March 20, 2004

STATESBORO, Ga. — Paced by a season-best 4-under-par round of 68 in the second round by junior Alex Hamilton, the South Carolina men’s golf team carded a team round of 6-under-par to move into a tie for fifth place after 36 holes of play at the Schenkel E-Z-GO Invitational in Statesboro, Ga. The 54-hole tournament is being contested at the par-72, 6,962-yard Forest Heights Country Club.

As a team, the Gamecocks rebounded in the second round after a 4-over-par 292 to begin the day by finishing with the second-best team round of the day in the afternoon to stand at 2-under-par, 292-282=574 and tied with Augusta State ( 289-285=574) for fifth place. That score is just five shots off the pace of team leader Wake Forest, which fired a two-round total of 7-under-par, 287-282=569.

While Hamilton had the best round for South Carolina on the day, junior Martin Rominger is the top Gamecock individual in the field as he is tied for 17th place at 1-under-par, 73-70=144. That score is 11 shots behind individual leader Bill Haas of Wake Forest, who blitzed the Forest Heights layout for a two-round score of 12-under-par, 68-64=132.

Sophomores Eirik Johansen and Robert Svensson are the next South Carolina players in the field as they are both part of a five-way tie for 23rd place at even-par, after scores of 70-74=144 and 73-71=144, respectively. Alex Hamilton is just two shots behind that duo as he is part of a 12-player logjam in 32nd place at 78-68=146. His second-round 68 included five birdies. The final member of the Gamecock contingent in the field is sophomore Jake Thompson, who is tied for 51st place at 76-73=149.

The Schenkel E-Z-GO Invitational will conclude on Sunday with the final round of play. Full tournament results and live scoring are available at www.golfstatlive.com.

TEAM SCORES AFTER 36 HOLES1.  Wake Forest 287-282=5692.  Florida 280-290=5703.  Duke    285-286=5714.  Ohio State  290-283=5735.  South Carolina  292-282=574    Augusta State   289-285=5747.  Georgia 289-286=5758.  LSU 287-290=5779.  Clemson 297-283=580    Southern California 285-295=58011. Georgia Southern    295-288=58312. Tennessee   295-290=58513. Auburn  295-292=58714. North Carolina  297-291=58815. NC State    305-289=594
TOP-10 INDIVIDUALS1.  Bill Haas, Wake Forest  68-64=1322.  Chris Kirk, Georgia     68-70=1383.  Matt Every, Florida 67-72=1394.  Major Manning, Augusta State    71-69=140    Martin Ureta, North Carolina    70-70=140    Alex Wilson, Duke   68-72=1407.  Rob Beasley, Duke   72-69=141    Colin Biles, Ohio State 70-71=141    Scott Oxandaboure, Southern California  68-73=141    Kyle Reifers, Wake Forest   72-69=141
SOUTH CAROLINA INDIVIDUALST17.    Martin Rominger 73-70=143T23.    Eirik Johansen   70-74=144    Robert Svensson 73-71=144T32.    Alex Hamilton 78-68=146T51.    Jake Thompson 76-73=149
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