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Burgess Jr. looks to defend County Men's Amateur title

But with his best golfing days admittedly behind him and with decreasing practice time as a married father of two and local business owner, Burgess pulled off a victory last season that was as surprising to him as anybody else.

The now 38-year-old remains thrilled a full year later about his winning the Coca-Cola Spartanburg County Men's Amateur at Woodfin Ridge and now nobody would be shocked if he can do it again starting today.

“It's a great feeling and now a lot more people mention it to me that the tournament is about to start,” Burgess said. “My friends like reminding me I'm the champion and it's been fun kind of reliving that memory of last year. I don't know if now it adds more pressure or if there's less because I've already won it.”

Whether or not he's got a repeat in his golf bag, Burgess secured a lasting legacy in fine fashion when the self-professed “once-a-week golfer” outdueled two-time defending champ and aspiring pro Daniel Stanley and Clemson recruit Blake Kennedy in last year's final threesome.

“If you'd asked me before the tournament if I had a chance to win, I would've said no,” Burgess said. “But on that Sunday morning, I really felt I had a chance. But I was surprised I won. You had this (37-year-old) guy who works every day trying to compete with talented guys like that who play a lot. I felt I had no pressure on me.”

Except maybe a slight push from Father Time.

“Here I am passed my golfing prime, not thinking coming in that I could win, and then to show up and do it was very special.”

Special doesn't quite cover it to the core as Burgess doesn't shy away from the emotion he feels from winning an event he's always placed on a pedestal. He's lived in Spartanburg since the age of four and played at Dorman and Wofford (where he graduated in 1995) before founding Upstate Information Technology Services. The nearly lifelong local played a variety of tournaments across the state when younger and has played the county events nearly every year since beginning as an 11-year-old.

“I kind of deem myself a tournament golfer, I really don't play a lot of recreational golf because I've got two kids (ages 12 and nine) who are both into sports,” Burgess said. “At my level of golf, the county tournament is like a major for me. The reality is there are so many good players in Spartanburg that I don't for one minute think just because I won last year that I'm the best in the area. But I think on any given weekend, I can be.

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