Clemson might have won the game, but Team Gamecock wins the tourney

Jim Aughtry (left) the honorary captain for Team Clemson during the second annual South Carolina - Clemson Challenge at Cherokee National Golf Club, gives honorary Team USC Captain Louis Sossamon a warm greeting before the golf matches start. The Tigers beat the Gamecocks on the gridiron Saturday, but USC fans ruled the roost during the Friday golf tournament. Giving his team a pep talk before they set out on Cherokee National Golf and Recreation Club on Friday, Cody Sossamon reminded all of his teammates of the huge stakes that were up for grabs.

"No cheating," warned Sossamon, the publisher of The Gaffney Ledger. "But don't give (the other team) any breaks."

While the golf tournament was ultimately a friendly affair, a loss would be costly.

Money wasn't on the line in this tournament. This was all about team pride.

Now in its second year, the South Carolina — Clemson Challenge pitted Gamecock fans against Tiger fans on the golf course. During the inaugural event, all the money raised went to club projects of the winning team's choosing.

This year, however, the stakes were raised tremendously. The winners will get to hoist their team's colors on a flag pole outside Cherokee National starting next football season.

Regardless of what happened on the gridiron on Saturday between the Gamecocks and Tigers, on Friday, at least, the Gamecocks ruled the roost when it came to the links.

Team USC won the Ryder Cup-type event by a narrow margin of 8 1/2 to 7 1/2 points.

A nail-biter, the match came all the way down to the last hole.

Jokes had been flying around before the match, however, that no one said exactly where the flagpole would be placed at Cherokee National.

Cherokee National's head professional and course workers didn't make it easy on either team.

"We had some tough pins today," said head professional Danny Agapion. "Todd Roberson (course superintendent) tricked it up for them."

Some pin placements were so tough, players said, that a double-bogey would win a hole. Four and five putts were common on some of the greens.

Honorary Gamecock team captain Louis Sossamon loved the idea behind the event, as well as the camaraderie. "It's nice to have a competition like this," he said.

Best of all, he added, all the golfers were friends before they teed off and after they completed their rounds, too, no matter the team they rooted for.

Honorary Tiger team captain Jim Aughtry laughed when asked how he came to be an honorary captain. "I guess I was the oldest to show up on the Clemson side," he said with a grin.

Aughtry stayed until all the teams teed off, but didn't play. His son was home for the holiday from the U.S. Army and he wanted to spend valuable time with his family.

Asked for their predictions about Saturday's football game, it was a no-brainer as to which teams the honorary captains would pick.

Louis Sossamon, the first All American football player from USC, went with his alma mater, albeit with a caveat. "I think Carolina has a good chance of winning if they don't make too many mistakes," he said.

"I'll take Clemson," said Aughtry, who played baseball for the Tigers during his years there. He concluded, however, "It could go either way."

A total of 32 players participated in this year's challenge. Agapion said he expects the event to grow even larger.

A flag outside the clubhouse isn't the only perk to winning the tournament. A Gamecock trophy will reside in the clubhouse until next year.