June 12, 2007

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina women’s golfer Bénédicte Toumpsin tied for fourth with a six-under 210 at the KLM Ladies Open, played in Valkenswaard, Netherlands. Held June 8 -10 at the par-72 Eindhovensche Golf Club, the KLM Ladies Open is part of the Ladies European Tour.

Toumpsin, a native of Sombreffe, Belgium, competed in the tournament as an amateur, carding a 69-73-68=210 to place higher than all other amateurs in the 126-person field. She finished Friday’s first round tied for sixth at three-under after posting five birdies and 11 pars in a hot and dry morning, finishing her round before lightning and thunderstorms suspended play for half the field.

Further thunderstorms caused a 90 minute delay for Saturday’s second round. Toumpsin teed off on the tenth hole with a bogey before rattling off three consecutive birdies to sit at five-under for the tournament. However, five bogeys in the final 15 holes put her at 73 (+1) for the round and two-under overall heading into the final round.

In Sunday’s final round, Toumpsin bounced back by shooting four-under in the front nine. She finished the round with a 68 to jump up and tie for fourth place.

French professional Gwladys Nocera won the tournament with a 15-under 201, seven strokes ahead of the second place finisher. Nocera set a course record with an eight-under 64 in the opening round en route to her victory.

Toumpsin has been one of the most consistent golfers in her first season with the Gamecocks, becoming only the tenth player in school history to shoot a round in the 60’s with her 69 in the Dick McGuire Invitational. She caught fire at the end of the season, finishing in the Top 25 at the SEC Championship and placing a team-best 26th at the NCAA East Regional Championships.