April 19, 2002

Athens Ga. – The South Carolina women’s golf team is in second place after one day of the SEC Championships in Athens, Ga., firing a one-over par 289 Friday at the University of Georgia Golf Course. The Lady Gamecocks are ahead of three of the top 11 teams in the nation — Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida — and trail only top-ranked Auburn. Defending SEC champion Kristy McPherson is picking up where she left off last year, and is in a four-way tie for first place after firing a three-under 69 Friday.

Auburn fired an eight-under 280, giving them a nine stroke lead over the Lady Gamecocks. South Carolina sits in second place with a 289 followed by Tennessee, who shot a seven-over 295. Florida and Georgia are in a tie for fourth place, each firing a 298 Friday.

South Carolina easily posted its best team round of the season. McPherson is again on top of the leader board with a three-under 69, while junior Kacy Thompson is close behind with an even-par 72 and is tied for 11th place. Sophomore Marci Robinson fired her best round of the season with a one-over 73, putting her in a tie for 13th place. Sophomore Adrienne Gautreaux also is in the top 20 with a three-over 75, good enough for a tie for 17th place, while senior Reetta Laakkonen rounded out USC’s scorers with an 81 (T47th place).

In the individual competition, McPherson is in a tie for first place with three other golfers: Danielle Downey of Auburn, Meredith Duncan of LSU and Young-A Yang of Tennessee. All four ladies fired a three-under 69. There is a three-way tie for fourth place one stroke back at two-under 70.

The second of three rounds gets underway Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with the Lady Gamecocks teeing off in the final group with Auburn and Tennessee.