Women's Golf . April 21, 2018

Gamecocks Advance To Finals At SEC Championship

April 21, 2018

No. 9 Women’s Golf at SEC Championship

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – South Carolina women’s golf notched a pair of match play victories to advance to the finals at the SEC Championship Saturday at Greystone Country Club.

The top-seeded Gamecocks topped eighth-seeded Missouri 3-0 in the quarterfinal round Saturday morning before moving past fourth-seeded Georgia 3-1 in the semifinals this afternoon.

Carolina will battle for an SEC Championship against third-seeded Arkansas, which downed sixth-seeded Florida in the quarterfinals 3-2 before tallying a 3-1 victory over second-seeded Alabama in the semifinal round.

Tomorrow’s contest against the Razorbacks will air live on SEC Network.

The Gamecocks now stand one match play win away from the program’s second SEC Title. Carolina captured the 2002 SEC Championship after finishing atop the leaderboard.

Senior Ainhoa Olarra and sophomores Anita Uwadia and Ana Pelaez tallied Carolina’s three points in the quarterfinal round against the Tigers. Olarra carded a birdie on No. 1, the 20th hole of the match, to notch a 1-up victory and secure the win for the Gamecocks. Uwadia cruised to a 7&6 victory in a performance sparked by a pair of birdies on her front nine, while Pelaez won 3&2 after registering a birdie on No. 16 to lock up a point for the Gamecocks.

Uwadia continued to deliver for Carolina in its semifinal match against the Bulldogs, rallying from 1-down with two holes to play. The Newcastle, United Kingdom, pulled even after Georgia’s Gabriela Coello bogeyed No. 17, and she clinched the match with a birdie on the par-5 18th.

Pelaez also registered her second point of the day against the Bulldogs, posting a 3&3 victory over Georgia’s Isabella Skinner. The sophomore was in control for the entire the match, and she wrapped up the point after equaling Skinner’s bogey on No. 15.

Junior Marion Veysseyre recorded the third point for Carolina, picking up a 3&1 win over Georgia’s Rinko Mitsunaga. Saturday’s battle between the two remained tight until a double bogey by Mitsunaga on No. 15 pushed Veysseyre’s advantage to 2-up.

Both golfers earned a par on No. 16 before Veysseyre provided the final exclamation point on No. 17, knocking in her birdie putt from five feet.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS

Quarterfinal Match vs. Missouri

â€¢ Ainhoa Olarra (SC) defeats Jessica Yuen (Missouri), 1-up (20 holes)

â€¢ Ana Pelaez (SC) defeats Clara Young (Missouri), 3&2

â€¢ Anita Uwadia (SC) defeats Amanda Kim (Missouri), 7&6

â€¢ Lois Kaye Go (SC) was all square with Cayce Hendrickson (Missouri)*

â€¢ Marion Veysseyre (SC) was all square with Emma Allen (Missouri)*

Semifinal Match vs. Georgia

â€¢ Anita Uwadia (SC) defeats Gabriela Coello (Georgia), 1-up

â€¢ Ana Pelaez (SC) defeats Isabella Skinner (Georgia), 3&3

â€¢ Marion Veysseyre (SC) defeats Rinko Mitsunaga (Georgia), 3&1

â€¢ Jillian Hollis (Georgia) defeats Ainhoa Olarra (SC), 3&2

â€¢ Lois Kaye Go (SC) was leading Paula Neira Garcia (Georgia) 2-up*

*Denotes matches that were called early after Carolina secured its victory

QUOTING COACH Kalen Anderson

“They just played really tough and hung in there — it’s been a long week. There were a lot of emotions going on, but they fought really hard and played with a lot of heart. We just need to go out there and do it one more time. Arkansas has a lot of firepower. We’re excited to get going tomorrow. We have some rain, so we’ll see what happens. I hope it’s rainy and windy — that plays to our advantage.”

UP NEXT

Top-seeded South Carolina and third-seeded Arkansas will battle for the SEC Title Sunday morning at Greystone Country Club. The action gets underway at 7 a.m. CT, and the match will air on SEC Network.