April 20, 2003

LEXINGTON, KY – The wind created havoc at the 2003 SEC Golf Championship Sunday as South Carolina shot a 311 in the third round to finish the tournament in fourth place with a total score of 914, 11 strokes behind 2003 SEC Champion Auburn. The consistent 15-to-20 mile-per-hour winds pushed the ball around the 6,153-yard, par 72 University Club course in Lexington, Kentucky course to help produce high scores throughout the day.

Two-time defending individual medalist Kristy McPherson shot an 81 on Sunday to finish in third place with a final score of 200, her first over-par-round in nine outings at the SEC Championships.

Auburn captured the 2003 SEC Team Title by carding a 903 (+39) during the three-day event. Florida’s Aimee Cho posted an even par 216 to be named the 2003 SEC Individual Medalist.

Marci Robinson tied her career-low round Sunday by shooting a 73 and finished in a tie for 29th place (237, 21-over-par). Adrienne Gautreaux carded a two-over par 74 Sunday to finish in a tie for 8th place with a three-total of 224 (+8). Kacy Thompson shot an 85 in the final round to tie for 38th place (241, +25). Tiffany Catafygiotu fired an 83 on the final day of play to finish in a tie for 42nd place with a three-day total of 243 (27-over-par

South Carolina’s third-place finish was its third top five finish of the season and eighth top five outings in 12 SEC Championship appearances.

“This was one of the toughest conditions day that we’ve experienced all year, said USC head coach Kristi Coggins. “We made some great shots and made some mistakes. We know that we’re a great team and this definitely makes us hungry to go home and get ready for the NCAA Regionals.”

“Today was one of those days,” said two-time SEC Individual Medalist Kristy McPherson. “The wind was a factor in that it affected my putting more than anything. I felt like I didn’t hit the ball that bad today. It started on the front and I made three three-punts and a four-punt on the front nine. I added a couple of three punts on the back and then it started getting in my head. I kept confidence in my game and in my putter all day. Maybe I started trying a little too hard after that. I felt like I putted it well but I kept missing them.”

The 16th-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks will wait to learn where it will head for the NCAA Regionals in May. The three sites for the Regionals are Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Tempe, Arizona; and Lincoln, Nebraska.

TEAM TOTALS
1st Auburn 299 297 307 903 +39
2nd Florida 296 296 313 905 +41
3rd Tennessee 291 301 319 911 +47
4th South Carolina 295 308 311 914 +50
5th Vanderbilt 306 301 312 919 +55

USC PLAYERS
3rd Kristy McPherson 68 71 81 220 +4
T8th Adrienne Gautreaux 73 77 74 224 +8
T29th Marci Robinson 84 80 73 237 +21
T38th Kacy Thompson 76 80 85 241 +25
T42th Tiffany Catafygiotu 78 82 83 243 +27