It was a weekend of firsts at the 45th annual Southern Cross at Palmetto Golf Club.

For Christ School's Cameron Akers, it was a first major individual championship fueled by his first hole-in-one and his first albatross.

The ace came in Friday's first round on the par-3 ninth hole, helping him to the solo lead after a 4-under 67.

The albatross, golf's biggest bird, came in the final round on the par-5 14th and was the biggest shot in his four-stroke victory. Standing 205 yards from the pin, and with playing partner Drayton Stewart chasing him closely, Akers thought about hitting a 4-iron before ultimately grabbing a 5-iron thinking the ball would land short and run a little bit onto the green.

It did – and then it disappeared.

"It ended up doing exactly what I wanted to," he said. "Hit it really good, landed 5 feet in front of the green, rolled up and then didn't see the ball as it got to the pin. I can't make stuff up like that. I really can't put that into words."

Akers, a junior, said his shot on 14 had the exact same ball flight as his ace on 9 – pulled a little to the left before fading back to the right. At its apex, he thought it might go in.

Minutes later, everyone had to go in – lightning in the area caused two delays in the final round, the first as Akers' group stood on the 15th tee and the second coming later when there were just two groups left on the course.

The first stoppage didn't bother Akers much. He was able to chat with his parents and keep things calm, then returned to make a nice par on 15 before chipping in for birdie on 16. The nerves started to creep in as he played the last two holes, each of which he bogeyed to post 5-under 137.

That was four clear of Stewart, but one mystery remained – Trinity-Byrnes Collegiate's Gene Zeigler, who opened with a 68 in his Palmetto debut and was in the final group of the day.

By the time he reached the 15th hole, though, the tournament was already well out of reach. Zeigler's scorecard didn't yet have a par on it at that point, just a mix of low numbers and high ones that had him at 5 over for the day.

Palmetto's loop alone was an example of how Zeigler's day went. He drove it left into the hazard on 15 but got up and down for that first par, then chipped in after going long off the tee on 16. Yet he still couldn't make up any ground, and he finished in a tie for fifth at 2-over 144.

After all of the delays and waiting and wondering, it was finally official that Akers was the champion.

"It's huge. I came to this tournament three years ago for the first time, little freshman just trying to play with the big boys," he said. "It's been a heck of a ride here. I came here not really thinking much about scores, but really just coming down here to enjoy it. I love Palmetto. I love this tournament. Coming down here every year is just huge for me."

Fox Creek's Colin Trahan was the low local, finishing in a tie for third at 143 with Rock Hill's Nick Mayfield. Trahan's week at Palmetto, punctuated by a nice birdie on 18, earned him a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

The rounds of the day belonged to South Aiken's Drew Greene and Hilton Head Christian's Daniel Azallion, each of whom shot a final-round 68. Greene, who shot 77 Friday, made a big charge on the back nine Saturday. He eagled 10 from 4 feet, birdied 11 from 6 inches, then birdied 14 and 15 before a little bit of tree trouble forced a closing bogey. Greene led the T-Breds with a 145 total.

"We hit the back side and just decided it was time to get something going," he said. "All the sweat and tears up to this point, my fifth and final Southern Cross, it was like, let's finish this fittingly. Tough bogey there on 18. It was a heck of a day."

For Rock Hill, it was a first Southern Cross title and a first big win for a golf program without a lot of marquee wins. Coach Matt Bell gave his team, making its second Southern Cross appearance, a goal – everybody break 80.

They went above and beyond that.

Rock Hill posted a final-round 219, led by Mayfield's 69, to finish five shots ahead of Hilton Head Christian for the team title.

"This is huge. Our school has never won anything this prestigious," said Bell. "So we're very, very proud. Now we're gonna move on to Upper State Monday and hopefully bring home a state title this year."

The Bearcats weren't slowed down much by either weather delay. Bell said they had major momentum before the first horn, but they were able to maintain it. After the second, they came out attacking the flag on 18 to seal the championship.

South Aiken was the low area team at 474. Aiken finished at 489, followed by Fox Creek (498) and North Augusta (517).