CHAPIN, S.C. — Chapin sits in the middle of South Carolina’s college corridor, and one of the state’s longest-running scholarship engines tees off less than an hour down the road at the end of the month.
The 36th annual Jim Clyburn’s Rudolph Canzater Memorial Classic will be held July 30 through August 2 in Santee, according to event director Angela Clyburn. Proceeds fund need-based scholarships for high school graduates and college students — a pipeline that has quietly moved Chapin-area students into University of South Carolina, Newberry College and Midlands Technical College classrooms for years.
A three-decade scholarship tournament
The tournament is named for Rudolph Canzater and has run annually for more than 30 years under Congressman Jim Clyburn’s leadership. It is one of the highest-profile need-based scholarship fundraisers on the Midlands calendar. Awards go directly to students who need the money to enroll, remain enrolled, or complete a degree.
Angela Clyburn has said the 2026 event again pairs four days of golf competition with a wider set of side events and receptions for participants, alumni, sponsors, and supporting community partners.
Why the Chapin community should pay attention
Lake Murray-area students have historically been part of the beneficiary pool. The scholarship is need-based, not geographically restricted within the district, and Congressman Clyburn’s Sixth Congressional District brushes right up against Chapin’s western edge in Newberry County. Chapin High School graduates continuing on to South Carolina institutions have qualified in prior years.
The tournament venue — Santee, about 75 miles from Chapin — has hosted the classic for years and remains one of the more affordable four-day golf destinations in the state.
What is publicly known so far
• Event: 36th annual Jim Clyburn’s Rudolph Canzater Memorial Classic
• Dates: July 30 – August 2, 2026
• Location: Santee, S.C.
• Purpose: Need-based scholarships for high school graduates and college students
• Event director: Angela Clyburn
Additional details on golf format, registration windows, sponsorship packages and the schedule of surrounding events have historically been distributed through the classic’s own channels and Congressman Clyburn’s district office.
How Chapin readers can follow along
HERE Chapin will follow the tournament week and post scholarship-award coverage as it becomes available. Chapin-area families interested in the scholarship or Chapin golfers interested in participating should contact the tournament directly through the Canzater Classic’s registration channels.