July 19, 2003

COLUMBIA, S.C. – USC golfer Alex Hamilton fired a three-under-par final round to finish in third place at the 97th Southern Amateur Championship. Hamilton, a native of Aiken, S.C., finished the tournament with a total score of six-under-par, 274 (73-71-63-67). His third round 63 was the lowest 18-hole score of the tournament.

Casey Wittenberg of Memphis, Tenn., surpassed Hamilton and Nicholas Thompson, a native of Pompano Beach, Fla., on the final day with a six-under-par round for a tournament total of 272 (72-68-68-64). The four-day tournament was held at The Homestead-Cascades Course in Hot Springs, Va.

The Southern Amateur Championship dates back to 1902. Some of the past champions of the tournament include Bobby Jones Jr. (1919, 1920 and 1922), Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Davis Love and Justin Leonard.

Click Here to view the complete scoreboard from the 97th Southern Amateur.