April 15, 2005

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Freshman Mark Anderson (Beaufort, S.C.) and senior Alex Hamilton (Aiken, S.C.) both shot opening-round scores of 73 (+3) to lead the University of South Carolina men’s golf team into a tie for fifth place after the first round of the Southeastern Conference Championship Friday. The Gamecocks, who are eight strokes off the lead, are looking to win their first-ever SEC Championship at Sea Island Golf Club’s Seaside Course (Par 70- 7,005 yards) in St. Simon’s Island, Ga.

Anderson, playing in his first conference championship, and Hamilton, playing in his fourth and final, finished the day tied for 11th and five strokes off the individual leader, Georgia’s Richard Scott, who is two-under par (68).

Junior West Streib (Atlanta, Ga.) is one stroke behind Anderson and Hamilton after shooting a 4-over par 74 to place in a tie for 16th. Junior Eirik Johansen (Stavanger, Norway) and freshman Warren Thomas (Columbia, S.C.) finished the day in ties for 41st place (+8) and 45th place (+9), respectively.

Kentucky sits atop the team leaderboard after firing an opening round 290 (+10). South Carolina shot 298 (+18) and is tied with Tennessee.

Full results can be found at www.golfstatresults.com. The second round will begin Saturday at 8 a.m.

South Carolina’s Individual Scores
T-11th Mark Anderson, 73 (+5)
T-11th Alex Hamilton 73 (+5)
T-16th West Streib 74 (+6)
T-41st Eirik Johansen 78 (+8)
T-45th Warren Thomas 79 (+9)

Friday’s Team Leaderboard
1 Kentucky +10 290
2 Florida +14 294
3 Alabama +15 295
4 Auburn +16 296
T5 South Carolina +18 298
T5 Tennessee +18 298
7 Georgia +22 302
8 Mississippi St. +23 303
T9 Arkansas +25 305
T9 Louisiana State +25 305
11 Vanderbilt +26 F 306
12 Mississippi +31 F 311