Feb. 18, 2007

COLUMBIA, S.C. – On its first day of spring competition Sunday, the South Carolina men’s golf team fired a team score of 311 and sits in a three-way tie for 10th at the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational, played at the par-72, 6,910-yard Sawgrass Country Club. The 15-team field battled temperatures that hovered in the 40s and high winds throughout the first round. Freshman George Bryan IV led the Gamecocks with a first-round 75 (+3) and currently shares fifth place.

The tournament, which the Gamecocks won in both 1998 and 2004, continues on Monday and Tuesday with 18 holes played each day. South Carolina is scheduled to tee off at 9:42 a.m. tomorrow.

Playing in his fifth event for South Carolina, Bryan produced a strong first round on a day when the scores were high. Bryan was three-over on the front nine and played the back nine at even par. He is three shots off the individual lead, currently held by Kevin Chappell of UCLA and Pepperdine’s Shane Mason, who both shot 72.

Sophomores Baker Elmore and Allen Koon both carded a five-over par 78 and are tied for 36th individually. Classmate Florian Frtisch was the Gamecocks’ next finisher with an opening round 80 (+8). Fritsch is tied for 53rd. Junior Mark Anderson was one stroke back of Fritsch with a nine-over 81 and sits in a tie for 58th.

Top-ranked Alabama posted a team score of 303 (+15) and owns the team lead and a one-shot advantage over Vanderbilt (304, +16).

Live scoring is available throughout the tournament at www.golfstat.com.

South Carolina Individuals (First Round)
T5th, George Bryan IV, 75 (+3)
T36th, Baker Elmore, 78 (+5)
T36th, Allen Koon, 78 (+5)
T53rd, Florian Fritsch, 80 (+8)
T58th, Mark Anderson, 81 (+9)
Team Total: 311 (+23)

Team Leader Board
1 Alabama +15 F +15 303 303
2 Vanderbilt +16 F +16 304 304
3 Georgia State +17 F +17 305 305
T4 Charlotte +19 F +19 307 307
T4 Augusta State +19 F +19 307 307
T6 North Florida +21 F +21 309 309
T6 UCLA +21 F +21 309 309
T6 Coastal Carolina +21 F +21 309 309
9 Louisiana State +22 F +22 310
310 T10 Notre Dame +23 F +23 311 311
T10 South Carolina +23 F +23 311 311
T10 Pepperdine +23 F +23 311 311
13 UAB +24 F +24 312 312
14 Tennessee +25 F +25 313 313
15 UCF +27 F +27 315 315