Oct. 12, 2017

No. 14 Women’s Golf at Tar Heel Invitational

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EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — No. 14 South Carolina women’s golf returns to action this weekend when it competes at the 42nd annual Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational. The three-day event, which takes place Oct. 13-15, plays host to an 18-team field at the UNC Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill, N.C.

FROM THE COACH

“The golf course is scorable, and the team has had great energy this week. We are familiar with the golf course having played here several years in a row. Our drivers, wedges and putters need to be sharp this week. It’s a deep field, and it should be a bit of a shootout.” ââ’¬” South Carolina women’s golf coach Kalen Anderson

HISTORY AT THE TAR HEEL INVITATIONAL

This weekend marks the 30th appearance at the Tar Heel Invitational for Carolina, which has competed at the event in each of the last 12 years. The Gamecocks have earned 11 top-five finishes at the tournament, notching ones in three of the last four seasons. South Carolina’s best showing came in 2014 when it grabbed runner-up honors with a 54-hole mark of 864 (E). Ainhoa Olarra, one of four Gamecocks who played in the event last fall, tied for 15th at the 2016 Tar Heel Invitational.

BREAKING DOWN THE FIELD

Seven teams ranked inside the top-25 by Golfweek will be in action at Finley Golf Course. Top-ranked Arkansas and No. 2 Alabama mark the two top-five teams in the field, while No. 6 Duke, No. 9 Michigan State, No. 14 South Carolina, No. 16 Vanderbilt and No. 24 Virginia round out the list of ranked participants. Fourteen of the 18 schools at the event qualified for NCAA postseason play last season.

LAST TIME OUT

South Carolina sophomores Lois Kaye Go and Anita Uwadia both earned top-20 finishes at the 2017 ANNIKA Intercollegiate earlier this month. The No. 11 Gamecocks posted a final-round 296 (+8) to finish sixth at the 54-hole event with a three-day total of 875 (+11). Go (216, E) shot par or better in each of her first two rounds en route to a 14th-place finish, while Uwadia placed 18th to earn her first top-20 showing of the season. Carolina’s 186 pars at the event led the 12-team field.

CHIP SHOTS

– South Carolina enters its 11th season under head coach Kalen Anderson, who has guided the Gamecocks to 10 tournament victories.

– Carolina is one of four schools to reach the NCAA Championship in each of the last eight years. Last spring marked its 17th overall appearance.

– Carolina is one of four schools to reach the NCAA Championship in each of the last eight years, and last spring marked its 17th overall appearance.

– The Gamecocks won the 2017 NCAA Columbus Regional title to earn their third-straight regional championship this past spring.

– Carolina has boasted multiple All-Americans in each of the last four seasons. Eight of the program’s 10 All-Americans have played under Anderson.

– The Gamecocks have led the field in pars in each of their first two tournaments this fall.

– Carolina senior Ainhoa Olarra moved into a tie for second on the school’s all-time scoring average list following her showing at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate.

– Anita Uwadia has opened the season with back-to-back top-25 finishes: T22nd at the Mason Rudolph Championship and T18th at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate.

– Uwadia’s four rounds of par or better this fall match her total from all of last season.

– Lois Kaye Go’s finish (T14) at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate gave the sophomore transfer her first career top-20 showing for the Gamecocks.

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

South Carolina closes its fall slate later this month at the 2017 Landfall Tradition. The 54-hole event takes place Oct. 27-29 at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C. The Gamecocks won the 2016 Landfall Tradition after firing a final-round 280 (-8).