March 8, 2015

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The eighth-ranked South Carolina men’s golf team returns to the course this week at the 18th Palmetto Intercollegiate in Aiken, S.C. The 54-hole event runs Monday through Tuesday at the historic Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, S.C.

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
Dates: Monday, March 9-Tuesday, March 10
Location: Palmetto Golf Club (Par: 70, Yards: 6,617) – Aiken, S.C.

Field: 18 teams (Clemson, Elon, Francis Marion, Furman, Georgia Southern, GRU Augusta, Idaho, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Loyola (Md.), Maryland, Presbyterian, South Carolina, USC Aiken, Virginia, Western Carolina, Wisconsin, Wofford Carolina’s First-Round Tee Time: 9 a.m. (Shotgun Start – 36 Holes), paired with Clemson and USC Aiken
Tournament Notes: Tournament Notes
Live Scoring:Live Scoring

History at the Palmetto Intercollegiate
The Gamecocks are making their fourth-straight appearance and sixth overall at the Palmetto Intercollegiate. Carolina has finished no worse than third in each appearance and won the event in 2004. The Gamecocks placed third last year, second in 2013, third in 2012 and third in 2003. A Gamecock has finished in the top five in all five appearances, including Will Starke tying for fifth last season, Matt NeSmith tying for third in 2013 and Erik Johansen winning medalist honors in 2004.

Last Time at the Palmetto – March 10-11, 2014
Carolina claimed third place at last year’s Palmetto Intercollegiate with a 54-hole total of 867 (+27). Will Starke led the way, tying for fifth with a total of 214 (+4). Matt NeSmith also finished in the top 20, tying for 14th with a total of 217 (+7).

Breaking Down the Field
This year’s Palmetto Intercollegiate features an 18-team field with five teams ranked in the most recent Golfstat Relative Rankings. Carolina is the highest ranked Division I team in the field at No. 8 as it comes in with three tournament wins this season. Tournament host USC Aiken is ranked No. 4 in the Division II Golfstat Rankings. The Pacers have won two events this season. Virginia, last year’s runner-up, comes in at No. 19. Kennesaw State (No. 28), defending champion Clemson (No. 33) and Georgia Southern (No. 43) are also in the top 50. Elon, Francis Marion, Furman, GRU Augusta, Idaho, Liberty, Loyola (Md.), Maryland, Presbyterian, Western Carolina, Wisconsin and Wofford round out the field. The Gamecocks have a 9-1 head-to-head record against teams in the field.

Getting Better with Age
The Gamecocks will be playing on the fourth oldest course in the nation this week. The Palmetto Golf Club, which features a par-70, 6,617-yard layout, was founded in 1892.

Shooting for Four
A win at the Palmetto Intercollegiate would be Carolina’s fourth this season, which would match the school record set by the 1990-91 and 2008-09 teams. It would also be the Gamecocks third-straight tournament win, a feat no other team in Carolina history has accomplished.

Making it a Habit
The Gamecocks have finished in the top five in 13 of their last 16 tournaments dating back to last season, including six tournament wins. Carolina matched the school record for top-five finishes in a single season last year with nine, including three wins.

McDonald’s 12
Gamecock head coach Bill McDonald is the winningest coach by tournament victories in school history with 12. McDonald broke the previous record of nine held by Puggy Blackmon (1995-2007) with Carolina’s win at the Carpet Capital Collegiate this fall. The Gamecocks then gave McDonald his 11th tournament title with a win at the Camden Collegiate Invitational to close out the fall. Carolina opened the spring by winning the Bayou City Collegiate Championship.

A Top 25 Program
Under the guidance of head coach Bill McDonald, South Carolina has consistently been ranked in the top 25 of several polls the last two years. The Gamecocks ended last year ranked No. 14 in the final Golfstat Rankings, No. 21 in the final regular-season Golf World/Nike Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the Golfweek Rankings. Carolina is currently ranked No. 8 in the Golfstat Relative Rankings, No. 14 in the Golf Coaches Association of America Coaches Poll and No. 14 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings.

Keeping it Low
Five Gamecocks currently have stroke averages in the 72s. Junior Will Starke leads the way with an average of 70.13, followed by junior Matt NeSmith (71.13), senior Will Murphy (72.08), senior Caleb Sturgeon (72.60) and junior Sean Kelly (72.87). Starke and NeSmith rank second and fourth, respectively, in the SEC in stroke average, while Murphy ranks 10th. Last season Starke, NeSmith, Murphy and Sturgeon wrapped up the year with a stroke average in the 72s, which is the first time of record four golfers have done that in school history.

Starke’s Streak
Junior Will Starke is playing some of the best golf of his career this season as he has finished in the top 15 in all five events, including four top fives, and won his match against Virginia’s Ji Soo Park. His four top-five finishes are tied for the fifth most in a single season in school history. Starke has also shot in the 60s in nine of his last 11 rounds and has only carded three rounds above par this season (73-73-78).

Gamecocks in the Golfstat Statistics Rankings
As a team South Carolina ranks ninth in the nation in average score (71.97) and seventh versus par (+0.55). The Gamecocks are sixth in par-4 scoring (4.06).

Climbing the Record Book
Seniors Caleb Sturgeon and Will Murphy and juniors Will Starke and Matt NeSmith continue to climb up South Carolina’s career scoring average list. NeSmith currently ranks first all-time with an average of 72.22, while Starke isn’t far behind in second with an average of 72.25. Sturgeon ranks fifth all-time with an average of 73.00, while Murphy is 10th with an average of 73.21.