Nov. 4, 2003

Columbia, S.C. – The University of South Carolina men’s golf team overcame constant 35 mph winds to claim team champion honors at the 17-team UH/Turtle Bay Intercollegiate in Kahuku, Hawaii. The Gamecocks fired a 12-over-par 300 to tie the University of Hawaii and claim the team championship. The first place finish was the best for the team this year and closes out their fall schedule.

“I am very proud of this team,” said Head Coach Puggy Blackmon who won his fifth team title as coach of the Gamecocks. “They battled through tough conditions and won the tournament. This was a great win and gives us the momentum we needed going into our spring schedule.”

Leading the Gamecock charge was sophomore Eirik Johansen who fired a third-round 76 to finish in a tie for fourth place. Johansen (72-71-76) had a three-round total of 219 to record his fourth top-10 finish of the fall. Alex Hamilton (74-71-77), a junior from Aiken, S.C., had his best finish of the season after posting a three-round score of 222 to finish in a tie for ninth place. Martin Rominger (76-74-74) fired a 74 in the third-round to move him into a tie for 16th place. Rominger’s three-round total of 224 earned the junior his third top-20 finish of the fall season.

Jonathan Jackson (77-78-73), a redshirt sophomore appearing in his first tournament since the 2001-02 season, fired a 73 to lead the Gamecocks in the third round. Jackson finished in a tie for 26th place with a three-round total of 228.

“I am very happy for Jonathan,” said Blackmon. “He really stepped up today when we needed him to.”

Redshirt-sophomore West Streib (75-78-78) posted a third-round 78 to put him in a tie for 38th place.

The Gamecocks will begin their spring season at the Mercedes Benz Collegiate from February 8-10 at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

* – competed as an individual