They represent all that is great about the game of golf and being a Winthrop Eagle! - Golf Coach Kevin Pendley '98

Jordan Sease

The lessons Golf Coach Kevin Pendley ’98 taught his players during their college years continue to pay off handsomely for three alumni.

Winthrop Eagles have won the S.C. Amateur Golf Player of the Year for the past three years: Jordan Sease ’12 in 2019, followed by Kyle Bearden ’13 in 2020 and Christian Sease ’16, ’17 in 2021.

Pendley said he is very proud of not only what the players have accomplished, but also for what they did at Winthrop and for the men they have become.

“In speaking to some of them recently, the biggest thing that’s led to their success is that they realize that they are playing a game and not putting so much pressure on themselves to perform as they did at times in college,” Pendley said. “Everyone comes to that realization even- tually and some faster than others. They all had great success in college but have really taken off post-college.”

He said the three were in different places with their games when they got to Winthrop. “But all possessed common traits which have led them to become the great players they are: they are ultra-competitive, are good athletes who have positive attitudes and are tireless workers,” Pendley said.

The S.C. Player of the Year award is given based on points players earn through the course of the year. Points are awarded for top finishes in major amateur events across the United States, but the emphasis of the point structure is participation in tournaments in the Carolinas.

“The neat thing about golf is that you can keep playing the sport after college,” said Christian Sease, who now lives in Greenville and works for an insurance marketing company. “We had a great group of guys at Winthrop, and we continue to push each other. It’s nice to give back to the school that way. We can still have success and make Winthrop proud.”

Christian Sease

Jordan Sease, who is first cousin to Christian, said he tries to play around seven to eight tournaments a year. It is challenging to compete against college players because they have more time to practice, he said. Those out of college have jobs – Jordan is a project manager for an architectural firm in Columbia – and practice when they can. Yet the

• 2020 winner Kyle Bearden was a member of the golf team from 2008-13 and served as assistant coach for a year. He earned a business degree and played on the pro circuit for two years and then returned to amateur status, winning the S.C. Mid-Ama- teur in 2018. He played very consistently and placed among the top finishers in several

older players typically have better course man- agement and know when to be aggressive, he said.

Bearden, who lives in Barnwell and works in sales and customer service for a lumber mill, said continuing to play golf after college keeps the competitive juices flowing. “I see friends that I’ve known a long time, I play on great courses, and I really enjoy it,” he added.

Each of the three also won the S.C. Mid-Amateur Tournament between 2018 and 2021.

Below are their impressive stats:

• 2021 winner Christian Sease was a member of the golf team from 2012-17. He earned a business degree in financial planning and an M.B.A. He won the S.C. Mid-Amateur tourna- ment and tied for fifth in the U.S. Mid-Ama- teur Championship.

tournaments in 2020. He was second in the S.C. Mid-Amateur and, a year later in 2021, he placed third in point rankings.

• 2019 winner Jordan Sease was a walk-on when he came to Winthrop and played from 2008-12. He earned a business administra- tion degree and played professionally for a couple of years and then returned to amateur status. During the 2019 year, he placed in the round of 32 in the U.S. Mid-Amateurs, won the S.C. Mid-Amateur and put together high finishes in other back-to-back tournaments.

Pendley said each of the three players accepted his coaching and wanted to be coached.

“Lofty expecta- tions can be a double-edged sword, and they have all learned that, I believe. It’s helped them reach a new level of play,” he said. “They repre- sent all that is great about the game of golf and being a Winthrop Eagle!”

Kyle Bearden

16

17