Sept. 11, 2009

ROCKY FACE, Ga. – South Carolina junior Paul Woodbury fired a 2-under-par round of 70 on the opening day of the Carpet Capital Collegiate on Friday to lead the Gamecocks to a tie for second place after 18 holes of play. Carolina, as a team, shot 290 (+2) and is one shot back of Alabama after the first round at The Farm Golf Club, just outside of Dalton, Ga.

Woodbury, a native of Lake City, S.C., got off to a blistering start with two birdies on his first three holes. He would add another birdie on No. 7 and make the turn at 2-under 34 following a bogey on No. 8. He would then card back-to-back birdies at holes 14 and 15 to get to 4-under before closing his round with a pair of bogeys. It was the best round of Woodbury’s collegiate career, two strokes better than his 72 at last year’s Rees Jones Intercollegiate where he tied teammate Wesley Bryan for medalist honors. He is tied for third place individually, two shots out of the lead.

Wesley Bryan, meanwhile, had a round very similar to Woodbury, but finished with a 72 to stay at even par and tied for 13th place. Bryan birdied the 601-yard second hole, then sandwiched another birdie on No. 6 between a pair of bogeys, making the turn at even par. He made three birdies on the back nine, including both the par 5s, but had bogeys on 11, 17 and 18 to shoot 36-36 and sign for a 72. It equaled two of Bryan’s three rounds last year at The Farm, a pair of 72s in the first and third rounds as he finished tied for 30th.

Senior George Bryan IV was only one shot back of his younger brother, shooting 73 (+1) to tie for 19th place after one day. He had two birdies along with three bogeys on the front nine to make the turn at 1-over, but then carded an eagle 3 at the 518-yard 15th hole to offset a pair of bogeys and finish the back nine at even par. Bryan IV tied for third place at the 2007 CCC.

Fellow senior Patrick Rada shot a 75 with three birdies and six bogeys to tie for 31st place, and redshirt freshman Clint Tolleson had a 5-over 77 in his first competitive round as a Gamecock.

Alabama leads the 12-team field with a 289 (+1), followed by the Gamecocks, Clemson and Tennessee, who all shot 290. Last year’s champion, Chattanooga, is another stroke back at 291 in fifth place.

Jonathan Randolph of Ole Miss fired a 4-under 68 to lead the individual standings while Auburn’s John Stembridge is in second place after a 69 (-3). Woodbury is tied with Alabama’s Lee Knox and Clemson’s Ben Martin for third place at 70 (-2).

The second round gets underway Saturday morning with the Gamecocks slated to tee off at 9:50 a.m. on Hole No. 10, again paired with Alabama and Georgia Tech. Live scoring is available through golfstat.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T3. Paul Woodbury – 70 (-2)
T13. Wesley Bryan – 72 (E)
T19. George Bryan IV – 73 (+1)
T31. Patrick Rada – 75 (+3)
T46. Clint Tolleson – 77 (+5)

TEAM STANDINGS (AFTER ONE ROUND)
1. Alabama – 289 (+1)
T2. SOUTH CAROLINA – 290 (+2)
T2. Clemson – 290 (+2)
T2. Tennessee – 290 (+2)
5. Chattanooga – 291 (+3)
6. Georgia – 292 (+4)
7. Auburn – 293 (+5)
8. Georgia Tech – 295 (+7)
9. Wake Forest – 298 (+10)
10. East Tennessee State – 299 (+11)
11. Texas Tech – 302 (+14)
12. Mississippi – 304 (+16)