Gamecocks Begin SEC Match Play Sunday at Shoal Creek

SHOAL CREEK, Ala. — South Carolina is set to compete in the first ever SEC Match Play Hosted by Jerry Pate on Sunday. The new tournament is formerly known as the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate (1986-2020), the lone home event for Alabama in years past.
 
All 14 SEC schools will compete in the match play format and every team is guaranteed five matches over the course of three days. The championship side of the bracket will be single elimination. The title bout is set for 8:30 a.m. (ET) on Tuesday.
 
The Gamecocks will play Florida in the opening round on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. (ET). The winner faces Vanderbilt in the afternoon.  
 
“We’re excited to play in the inaugural SEC Match Play hosted by Jerry Pate,” said head coach Bill McDonald. “Being able to play five matches against SEC competition will be a great experience for our guys. Shoal Creek has a storied history and it’s always a great test.”
 
It’s the same five-man lineup of senior Ryan Hall, junior Jack Wall, senior transfer Evans Lewis, sophomore Rafe Reynolds and freshman Gene Zeigler for Carolina. The group led the team to victory in the season-opening J.T. Poston Invitational two weeks ago, a program-record 25^th career win in McDonald’s tenure. Sophomore Liam Shinn is also on the trip and will serve as the team’s sub.
 
Shoal Creek Club will play host to the event. The par-72, 7,400 yard layout was designed by Jack Nicklaus and has been one of the top golf courses in the region since opening on Nov. 1, 1977. Its hosted two PGA Championships (1984, 1990), the 1986 U.S. Amateur, the 2008 U.S. Junior Amateur and most recently the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open.
 
The bracket is split up between East and West with seeds based off a combination of rankings and results from last season’s SEC Championship at Sea Island. The Gamecocks T-5^th after reaching the quarterfinals of match play for the third time since switching to the new format in 2017.
 
Live scoring will be available via Golf Genius.
 
2021 SEC Match Play Field  
1. Alabama
2. No. 3 Arkansas
3. Auburn
4. Florida
5. No. 21 Georgia
6. No. 20 LSU
7. Kentucky
8. Missouri
9. Mississippi State
10. No. 14 Ole Miss
11. South Carolina
12. No. 18 Tennessee
13. No. 7 Texas A&M
14. Vanderbilt
 
*rankings via Golfweek 10/7/21
 
2021 SEC Match Play Gamecock Lineup
1. Ryan Hall
2. Jack Wall
3. Evans Lewis
4. Rafe Reynolds
5. Gene Zeigler
SUB. Liam Shinn
 
###