Sept. 12, 2010

ROCKY FACE, Ga. – South Carolina wrapped up the opening event of the 2010-11 season with a final-round 307 (+19) and finished in 12th place at the Carpet Capital Collegiate on Sunday. The Gamecocks’ team total for the week was 902 (+38).

Freshman Blaine Woodruff was the top finisher for the Gamecocks, putting together a consistent week with rounds of 74-74-75=223 (+7) to tie for 34th place. His final round was mostly uneventful with a birdie and four bogeys. A bogey on the starting 10th hole was erased by a birdie at No. 12, and nine straight pars left him even through 12 holes. Three bogeys over the final six holes, however, dropped him to 3-over for the day.

Fellow freshman Logan Harrell was three shots back of Woodruff in a tie for 41st place, carding rounds of 76-74-76=226 (+10). Harrell looked to be in great shape after an opening-nine 34 (-2) that included three birdies and a bogey, but ran into trouble on the front nine with four bogeys and a double-bogey.

Sophomore Dean Hester equaled Woodruff’s closing round to sign for 72-80-75=227 (+11) and a tie for 43rd place. Hester also had a strong round going with three birdies and two bogeys on the back side, then another birdie at No. 4 got him to 2-under through 13 holes. But a pair of bogeys and a triple-bogey in a four-hole stretch left him at 3-over for the day. Clint Tolleson and Wesley Bryan struggled on the final day with Tolleson posting an 81 and Bryan an 85.

On a tough scoring day for all teams, Alabama only dropped one shot and came away with the victory at 856 (-8), four shots ahead of Wake Forest (-4). The Demon Deacons’ Lee Bedford went 72-66-68=206 (-10) to claim medalist honors, two shots ahead of teammate Evan Beck and four clear of 36-hole leader Blayne Barber of Auburn.

The Gamecocks will have two weeks to regroup and prepare for their next tournament, a trip to Franklin, Tenn., for the Mason Rudolph Invitational, which runs Sept. 24-26. South Carolina has earned at least a share of the tournament title in each of its last two trips to the Vanderbilt Legends Club.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T34. Blaine Woodruff – 74-74-75=223 (+7)
T41. Logan Harrell – 76-74-76=226 (+10)
T43. Dean Hester – 72-80-75=227 (+11)
52. Clint Tolleson – 76-74-81=231 (+15)
60. Wesley Bryan – 85-75-85=245 (+29)

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Alabama – 856 (-8)
2. Wake Forest – 860 (-4)
T3. Georgia Tech – 862 (-2)
T3. Clemson – 862 (-2)
5. Auburn – 867 (+3)
T6. Georgia – 876 (+12)
T6. Texas Tech – 876 (+12)
T8. Tennessee – 880 (+16)
T8. Chattanooga – 880 (+16)
10. Mississippi – 897 (+33)
11. East Tennessee State – 899 (+35)
12. South Carolina – 902 (+38)