April 5, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – Shooting nine-under par after day one of the Cleveland Golf-ASU Invitational in Augusta, Ga., the University of South Carolina is tied for seventh place. The Gamecocks shot 284 in round one and improved one stroke in the second round to shoot 283 for a one-day total of 567.

The Clemson Tigers lead the 18-team field with a two-round score of 552. Host Augusta State is second with 553, followed by Wake Forest.

Eirik Johansen, shooting 137, is tied for fifth after blasting 12 birdies during Saturday play. Johansen shot 65 in the second, posting his lowest round of the season. He will enter the final round of competition just two strokes off the leader.

Martin Rominger Shot even-par in the early round before breaking out in round two to shoot five-under-par 67. Included in his impressive second-round score of 67 was six birdies. Rominger is currently tied for 11th.

“Lots of good things happened today for the Gamecocks,” commented Head Coach Puggy Blackmon. “Eirik continues to play well for us. Martin Rominger has regained his form from last year. We are very pleased with they way we are pulling things together.”

Finishing third on the team is Nash Elliot with a total of 147. Elliot shot one-under-par 71 in the first round before posting 76 in round two. Alex Hamilton is tied for 48th with a score of 145 (69-76). Rounding out the five-man squad is Michael Maness, who shot 152.

South Carolina tees off the final round of the Cleveland Golf-ASU Invitational at the Forest Hills Country Club at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 6.

Gamecock FinishesEirik Johansen   72-65=137Martin Rominger  72-67=139Nash Elliot      71-76=147Alex Hamilton    69-76=145Michael Maness   78-75=152
Team Finishes1    Clemson                273     279     5522    Augusta State          279     274     6633    Wake Forest Univ.      276     281     5574    Oklahoma State         275     283     5585    Georgia                277     283     5606    Georgia Tech           290     272     562T7   South Carolina         284     283     567T7   East Tennessee St.     284     283     5679    North Carolina         284     284     56810   Purdue                 283     286     569T11  North Carolina State   288     282     570T11  Duke University        286     284     57013   Virginia Tech          295     282     57714   Georgia Southern       289     291     58015   Alabama, U. of         296     287     58316   Fresno State           295     289     58417   North Florida, U. of   300     296     596