Sept. 10, 2003

The University of South Carolina women’s golf team sits in second place after Wednesday’s second round of the 2003 Topy Cup. The TOPY Cup concludes on Thursday with the final round of 18 to be played before an overall champion is crowned. The women’s side of the tournament features two American colleges, USC and California-Berkeley, in addition to three Japanese teams at the Tanagura Country Club in Tanagura, Japan.

The Gamecocks cut six strokes off their score Wednesday with a team score of 301 (13-over par). On Tuesday, South Carolina opened with a 19-over par 307 for a two-day total of 608 (+32). USC trails front-runner Cal-Berkeley by 15 strokes (593 to 608) with the final 18 holes to be played on Thursday.

Senior Marci Robinson carded a 74 to lead the Gamecocks in the second round. Robinson is now tied for sixth place with a two-day total of 150 (+6). Senior Adrienne Gautreaux is tied for eighth place after recording a 75 on Wednesday (two-day total of 151, +7). Junior Tiffany Catafygiotu is just behind her teammates with a two-day score of 152 (+8) after posting a 76 in the second round. Sophomore newcomer Laura McCaslin is battling a three-way tie for 15th place after a 76 on Wednesday gives her a total score of 155 (+11). Senior Kory Thompson continues to improve as the Columbia, South Carolina native knocked four strokes off her score in the second round with an 80 (161, +20).

The leader, Sarah Huarte from California, paces the field by one stroke with an even-par 144 after 36 holes.

The teams return to the course on Thursday for the final round of 18 before leaving for Tokyo that afternoon. Japan is approximately 14 hours ahead of South Carolina so results will not be reported to the United States until late Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.

Standings after Second Round
Cal-Berkeley 593 (+17)
South Carolina 608 (+32)
Tohoku Fukushi 611 (+35)
Nagoya U. Commerce 620 (+44)
N.S.S.U. 623 (+47)

Gamecock Scores
Marci Robinson 150 (+6) 76 74
Adrienne Gautreaux 151 (+7) 76 75
Tiffany Catafygiotu 152 (+8) 76 76
Laura McCaslin 155 (+11) 79 76
Kory Thompson 164 (+20) 84 80