Annual Oconee Cup is friendly rivalry

  • Tom Clements Jr., foreground, reacts to tournament onlookers as he plays The Oconee Cup tournament during the “Alternate Shot” format on the Oconee Course. (LEIGH LOFGREN/Staff)
    Tom Clements Jr., foreground, reacts to tournament onlookers as he plays The Oconee Cup tournament during the “Alternate Shot” format on the Oconee Course. (LEIGH LOFGREN/Staff)
  • Team Cross, the 2024 champions includes front row from left, Dennis Urban, Peter Kann, Skip Flint, Steve Cross (Captain) Gerry Giesler; middle row from left, Dick Ginman, Roger Blyth, Ken Woodring, John McSorely, Greg Haas, Pat McNabb (Commissioner); back row, Jim Crick, Ken Kopesky, Stu Scherer, Mike Bilbrey. (CONTRIBUTED)
    Team Cross, the 2024 champions includes front row from left, Dennis Urban, Peter Kann, Skip Flint, Steve Cross (Captain) Gerry Giesler; middle row from left, Dick Ginman, Roger Blyth, Ken Woodring, John McSorely, Greg Haas, Pat McNabb (Commissioner); back row, Jim Crick, Ken Kopesky, Stu Scherer, Mike Bilbrey. (CONTRIBUTED)
  • Team Joyner members are front row from left, John Bonno, Carlton Curtis, Bill McCleave, Edwin Bennett, Mike Baur, Gene Vassey, Glenn Hunter; middle row from left, Mike Shpak, Bob Martin, Ben Exley, Steve Beahm, Russ Clark, Bill Heil, Tim Joyner (Captain); back row from left, Tom Clement Jr., Rob Loganchuck. (CONTRIBUTED)
    Team Joyner members are front row from left, John Bonno, Carlton Curtis, Bill McCleave, Edwin Bennett, Mike Baur, Gene Vassey, Glenn Hunter; middle row from left, Mike Shpak, Bob Martin, Ben Exley, Steve Beahm, Russ Clark, Bill Heil, Tim Joyner (Captain); back row from left, Tom Clement Jr., Rob Loganchuck. (CONTRIBUTED)
  • Standing around the coveted Oconee Cup trophy are, from left, Tim Joyner, Tom Clement Jr., Steve Cross, 2024 Commissioner Pat McNabb, previous Commissioner Gerry Giesler. (CONTRIBUTED)
    Standing around the coveted Oconee Cup trophy are, from left, Tim Joyner, Tom Clement Jr., Steve Cross, 2024 Commissioner Pat McNabb, previous Commissioner Gerry Giesler. (CONTRIBUTED)
  • Team Captain Tim Joyner, left, is awarded the annual Tom Clement Award by Tom Clement Jr., son of the award’s namesake. (LEIGH LOFGREN/Staff)
    Team Captain Tim Joyner, left, is awarded the annual Tom Clement Award by Tom Clement Jr., son of the award’s namesake. (LEIGH LOFGREN/Staff)
  • Each year’s winners names are engraved on the base of The Oconee Cup trophy. (LEIGH LOFGREN/Staff)
    Each year’s winners names are engraved on the base of The Oconee Cup trophy. (LEIGH LOFGREN/Staff)

    Thirty-two men recently came together at Reynolds Lake Oconee to uphold a long-held Reynolds tradition: the Oconee Cup golf tournament.

    The tournament was founded in 1995 by the late Tom Clement, one of the founding members of Reynolds Plantation/Lake Oconee.

    Two teams of 16 players compete in a Ryder Cup format for three days. This year’s teams were Team Joyner and Team Cross, named for their capta…