have a combined Handicap Index of 42.0 or more and only one player may have a Handicap Index of 8.0 or less, providing for a competitive, yet social day of golf, whether you are a new golfer or an experienced low-handicapper.  

The top-3 finishing teams in each local tournament are invited to compete in the NKF Cadillac Golf Classic National Finals at the Pebble Beach Resorts, where teams play a 54-hole tournament on the Pebble Beach Golf Links, Del Monte Golf Course and the Links at Spanish Bay - the only event of its kind where you can win locally and move on to compete for a national title at the Pebble Beach Resorts. Since 1987, more than 280,000 golfers have teed off to help fight kidney disease, raising more than $80 million for the cause at the National Kidney Foundation Cadillac Golf Classic events.

Funds raised through the tournament help support National Kidney Foundation programs in early detection of chronic kidney disease, public education, research and patient advocacy.  For more information about kidney disease or the NKF Cadillac Golf Classic Tournament series visit NKFCadillacGolfClassic.org.

The NKF Cadillac Golf Classic is title sponsored by Cadillac. National Corporate Partners include: One Car One Difference;  PING; and Golf Digest/Golf World. National Promotional Partners are Tiffany & Co and Greg Norman Collection. National Finals Supporting Partners include HM Insurance Group and Michelob ULTRA.

 

Standing on the 7th green at Pebble Beach Golf Course are (l to r)- Walter Hutto (Lexington, SC) Tony Golembsky (Simpsonville, SC), Edward Hinson (Blythewood, SC), and Mark Palmer (Fort Mill, SC). Credit: Acey Harper for the National Kidney Foundation.
Credit: Acey Harper for the National Kidney Foundation.

Standing on the 7th green at Pebble Beach Golf Course are (l to r)- , Ed Casner (Spartanburg, SC), John Caldwell (Spartanburg, SC), Al Campbell Spartanburg, SC), and Peter Niedenbach (Spartanburg, SC). Credit: Acey Harper for the National Kidney Foundation.
Credit: Acey Harper for the National Kidney Foundation.

Standing on the 7th green at Pebble Beach Golf Course are (l to r) Will Thompson, HampKennemore, Travis Yelton and Robbie Keels. Credit: Acey Harper for the National Kidney Foundation.
Credit: Acey Harper for the National Kidney Foundation.