April 5, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – Shooting nine-under par after day one of the Cleveland Golf-ASU Invitational in Augusta, Ga., the University of South Carolina is tied for seventh place. The Gamecocks shot 284 in round one and improved one stroke in the second round to shoot 283 for a one-day total of 567.

The Clemson Tigers lead the 18-team field with a two-round score of 552. Host Augusta State is second with 553, followed by Wake Forest.

Eirik Johansen, shooting 137, is tied for fifth after blasting 12 birdies during Saturday play. Johansen shot 65 in the second, posting his lowest round of the season. He will enter the final round of competition just two strokes off the leader.

Martin Rominger Shot even-par in the early round before breaking out in round two to shoot five-under-par 67. Included in his impressive second-round score of 67 was six birdies. Rominger is currently tied for 11th.

“Lots of good things happened today for the Gamecocks,” commented Head Coach Puggy Blackmon. “Eirik continues to play well for us. Martin Rominger has regained his form from last year. We are very pleased with they way we are pulling things together.”

Finishing third on the team is Nash Elliot with a total of 147. Elliot shot one-under-par 71 in the first round before posting 76 in round two. Alex Hamilton is tied for 48th with a score of 145 (69-76). Rounding out the five-man squad is Michael Maness, who shot 152.

South Carolina tees off the final round of the Cleveland Golf-ASU Invitational at the Forest Hills Country Club at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 6.

Gamecock FinishesEirik Johansen  72-65=137Martin Rominger  72-67=139Nash Elliot  71-76=147Alex Hamilton  69-76=145Michael Maness  78-75=152
Team Finishes1   Clemson         273 279     5522       Augusta State           279     274     6633   Wake Forest Univ.   276     281     5574   Oklahoma State      275     283     5585   Georgia         277     283     5606   Georgia Tech        290     272     562T7  South Carolina      284     283     567T7  East Tennessee St.  284     283     5679   North Carolina      284     284     56810  Purdue              283     286     569T11     North Carolina State    288     282     570T11     Duke University     286     284     57013  Virginia Tech       295     282     57714  Georgia Southern    289     291     58015  Alabama, U. of      296     287     58316  Fresno State        295     289     58417  North Florida, U. of    300     296     596