The 30^th annual Sand Green Classic at the Fayette Golf Course saw a record number of participants on Saturday.  

The tournament filled all 32 available spots for two-person teams, up from 22 teams a year ago. The first groups teed off at 10:30 a.m. and play lasted until 5:30 p.m. The 30^th Sand Green Classic was played in honor of Lowell Eaton, who passed away on March 3. After the tournament’s conclusion, Fred Eaton announced that the annual event will be named the “Lowell Eaton Memorial Sand Green Classic” going forward.

“It’s definitely a memorial to him and I know that he would be very, very happy and very proud that we’ve done that,” Fred Eaton said. “His spirit was here today.”

Lowell Eaton started the Sand Green Classic thirty years ago to raise money for the golf course. Fred Eaton was there for the first Classic, which became a tradition.

“We didn’t have a lot of money and it was a kick off to try to raise money to keep the golf course going,” he said. “We had a lot of rain and it was kind of a mess but it worked out. He was always willing to do those kinds of things, not only for here but for his community in Harrisburg as well.

Lowell Eaton was born in Fayette and he graduated from Harrisburg High School. He lived in Harrisburg just inside the Howard County line and he was the Howard County Presiding Commissioner for 12 years.

“He was always an advocate for the golf course,” Fred Eaton said. “He was always able to bring folks from Harrisburg over to play here. He was an advocate for Howard County, Fayette, and of course for Harrisburg.”

Jim Schlotzhauer and Matt Vandelicht took first place in the championship flight of Saturday’s tournament. Sam Moore and Josh Stephenson finished first in the “A” flight, and Keller Colley and Kristin Dietiker were first in the “B” flight.