Sept. 14, 2008

DALTON, Ga. – With a career-best finish, senior Allen Koon led No. 19 South Carolina to third place in the Carpet Capital Collegiate at The Farm Golf Club Sunday. The Gamecocks shot 285 (-3) in the final round to break out of a three-way tie for fifth place and into the top three, finishing the tournament at 870 (294-291-285), two strokes ahead of Clemson and just one behind Tennessee.

After playing a strong back nine in his first round to post a 73 (+1), Koon carded consecutive 70s (-2) over the final two days to take second place, his first career top-five finish. He picked up five birdies in his final round to hold off a late charge from fellow Southeastern Conference player Billy Horschel of Florida. Koon’s total of 213 (-3), also a career low, tied the score of Chattanooga’s Jonathan Hodge for second.

Gamecock senior Mark Silvers III recovered from his first-round 77 to catapult into 13th place with a second-round 72 (E) and a final-round 68 (-4). In the final round, Silvers made the turn at even-par. A birdie on the par-4 10th got him under par for the first time in the tournament, and, two holes later, he eagled the par-5 12th. His clean back nine included another birdie, putting him at 217 (+1) for the tournament.

After stumbling to a 76 (+4) in the second round, freshman Wesley Bryan matched his first-round 72 (E) in the final round to finish at 220 (+4) and in 30th place. Bryan carded three birdies on the front nine and added two more on the back half of the course. Older brother George Bryan IV had to battle through a double- and two triple-bogeys in the final round as his 81 (+9) dropped him down to 62nd place. After solid play in the first two rounds yielded scores of 72 (E) and 73 (+1), respectively, George Bryan IV carded four birdies in the final round, three of which came on the course’s four par-3s, but could not completely undo the damage of his few bad holes.

Junior Paul Woodbury had his best round of the tournament with a 75 (+3) on Sunday. He picked up his lone birdie of the round came on the par-5 ninth hole and helped him finish in 83rd place.

Overall, Chattanooga claimed the tournament title with at 864 (E) as its final-round 290 was enough to hold off the charging Tennessee Volunteers by five strokes. Clemson’s Kyle Stanley won the individual crown after pulling away from the field with a second-round 66 (-6). He finished the event at eight-under 208 (73-66-69) to win by five strokes.

The Gamecocks have nearly two weeks off before traveling to Vanderbilt to play in the Mason Rudolph Invitational at the Legends Club Sept. 26-28.

Team Scores
1. Chattanooga 291-283-290=864 (E)
2. Tennessee 294-288-287=869 (+5)
3. South Carolina 294-291-285=870 (+6)
4. Clemson 291-287-294=872 (+8)
5. Florida 304-285-284=873 (+9)
6. Alabama 295-297-283=875 (+11)
7. Georgia 299-286-291=876 (+12)
T8. Texas Tech 298-293-286=877 (+13)
T8. Mississippi 290-295-292=877 (+13)
10. Wake Forest 296-290-293=879 (+15)
11. Georgia Tech 299-295-286=880 (+16)
T12. East Tennessee St. 287-290-306=883 (+19)
T12. Auburn 296-301-286=883 (+19)
14. Central Florida 289-301-299=889 (+25)
T15. Mississippi State 299-295-296=890 (+26)
T15. UAB 299-289-302=890 (+26)
T15. Georgia State 308-297-285=890 (+26)
18. North Carolina 300-291-309=900 (+36)

South Carolina Scores
Allen Koon 73-70-70=213 (-3) T-2nd
Mark Silvers III 77-72-68=217 (+1) T-13th
Wesley Bryan 72-76-72=220 (+4) T-30th
George Bryan IV 72-73-81=226 (+10) T-62nd
Paul Woodbury 78-80-75=233 (+17) T-83rd