A pair of Hilton Head Island golfers won two matches to advance to the quarterfinals of the Carolinas Golf Association’s 45th S.C. Amateur Match Play Championship on Friday at Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg.
Hilton Head residents Nick Russell and Andrew Orischak are among the last eight players standing after notching two victories apiece Friday, but only one of them can make it through Saturday, because they are set to square off in the semifinals if both advance through the morning matches.
No. 6 seed Russell defeated Brandon Hiott of Walterboro 3-and-1 in the first round before earning a 1-up victory over No. 11 seed J.J. Jordan of Ninety Six. Russell will take on No. 19 seed Brady Hinkle of Lancaster in the quarterfinals. Hinkle knocked off Hilton Head Island’s Christian Garruppo 1-up in the second round after Garruppo defeated Beaufort’s Matt O’Quinn 2-and-1 to start the day.
No. 10 seed Orischak won his first two matches, knocking off Easley’s Matt Carter 1-up before trouncing Thomas Todd III of Laurens 5-and-4 to advance to the quarterfinals. Orischak will face No. 2 seed Todd White, a former Hilton Head Island High School history teacher, at 8:16 a.m. Saturday, with the winner advancing to the semifinals at 12:08 p.m.
Click here for the updated match play bracket.