March 5, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – The University of South Carolina will host its annual tournament, the Lady Gamecock Classic on March 14-16. The 54-hole tournament format will consist of 18 holes played per day. Tee times begin at 8:00 a.m. all three days. This is the eighth time the event will be held at the Lady Gamecocks’ home course: The University Club.

This year’s tournament features ten Top 25 teams and five conference champions: South Carolina (SEC), Duke (ACC) Furman (Southern), New Mexico (Mountain West), and New Mexico State (Sun Belt). Last year, Duke won the tournament for the fifth-consecutive season, while the Blue Devils’ Nera Aazam-Zanganeh captured medallist honors in a playoff over South Carolina’s Kristy McPherson.

The Lady Gamecocks are coming off a seventh place finish at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic. Two-time SEC champion Kristy McPherson will be competing in her last tournament at the home course. McPherson just captured her third top-five finish of the year when she placed tied for second at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic.

All members of the media and other Lady Gamecock supporters are welcome to come free of charge to the tournament and will be provided with up-to-date scores and statistics. The University Club is located off of I-77 at Exit 27 (Blythewood).