Feb. 25, 2007

Rio Grande, Puerto Rico – The South Carolina women’s golf team held strong to finish fifth at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic this weekend with a three-round score of 294-295-303=892, finishing at 28-over par as a team and 19 strokes behind tournament-winner Auburn.

Junior Camila Mori finished ahead of 15 players ranked in the top-100 in the nation, shooting a weekend 74-74-72=220 to finish at four-over par to place in a tie for 11^th on the individual leader board. Her final round 72 was a season-best as she hit even par on all 18 holes.

Senior Jenna Pearson tied for 21^st at six-over with a three-round score of 74-71-77=222 while freshman Bénédicte Toumpsin continued to improve her position with each round, moving into a tie for 33^rd at 12-over with a weekend score of 78-74-76=228. Junior Whitney Simons finished tied for 40^th with a score of 73-76-81 while Blythe Worley followed to finish 43^rd at 15-over (73-80-78=231).

Laura Raffo played as an individual and did not count towards the team score but finished in a tie for 65^th after matching her second round score on the final day. Raffo was the only Gamecock to hit two birdies in the final round and finished with a score of 76-82-82=240 (+24).

The Gamecocks shot 30 strokes better than they did at last season’s Lady Puerto Rico Classic when they carded a 306-312-304=922 to finish 11^th overall.

No. 6 Auburn won the event with a three round score 873 and five players finished tied atop the individual leader board at one-over par.

Team Leader Board
1. Auburn: 292-284-297=873 (+9)

T2. Georgia: 302-290-286=878 (+14)
T2. Oklahoma State: 292-289-286=878 (+14)
4. Purdue: 296-287-299=882 (+18)
5. South Carolina: 294-295-303=892 (+28)

T6. Oklahoma: 299-294-300=893 (+29)

T6. TCU: 289-296-308=893 (+29)
8. Kent State: 301-296-299=896 (+32)
9. Alabama: 297-299-308=904 (+40)

10. NC State: 303-311-301=915 (+51)
11. Indiana: 312-307-308=927 (+63)
12. UCF: 310-311-308=929 (+65)

13. Iowa State: 307-313-316=936 (+72)

14. Wisconsin: 316-314-311=941 (+77)
15. Texas Tech: 315-318-314=947 (+83)
16. Minnesota: 320-328-324=972 (+108)

Gamecocks on the Individual Leader Board
T11. Camila Mori: 74-74-72=148 (+4)

T21. Jenna Pearson: 74-71-77=222 (+6)

T33. Bénédicte Toumpsin: 78-74-76=228 (+12)

T40. Whitney Simons: 73-76-81=230 (+14)

T43. Blythe Worley: 73-80-78=231 (+15)

*T65. Laura Raffo: 76-82-82=240 (+24)

* Playing as an individual with score not counting toward the team’s total.