March 24, 2002

Athens, Ga. –
The South Carolina women’s golf team posted its best score of the weekend with a 298 on Sunday to finish with a score of 902 and in fourth place at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic at the University of Georgia. South Carolina was one of four SEC schools to finish in the top five joining Florida, Auburn, and Georgia. Florida posted a 290 on Sunday to hold off Auburn by just one stroke to win the tournament.

South Carolina junior All-American Kristy McPherson fired an even par 72 on Sunday giving her a seventh place finish, her fifth top 10 finish of the year. McPherson finished the tournament with a five-over par 221 and now has shot 10 rounds at even or under par. McPherson was five strokes back of individual winner Jeanne Cho from Florida.

McPherson led a group of Lady Gamecocks who all finished in the top half of the field. Sophomore Adrienne Gautreaux (75, 226) and junior Kacy Thompson (74, 226) finished in a tie for 20th place. The two were only four strokes back from the top 10. Senior Reetta Laakkonen and sophomore Marci Robinson fired a final round of 77 giving each a total score of 233 and a tie for 38th place.

Florida finished with a score of 879 followed by Auburn (880) and Georgia (894). South Carolina had a 902, seven strokes better than Furman who finished with a score of 909. This is the Lady Gamecocks’ fourth top five finish of the year.

Florida’s Jeanne Cho won the individual competition with a score of 216, just one stroke better than Anna Gertsson of Mississippi State and Angela Jerman of Georgia. Brittany Straza of Florida finished in fourth place with a score of 219 and Diana Ramage of Auburn finished in fifth place with a 220. Eight of the top 10 finishers were from the SEC, which included the top seven.

South Carolina next competes at the LSU/Cleveland Classic, Apr. 5-7 in Baton Rouge La.

4 South Carolina, U of 305 299 298 902

7 Kristy McPherson 79 70 72 221

T 20 Adrienne Gautreaux 76 75 75 226

T 20 Kacy Thompson 77 75 74 226

T 38 Reetta Laakkonen 75 81 77 233

T 38 Marci Robinson 77 79 77 233