2026 UPS Oconee CC

The Upstate Amateur Players Tour traveled to the Foothills this past weekend for its tournament at Oconee Country Club, presenting competitors with a classic test of precision and patience. 

Built in 1948 on a former farmstead just outside Seneca, the historic layout may not overwhelm players with length by modern standards, but it more than makes up for it with demanding tee shots, strategic approach play and small, undulating Diamond Zoysia greens that reward accuracy while punishing mistakes. With summer conditions providing firm, smooth putting surfaces, the course offered a challenge that required players to think their way around the course rather than simply overpower it. 

The Upstate Amateur Players Tour travels the Upstate of South Carolina, along with portions of North Carolina and Georgia, offering golfers of all skill levels a chance to compete in one of five different divisions. The tour also has mid-am and senior net divisions each week and awards the division winners with cash and VISA gift card prizes.  

Here’s a breakdown of the results from Saturday’s tournament by division: 

Division 1 – Carlos Santana overcame a difficult start, playing his final 14 holes in three-under par to card a round of 73 and win Division 1 on Saturday. Santana birdied the par-five fifth hole and the par-four seventh hole to quickly climb the leaderboard. Eight pars and another birdie on the back cleared him by a stroke over the field.  

Joe Brooks was close behind in second place, posting a round of 74. Brooks played the front nine in even-par with a pair of birdies. He made his final birdie on the par-four 17^th hole, as he attempted to force a playoff with Santana.  

Scott Webber rounded out the division with a round of 81. Webber played the back nine in two-over par with back-to-back birdies on the 15^th and 16^th holes. 

Division 2 – Jeff Pauley closed his round with four straight pars, proving to be enough to claim the top spot in Division 2 on Saturday. Pauley made two birdies on the front nine to card a round of two-over par on the opening stretch. Pauley birdied the par-three 11^th hole before making five pars in his final seven holes.  

A.J. Lee was close behind in second place, carding a round of 76. Lee made thirteen pars on the round, and his worst score of the day was bogey. Lee managed to plot his way around the course, making seven pars on the back nine.  

Weston Brown finished third with a round of 77. Brown made three birdies on the day, two of which came on the back nine. Nestor Santana finished fourth with a round of 80, followed by Andy Stevenson with a score of 83. 

Division 3 – David Krumenacker was the class of the field in Division 3, posting a round of 81 to clear the field by two strokes. Krumenacker eagled the par-five fifth hole before making birdie on the par-three sixth.  

Nick Sparks finished second with a round of 83. Sparks birdied the par-five eighth hole before making five pars on the back. Sonny Smith and Jeff Adams tied for third place with rounds of 84. Smith made four pars on the front nine and made his lone birdie of the day on the par-five 15^th hole. Adams made two birdies on the round, the last of which came on the par-three 11^th hole.  

Cody Markovich, Jorge Fraga, and Bobby Worthman tied for fifth place with rounds of 85. Markovich made consecutive birdies on the front nine to kickstart his round as Fraga eagled the par-five 15^th hole. Worthman shot 41 on the back nine with a birdie on the par-four 12^th hole.  

Division 4 – Robert Gibson made six straight pars to close his front nine, leading to a round of 83 on the victory in Division 4. Gibson added three more pars on the back nine as he shot 41 on the closing stretch, securing the victory by a single stroke.  

Grayson Moody was close behind in second place with a round of 84. Moody made two birdies on the front nine and added a third on the par-four 12^th hole. He also made three pars in his final four holes to secure the runner-up finish.  

Billy Trull finished third with a round of 87. Trull played his best golf on the back nine, shooting 40 on the closing stretch. Zach Hutchinson came home in fourth place with a round of 89, followed by Shane Baldwin in fifth place with a score of 90. 

Division 5 – Rodney Ferrell took home the top honors in Division 5 on Saturday with a round of 92 to win by two strokes. Ferrell made three pars on the front nine before adding two more on the closing stretch. Ferrell’s par on the par-four 17^th hole proved to be crucial in his two stroke victory.  

Gene Mason finished runner-up with a round of 94. Mason’s round was highlighted by a birdie on the par-four 12^th hole. He made three bogeys to close the round and shoot 43 on the back nine.  

Desmond Smith finished third with a round of 96. Smith finished with four pars on the round. Vern Verna and Anna Cyphers-Smith rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth places with rounds of 98 and 99, respectively.  

Mid-Am (Net) – While Grayson Moody came up just short of the top spot in Division 4, his net round of 70 was enough to win the Mid-Am net division. Moody made four net birdies and a net eagle on the front nine before making three more birdies and another eagle on the back nine. Moody’s one-under par round cleared the field by two strokes.  

A.J. Lee finished second with a net round of 72. Lee made two net birdies on the back nine as he shot even par on the closing stretch. Weston Brown and Carlos Santana tied for third place with rounds of 73. Brown made three net birdies on his final nine holes as he attempted to climb the leaderboard. Santana’s steady round included three net birdies.  

Bobby Worthman and Zach Hutchinson rounded out the top five in the division in a tie for fifth place with rounds of 75.  

Senior (Net) – Jeff Pauley made it a clean sweep of the weekend, posting a net round of 70 to also win the Senior net division. Pauley finished with five net bridies, three of which came in his first six holes.  

Jeff Brooks finished three strokes back in second place with a round of 73. Brooks opened his day with a net eagle on the par-four first hole before making two net birdies on the round.  

Andy Stevenson and Sonny Smith tied for third place with rounds of 74. Stevenson made five net birdies, two of which came on the back nine as he shot even par on the closing stretch. Smith recorded three net birdies and a net eagle to secure a share of third place. Nestor Santana, Desmond Smith, and Rodney Ferrell shared fifth place with rounds of 75.