April 2, 2010

GREENSBORO, N.C. – South Carolina sophomore Katie Burnett is tied for fourth place after one of her best rounds of the season, a 2-under-par 70, in the opening round of the Bryan National Collegiate at the Bryan Park Players Course. Burnett’s round led the Gamecocks to a team score of 294 (+6) to put them in seventh place after one round.

Burnett, a native of Brunswick, Ga., continued her strong play from last week’s Liz Murphey Collegiate, posting her second consecutive round of par or better. Starting on the No. 10 tee, Burnett played the back nine at 1-over-par with just the one bogey at the 13th hole. She caught fire as she made the turn with four birdies over her next eight holes before closing with a bogey at the ninth. It marks her third round under par this year with her other two coming in the first rounds of both the NGCA Match Play Qualifier and the Mason Rudolph Women’s Championship.

Senior Benedicte Toumpsin also had a strong day with a 74 (+2) to tie for 22nd place. Toumpsin carded four bogeys on her first 10 holes before playing her final eight holes at 2-under par to finish on a high note. The 74 tied for the Belgium native’s best round of the spring season, matching her final round at last week’s tournament at Georgia.

Fellow seniors Corrine Carr and Taylor Barrett signed for matching scores of 75 (+3) to put them in a tie for 30th place heading into Saturday’s second round. Carr started strong with three birdies and a bogey in her first six holes, but fell back after a pair of double bogeys at the first and third holes. Barrett, who finished strong at this tournament a year ago, had just one bogey on her first nine to make the turn at 1-over, then posted three bogeys along with one birdie on her second nine to get to 3-over. Freshman Amanda Strang finished with a 79 (+7).

Tennessee holds the first-round lead after the only team outing of the day under par at 287 (-1). Wake Forest is second at 289 (+1), and Florida State and Vanderbilt share third place at 291 (+3). Wake’s Michelle Shin shot 68 (-4) to take the individual lead ahead of Tennessee’s Nathalie Mansson and FSU’s Macarena Silva, who both posted 69s (-3). Burnett is tied for fourth with Wake Forest’s Cheyenne Woods at 2-under.

The Gamecocks will begin their second round on the No. 1 tee at 8:20 a.m. Saturday paired with North Carolina and College of Charleston. Live scoring is available through Golfstat.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T4. Katie Burnett – 70 (-2)
T22. Benedicte Toumpsin – 74 (+2)
T30. Corrine Carr – 75 (+3)
T30. Taylor Barrett – 75 (+3)
T67. Amanda Strang – 79 (+7)