March 19, 2005

STATESBORO, Ga. – Senior Alex Hamilton is tied for second and the South Carolina men’s golf team is tied for third in a 15-team field following the first day of play at the E-Z-Go Schenkel Invitational at the Forest Heights Country Club (Par 72 – 6,962 yards) on Saturday. The tournament, which is hosted by Georgia Southern, opened with 36 holes today and concludes on Sunday with a round of 18.

The Gamecocks shot rounds of 293 and 289 (582) to finish six-over par for the day. USC is tied with Duke in third place, and sits four strokes off leader Tennessee (290, 288 = 578). Auburn is one stroke back in second (291, 288 = 579).

Hamilton fired a 74 on the first 18 holes, and came back to shave six strokes off his total on the second 18, carding a 68 to finish the day two-under par. The senior’s 68 tied tournament leader Bronson LaCassie of Minnesota and North Carolina’s Doug Kingston for the lowest round of the day. Hamilton is locked in a three-way tie for second and sits just two strokes off the lead heading into Sunday.

Freshman Mark Anderson, the reigning SEC Golfer of the Week following his performance at last weekend’s Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship in Las Vegas, shot rounds of 72 and 71 (143) and closed today one-under par and tied for sixth.

Junior Robert Svensson shot 73-75=148 (+4) and is tied for 23rd. Junior Eirik Johansen is one stroke behind Svensson at 73-75=149 (+5) and tied for 27th. Senior Jake Thompson rounded out the Gamecocks lineup with two rounds of 75 to finish six-over par (150).

Though it trails Tennessee and Auburn, South Carolina leads SEC rivals Georgia and Florida, who are both tied for eighth, and Louisiana State, who sits in 13th. Intra-state rival Clemson is currently tied for 11th.

Up-to-the-minute scoring is available online at www.golfstat.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA INDIVIDUAL SCORES
T2 Alex Hamilton, 74, 68 =142 (-2)
T6 Mark Anderson, 72, 71 = 143 (-1)
T23 Robert Svensson, 73, 75 = 148 (+4)
T27 Eirik Johansen, 74, 75 = 149 (+5)
T37 Jake Thompson, 75, 75 = 150 (+6)

TOP FIVE TEAMS
Place, School, Score, Par
1. Tennessee, 290-288=578 (+2)
2. Auburn, 291-288=579 (+3)
T3. South Carolina 293-289=582 (+6)
T3. Duke, 293-289=582 (+6)
5. Minnesota, 302-283=585 (+9)