March 11, 2011

By Wes Todd
Assistant Media Relations Director

BATON ROUGE, La. – On a day when high scores were the norm for the entire 110-player field at the LSU Tiger Golf Classic, the Gamecocks shot a team score of 319 (+31) and stand in 18th place after Friday’s opening round at the University Club.

Only two players in the entire field broke par on the day, and only 20 of 110 shot better than 75. No team was under par for the day.

Samantha Swinehart led the Gamecocks with a 76 (+4) and is tied for 29th place. She made the turn at even par after a bogey at No. 2 and a birdie at the eighth, but had a rough start to the back nine with bogeys at 10 and 12 and a double-bogey at the 14th. She would make four straight pars to end the day.

Katie Burnett and Katie Rose Higgins both shot opening-round 80s (+8). Burnett had six bogeys and one double-bogey, and Higgins managed to make a pair of birdies but was put in a tough spot by three double-bogeys. Meredith Swanson made 11 pars on the day, but had two double-bogeys and a triple-bogey as she recorded an 83 (+11). Amanda Strang finished with an 86 (+14).

Wake Forest leads the team standings at 294 (+6), four shots ahead of Texas A&M and six shots clear of both tournament host LSU and Duke. North Carolina’s Catherine O’Donnell and Wake Forest’s Natalie Sheary are tied for the tournament lead at 1-under 71, with four players tied for third at even par.

Saturday’s second round begins at 9:45 a.m. ET with the Gamecocks paired with Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The teams will begin on the No. 10 tee. Live scoring is available through golfstat.com.

LSU TIGER GOLF CLASSIC – Round One
March 11, 2011 – Baton Rouge, La.
University Club • Par 72, 6,194 Yards

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T29. Samantha Swinehart – 76 (+4)
T64. Katie Burnett – 80 (+8)
T64. Katie Rose Higgins – 80 (+8)
T91. Meredith Swanson – 83 (+11)
T99. Amanda Strang – 86 (+14)

TEAM STANDINGS
1. Wake Forest – 294 (+6)
2. Texas A&M – 298 (+10)
T3. LSU – 300 (+12)
T3. Duke – 300 (+12)
T5. Alabama – 301 (+13)
T5. Virginia – 301 (+13)
7. Louisville – 303 (+15)
8. North Carolina – 304 (+16)
T9. Arkansas – 305 (+17)
T9. Tennessee – 305 (+17)
T11. TCU – 310 (+22)
T11. NC State – 310 (+22)
T11. Furman – 310 (+22)
14. Tulane – 312 (+24)
15. Kentucky – 313 (+25)
16. Mississippi – 314 (+26)
17. Mississippi State – 316 (+28)
18. South Carolina – 319 (+31)
19. College of Charleston – 323 (+35)
20. UNC Wilmington – 328 (+40)
21. Louisiana-Monroe – 332 (+44)