Abigail Schimpf accepts Beth Daniel Player of the Year Award
Daniel Island’s own Abigail Schimpf was named one of the two South Carolina Junior Golf Player of the Year by the SC Junior Golf Association (SCJRGA). The players of the year, one male and one female, are chosen through the yearly Heritage Classic Foundation Ranking, which Schimpf topped in her category. Young men receive the Jay Haas Player of the Year Award and young women are given the Beth Daniel Player of the Year Award.
“I would like to thank Ms. Beth Daniel, the Country Club of Charleston, and South Carolina Junior Golf Association staff for this award,” Abigail said at her acceptance speech.
The award ceremony was held at the Country Club of Charleston, overlooking their large James Island golf course. Friends and family of the young champion were in attendance, watching with pride as she was handed the plaque by Beth Daniel.
“It’s an honor,” Schimpf stated afterwards.
The award’s namesake is a storied member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association and has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Daniel handed the award to Schimpf along with several pieces of advice. “So many people get wrapped up in ‘I got to win, I got to do this and got to do that.’ You don’t,” Daniel described. “You’re learning lessons in everything you do in this sport and learning lessons in golf parallel learning lessons in life.”
“Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to compete in multiple South Carolina Junior Golf Association events, with one of my favorite tournaments being the Beth Daniel Azalea Championship here at the Country Club of Charleston,” said Schimpf. “Ms. Beth Daniel’s support of junior golf has been great. She’s an excellent role model for girls, like myself.”
“Junior golf has always been one of my passions,” Daniel said. “It set the stage for me when I was growing up.”
SCJRGA Senior Director Justin Fleming also offered words of encouragement and a recommendation to the young golfer. “You’re the best, you’re our best junior golfer, so you’ve already accomplished that,” he said. “I was in your shoes 25 years ago, and what I want to tell you is ‘enjoy the moment.’”
“Enjoy the places this game is going to take you,” he told her. “I know that you’ll follow in her [Daniel’s] footsteps if you do decide to keep playing golf.”
Schimpf has an impressive record at the age of 16, which includes the Hurricane Tour Player of the Year in the 13 to 18 age range, being a runner-up in the 2018 Palmetto Classic, and 12 top 10 finishes in 2018. Despite those victories, Schimpf said that she did not expect to be named the Beth Daniel Player of the Year. “I just tried to do my best in each tournament,” she commented.
In the near future, the high school junior said she’ll participate in more tournaments. Schimpf has verbally committed to play golf at the University of South Carolina.