Carolina Announces Loaded Spring Schedule

Sept. 14, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina men’s golf announced its 2018 spring schedule on Thursday morning. The Gamecocks will kickoff their spring slate at the All-American Intercollegiate (Feb. 16-18) for the second consecutive season.

“Our schedule is a great mix of some of the best tournaments in the southeast, but it also takes our guys to some different environments in Texas and Florida,” said associate head coach Jake Amos. “I think it will put us on some really good courses against some of the best field in the country. It’s going to be great preparation for when it all matters ââ’¬” the SEC Championship and NCAAs.”

Carolina has several weeks off after the All-American, before ramping up a busy March where the team will play four tournaments in a 20-day stretch. The Gamecocks will open the stretch at the General Hackler Championship (March 10-11). They’ll then head to the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (March 18-20), the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate (March 25-27) and the 3M Augusta Invitational (March 31-April 1).

The Gamecocks have won the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate three consecutive seasons dating back to 2015. Carolina shot 844 (-20) en route to the title last spring. All-American Keenan Huskey took third at 10-under and sophomore Jamie Wilson T-5th at 7-under, his first career top-five finish. The win marked head coach Bill McDonald’s 20th tournament victory, a program record.

The team will have nearly the entire month of April off after the Augusta Invitational to prepare for the SEC Championship (April 25-29). This year’s conference tournament will again be played at Sea Island Golf Club on the Seaside Course. The first three days will be stroke play, and the top-eight teams advance to match play the final two days. The match play quarterfinals and semifinals will take play on April 28, and the finals will be on April 29. Last year was the first time the SEC used the current format to determine the conference champion.

The Gamecocks took fifth in the stroke play portion last season to advance to the first ever SEC Match Play. Huskey (T-9th), Wilson (T-16th) and junior Scott Stevens (T-23rd) all placed in the top-25 to pace the Garnet and Black. In the quarterfinals, Carolina went toe-to-toe with No. 6 Florida. It was a tight match that came down to the final two holes, but the Gators prevailed with a 3-2 victory.

NCAA Regionals will take place at six different sites across the country May 14-16. The top five teams from regionals will advance to the NCAA Championship May 25-30 at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Okla.