April 19, 2008

LOUDON, Tenn. – South Carolina sophomore Bénédicte Toumpsin moved up one spot into third place while helping the Gamecocks into a tie for fifth through two rounds of the SEC Championship at Tennessee National. South Carolina shot 314 on Saturday to slip back two positions in the standings while Florida continued to extend its lead over the field.

Playing in a threesome with tournament leader Stacy Lewis of Arkansas and Florida’s Tiffany Churdy, Toumpsin turned in a 72 (E) to match her first-round score and sit in a tie for third place. She opened her round with a birdie and shot par through the next five holes. Even with the tournament leader at that point, she moved a stroke ahead despite a bogey on the par-3 seventh hole, which Lewis double bogeyed. Toumpsin drew within one shot of the overall lead with a birdie on No. 8 and made the turn at one under. When Lewis turned in a bogey on the par-5 14th, on which Toumpsin scored par, the two were in a tie for the tournament lead. Lewis surged back in front with a birdie on No 16, a par 4 which she birdied while Toumpsin carded a bogey.

Sophomore Taylor Barrett held onto her spot in the top 25, sharing 23rd place, after turning in a 79 (+7) on Saturday to go with her 76 (+4) on Friday. After four birdies in her first round, Barrett played without one on Saturday as she battled through five bogeys and one double bogey.

Also struggling on Saturday, senior Blythe Worley posted an 84 (+12) to take a share of 40th place. The Gamecock veteran was steady with a 77 on Friday but saw three double-bogeys and one quadruple bogey derail her second round. Senior Camila Mori also carded a second-round 84 after shooting 78 on Friday. She is in 43rd place. Senior Whitney Simons’ second-round 80 was not counted as part of the team scoring after she inadvertently signed an incorrect scorecard. She will be back on the course Sunday, looking to post a score to help the Gamecocks move back up in the standings.

Florida holds a five-shot lead over Arkansas, while Georgia is eight strokes behind what is a three-team race for the SEC title. Alabama is in fourth place 24 strokes behind the leader. South Carolina and Auburn are five shots out of fourth place. Lewis has a one-shot lead over Florida’s Hannah Yun. Chudy and Toumpsin are two shots behind Lewis heading into Sunday’s final round.