Watch the best college women golfers play on Hilton Head

By Jean Harris CONTRIBUTOR

Since 2012, the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate women’s golf tournament has been played in Hilton Head at the beautiful Long Cove Golf Course. The event returns this year Feb. 27-March 1, and spectators are welcome at no charge.

Darius Rucker is a country music artist and is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Hootie and the Blowfish. The band was formed in the late 1980s, when Rucker was a student at the University of South Carolina. Before “Hootie” became a household name and won two Grammys, the band played small venues in the state, included a favorite bar on Hilton Head Island known as the Old Post Office, formerly on Pope Avenue.

Rucker is also an avid golf fan. Several years ago, he was approached by the coach of the University of South Carolina’s golf team to see if he would help sponsor the

The Trusted Choice

At our hospital, we create rehabilitation programs that are specifically designed for each patient’s needs, using advanced technology and innovative treatments to maximize recovery. It’s why so many people and their caregivers choose us. And why we are the trusted choice of a growing number of medical professionals.

collegiate tournament.

“Long Cove is one of the best courses, if not the best, on Hilton Head,” Rucker said. “They do an amazing job with the ladies tournament and we are blessed to be able to host at this course.”

The Darius Rucker Intercollegiate provides the unique combination of golf and music. Rucker looks forward to the event every year when he gets the chance to perform in concert for the student golfers, families, sponsors and Long Cove members in a small intimate setting.

Long Cove is a 1981 Pete Dye design. It is rated No. 4 in Best Private Courses in South Carolina by Golfweek magazine. Long Cove is set within a breathtaking Lowcountry backdrop featuring century-old live oaks and awesome water views. Long Cove is always a challenge for the ladies. During the tournament the weather is often cold, windy and sometimes rainy.

Please see GOLFERS on page 41A

GOLFERS from page 40A

The course requires discipline and patience by the golfers.

This year’s field includes 18 teams from all over the United States – from Oregon to Texas to Kentucky and other universities.

The 2022 championship team, Wake Forest, is competing to defend last year’s win. They are the highest ranked team at No. 2.

Host team South Carolina, ranked No. 4, will be looking to win the tournament for the first time. There are eight teams com- peting from the Southeast Conference.

Previous winners of this tournament

Stephanie Meadows (Alabama), Leona Maguire (Duke), Cheyenne Knight (Alabama), and Maria Fassi (Arkansas) now play on the LPGA Tour.

The Golf Channel will be televising the tournament, and you can watch coverage Monday through Wednesday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

The tournament is open to spectators at no charge, starting at 9:40 a.m. each day.

Tee times each day start off No. 1 and No. 10 tees.

Spectators may enjoy food and beverage items at the snack bar located between the No. 9 green and No. 1 tee box.

Following play on Wednesday, at approximately 5:30 p.m., the awards ceremony will be held at the clubhouse.

Parking is free at Central Church, directly across William Hilton Parkway from Long Cove. Parking attendants will be on hand to assist. A shuttle will be available to take patrons back and forth to the course. This is a great opportunity for anyone to come and watch some of the best golf played in South Carolina.

For more information, including start times and parking guidelines, visit longcoveclub.com/darius-rucker-intercollegiate.

Dr. Jean Harris is an LPGA Master Professional and teaches at local golf courses. jean.golfdoctor.harris@gmail.com; golfdoctorjean.com

• The Bluffton Democratic Club will meet at 6 p.m. March 2 at Blue HQ, 39 Persimmon St., Suite 201, in Bluffton.

Special guest speakers will be members of WREN, the South Carolina Women’s Rights and Empowerment Network. Melissa Moore and Kenya Cummings will speak about advocacy and community organizing.

The club will also celebrate South Carolina’s selection at the Democratic National Convention as the First Primary State in 2024.

The meeting is free and open to the public.

• Maye River Quilters will meet March 4 at 9:30 a.m. for social time, with the meeting beginning at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Palmetto Electric Cooperative, 1 Cooperative Way in Hardeeville.

To attend the meeting as a guest, send an RSVP email to mayeriverquilters@gmail. com.

For more information and for member-

Noteworthy

ship forms to join the group, call 843-7059590.

• Power of the Purse, the annual celebration of Women United in the Lowcountry, will be held at 6 p.m. March 9 at Saltus River Grill in Beaufort. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar will be offered, along with a silent auction.

The finalists for the 2023 Woman of the Year will be presented, and the winner named.

Tickets are $100 per person or $180 per couple and are available at uwlowcountry. org/womenunited.

Proceeds benefit United Way of the Lowcountry Women United’s Breaking Barriers to Education fund.

• Rotary Club of Bluffton is now accepting applications from local nonprofits for grants to be awarded through the club’s charitable giving program.

Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded. To qualify, nonprofits must serve individuals or families who live or work in or near Bluffton. Grants are awarded for projects that align with one of Rotary’s six focus areas: promote peace; fight disease; provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene; save mothers and children; support education; or grow local economies. This is the first of two grant cycles the Club conducts each year.

The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, March 24, 2023.

A full list of grant guidelines, along with the application form and step-by-step application process, can be found at blufftonrotary.org, under the Charitable Giving Process tab.

To be considered for a grant, organizations must complete the entire grant application form.

• Sigma Chi is a national college fraternity with active chapters on more than 240 college campuses and an additional 152 alumni chapters. The Hilton Head Sigma

Chi Alumni Chapter continues to seek out Lowcountry Sigs, in hopes they will join the chapter.

The group meets monthly throughout the year for lunch at a local restaurant, and hosts coed social events such as oyster roasts or dinner cruises and golf tournaments.

Sigma Chi strives to develop men of good character, students of fair ability, with ambitious purposes, a congenial disposition, possessed of good morals, having a high sense of honor and a deep sense of personal responsibility.

For more information and to inquire about joining, visit hiltonheadsigmachialumni.org and click on “Contact.”

Submit Your Event News

The Bluffton Sun welcomes news of community, club, church, school and organization events. If the event is open to the public, email info to editor@blufftonsun.com.

• Joseph Almeida has been named the next Head of School at Cross Schools, beginning June 1. Almeida is currently serving in the role of lower school principal at the school.

Almeida earned a Bachelor of Science in childhood development and learning with teacher licensure from Maryville College, a Master of Science in Educational Leadership, and an Educational Leadership Certificate from Buffalo State SUNY. He is nearing completion of his EdS Doctorate in educational leadership through Gordon College. His experience includes serving as a teacher, coach and administrator in Tennessee, Brazil, Georgia and South Carolina. During his 17-year career, he has worked in public and private schools stateside and abroad.

Almeida and his wife, Kathleen, have five