BIRMINGHAM, AL (February 27, 2018) – Garrett Barber, 17-year old high school senior and Louisiana State University fall 2018 commit, has been named Amateur of the Month for January by the Southern Golf Association (SGA).
Barber, a native of Stuart, FL, started 2018 on a high note by posting a final round six-under par 66 to force a playoff at the 2018 Jones Cup Invitational at Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Georgia. A birdie on the first playoff hole gave Barber the title. With the victory, Barber not only became the first player to win both the Jones Cup Invitational and the Jones Cup Junior (2016), but he received a sponsor’s exemption into the 2018 RSM Classic on the PGA Tour at Sea Island Golf Club in November 2018.
Barber is currently the No. 84 ranked amateur in the World according to Scratch Players World Amateur Ranking and No. 63 by the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Winners of the SGA’s monthly award are determined by an international panel of golf officials, coaches and journalists. Now in its 14th season, notable recipients have been Bill Haas, Michelle Wie, Hunter Mahan, Ryan Moore, J. B. Holmes, Webb Simpson, Rhys Davies, Kyle Stanley, Kevin Fortin-Simard, Rickie Fowler, Danny Lee, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Alice Hewson, and more recently Cameron Champ & Doc Redman.
The SGA supports amateur golf at the highest level, including staging of the storied Southern Amateur, as well as the Southern Junior Championship.
About the Southern Golf Association:
The Southern Golf Association, founded in 1902, is one of the oldest golf organizations and serves member clubs over a 14 state area. Recognized by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and Regional Golf Associations as one of the leaders in the promotion of Amateur Golf, SGA championships are selected for inclusion as criteria for selecting players for USGA and State team competitions. Through the years, SGA Champions have been chosen to represent various state golf associations in selected team competitions, including the Walker Cup and World Amateur. The SGA is host to the Southern Junior Championship as well as the Southern Amateur Championship and hosts the international award, the “Amateur of the Month”, to a deserving amateur golfer on a monthly basis.
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