3rd Annual Gamecock Bourbon Golf Tournament Recap
There comes a time when you pause, reflect, and truly realize how fortunate you are to be a part of something special. That moment hit me this past weekend during our 3rd Annual Gamecock Bourbon Golf Tournament. What started as a fun experiment three years ago has now evolved into a tradition that most of the athletes look forward to—and it’s all thanks to this incredible community. After hosting 300+ golfers and a dozen or more athletes over the last 3 years, I’ll say a chord has been struck within the Gamecock Bourbon community, and this will be an annual event for many years to come.
The Check-In Experience
Players began rolling in just before 9AM, greeted with Liquid IV, fresh fruit, a cliff bar, and a morning pour of Early Times Bottled in Bond—something I started last year. The name fits, what can I say. Most everyone grabbed a few beers and water for their cart coolers and then started mingling with some of the athletes and players who came. It was good to see everyone getting along, chatting, and meeting new people. The vibe was set: this was going to be a good day.
The Competition
The pines of Aiken Golf Club stand as tall and stately as they do a short drive down the highway to the Augusta National; the course on Saturday echoed many times with teams knocking down shots reminiscent of Augusta. None louder than when Nyck Harbor drained a 20+ foot bender of a putt—his first round of golf in his life. You can catch the highlight on Cocks_by_90 Instagram as its received 10’s of thousands of views. From clutch chip-ins to long putts, the course was alive with energy. I was talking with a friend from Aiken today who came to pick up his Buffalo Trace/Seller’s Reserve bottle, and he reminded me of how loud it was with the groups in front of and behind him. That’s as good as it gets for me. When you get old like me, you miss the competition. Saturday May 3 brought out the kid in all of us.
This year’s champs—Jim Crocker (Auburn), Cameron Loope (Kentucky), Steven Sielicki (South Carolina), and Michael Maxwell (Wisconsin)—posted a 17 under round of 54. While they may not all be Gamecocks by alma mater, the event is about celebrating the Gamecock spirit, the game of golf, and whiskey. Each one of them do that, and I’m happy they keep coming back each year to play. Shoutout to Randy Googe for winning closest to the pin, and Devon Anderson for the long drive title.
Our slick custom trophies were crafted from the barrel head of the best whiskey our group has selected—Broad Branch Big Winston (The Hazmat barrel). Huge thanks to Steven Sielicki for making them for three straight years. They turned out to be the best ones yet, and that makes me wonder if he was actually making them for himself this year. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of someone winning their own trophy, but no one is more deserving. He’s a great golfer, and even better friend. Who else makes trophies out of former whiskey barrels?
Hospitality & Highlights
Massive gratitude to our volunteers—Barrett, Faith Anne, Kristin, and some of my family—who kept the good times flowing with drinks and a good attitude. Hats off for an amazing BBQ lunch from John Gustavson…came through in the clutch when I had a last second issue with lunch. Y’all are the heartbeat of this event, and I hope you'll be part of it every year.
Distinguished guests who came to compete with us:
Football: OL John Strickland, TE Jesse Sanders, Spec. Hunter Rogers, WR Nyck Harbor, TE Brady Hunt, QB Luke Doty, and DL Alex “Boogie” Huntley.
Football Coaches: Director of Football Operations, George Wynn, Coaches Nate Sedergren, Will Mullins, and Todd Haynie.
Baseball: Former Gamecock and MLB pitcher, Taylor Widener
Golf: former captain and MVP of our 1971 & 1972 golf teams, Jimmy Hamilton.
Guests: some of the best Gamecock social media accounts came out; Jeff O’Hara (Cocksby90), Kristen Hopkins (Mrs.Hopkins), FaithAnne Floyd (FA Floyd), and the growing local legend, Orry Lee Kennedy (Cornbread Cowboi).
Stephen Garcia had some family and work complications and had to cancel last minute, but I appreciate him trying his best to make it. Kai Kroeger had to hop on a plane last second because he got invited to try out for 7-8 NFL teams, but he regretted not making his 3rd appearance in the tournament.
One comment that stuck with me about the weekend: Alex Huntley said on his Instagram about the tournament, “Best day of the year”—just two weeks after signing with the Miami Dolphins. That meant the world to me. Hope he kills it in South Beach.
The Whiskey & Raffle Giveaway Items
Post-round is where it all comes together. Smiles, stories, whiskey. This year’s incredible pours came from David Jennings’ (@RareBird101) private collection—Russell’s Reserve, Willett Family Estate 10 yr., and at least 25 more from rye to bourbon. Every participant took home a commemorative crystal glass, and a few lucky folks snagged rare bottles.
Our cigar lineup? My Father Connecticut, Rocky Patel Decade 1990, and Oliva Serie V Melanio. Top shelf across the board.
The awards ceremony and raffle rounded out the day. Some of the standout raffle prizes included:
Dawn Staley signed 38-0 commemorative basketball
Nick Emmanwori signed gloves
YETI cooler (thanks to Coca-Cola)
Sun Mountain golf bag (thanks to J&J Climate Engineering)
Bottles of E.H. Taylor and Seller’s Reserve Buffalo Trace
Locally made Allegiance American Flag
Signed Gamecock Art (donated by Jeff O’Hara)
Chicken Cock whiskey (4 bottles)
Jimmy Red Classic (4 bottles)
Fun fact: that signed basketball went home with a Clemson fan—Chet Tyler—who’s a class act and promised it’ll find a proper home among Gamecock friends.
Rain fell, but it didn’t damper the spirits. Even a few groups went back out and played some more holes. I had a ton to do to clean up, but I managed to get in 4 more holes with a few guys I caught up with. Sad to say I played those 4 holes better than I did in the tournament. Hit a masterful cut 6 iron that made the green for an eagle putt. No, I didn’t make it.
Closing Thoughts
I had an incredible day and the feedback I continue to get in person, on social media, or through email have been overwhelmingly positive. It makes the time spent on putting this together worth every second. I’m going to spend some time this year thinking about how I can recreate May 3, 2025, but continue to make it interesting by changing a few things about it. Whether that’s the whiskey poured, new awards created, or simply adding or changing some of the games played. Instead of the red solo cup shot, maybe I’ll do a 6ft string. Either way, recreate what has made this such a fun tournament while changing things up a hair.
Thanks to your support, we raised about three thousand dollars for the Garnet Trust and our NIL collective—helping the Gamecocks compete at the highest level. College athletics are changing, but we can be part of that change in a positive way while still having fun. Hell, maybe next year I’ll consider a saltwater fishing tournament—who knows? It’s a dream that’s far from reality at this point, but I’d love to bounce some ideas off of anyone who may know how to put one on. Just need to find a Marina to host it and get to planning. More NIL money, more fun, & more whiskey.
Thank you to the players, athletes, volunteers, sponsors, donors, and everyone who made this event possible. You’ve helped turn a one-time idea into a tradition I’ll carry forward.
The 4th Annual Tournament is already in the works. Stay tuned.
Forever to Whiskee-
Paul
I don’t play golf anymore but would love to just hang out during this or work it somehow in the coming years