March 28, 2010

AWENDAW, S.C. – South Carolina and the rest of the 15-team field at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate battled high winds and intermittent rain throughout Sunday’s first round, and the Gamecocks fought through it to stand in eighth place after one day.

The Gamecocks posted a round of 296 (+12) to open the tournament at Bulls Bay Golf Club as gusty winds over 30 miles per hour wreaked havoc on the scoring early in the day. No team was under par on a course that is usually conducive to scoring, and only six players broke into red numbers on the first day.

Senior Patrick Rada led the way for South Carolina, posting an even-par round of 71 as he is tied for seventh place after 18 holes. The native of Anderson, S.C., overcame an early double bogey on the fourth hole, coming back with birdies at 11 and 13 to get to 1-under. He would card back-to-back bogeys at the 190-yard, par-3 14th – which was playing straight into the stiff east wind – and the lengthy par-4 15th, but came back with a strong birdie at No. 16 to get back even.

Fellow senior George Bryan IV – last year’s runner-up at this event – was one shot back of his classmate after a 1-over-par 72 and in an eight-way tie for ninth place. Bryan fought off the tough conditions early with an even-par 36 on the front nine that included two birdies and two bogeys. But he would card bogeys on the 12th and 15th before coming back with birdie at No. 16 to get back to 1-over.

Sophomore Wesley Bryan finished with a 39-36=75 (+4) that included a birdie at No. 11. He also recorded three bogeys and a double-bogey on the day to tie for 32nd place heading into Monday’s second round. Senior Paul Woodbury ran into trouble on a three-hole stretch of the back nine, but managed to record a pair of bookend birdies to finish at 78 (+7), tied for 52nd place. Freshman Clint Tolleson is tied for 59th after an opening 79 (+8).

Southeastern Conference foe LSU holds the first-round lead after a 288 (+4), one shot ahead of Duke and Wake Forest, who each posted a 289 (+5). Individually, defending NCAA Champion Matt Hill of NC State signed for a 68 (-3) to hold the first-round lead, followed by Wake Forest’s Travis Wadkins and LSU’s Sang Yi at 69 (-2).

The Gamecocks will be in the first pairing for Monday’s second round, along with Virginia and Kentucky, off the No. 1 tee. The round begins at 9 a.m., and live scoring will be available through Golfstat.com. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T7. Patrick Rada – 71 (E)
T9. George Bryan IV – 72 (+1)
T32. Wesley Bryan – 75 (+4)
T52. Paul Woodbury – 78 (+7)
T59. Clint Tolleson – 79 (+8)