March 16, 2004

AIKEN, S.C. – Paced by the play of sophomore Eirik Johansen, who claimed his first individual collegiate title with a 9-under-par score, the South Carolina men’s golf team clinched its school-record-tying third team title of the year on Tuesday at the Palmetto Intercollegiate. The 54-hole tournament was held at the par-72, 6,380-yard Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, S.C.

The Gamecocks, who entered the final round with a 12-stroke advantage finished with a team round of 4-over-par, 288 over the last 18 holes to hold off a late charge by host USC-Aiken and win the event with a 54-hole score of 278-281-288-847. South Carolina’s third team victory of the year matches both the 1981 and 1991 squads atop the single-season victory list.

Johansen completed the best tournament of his career by carding a third-straight round in the 60s on Tuesday, to complete play at 9-under-par, 67-68-69-204. His 54-hole total of 204 ties the fourth-lowest tournament score in school history, matching Jake Kransteuber at the 1997 Gator Invitational, as Johansen becomes the second individual medalist for the Gamecocks this year. His score was four shots better than Moises Cobo of Coastal Carolina (68-71-70-208) and Buddy Davis of Furman (67-71-70-208), both of whom tied for second place.

Joining Johansen in the event’s top 10 was junior Martin Rominger, who finished alone in fourth place with his best outing of the year, a 54-hole total of 3-under-par, 70-66-74-210. The next South Carolina individual in the field was sophomore Jake Thompson, who was part of a four-way tie for 23rd place at 72-74-72-218.

Thompson was followed by fellow junior Alex Hamilton, who tied for 27th place at 69-73-77-219. Sophomores Robert Svensson, who was among six players tied for 33rd place at 76-74-73-223, and Matt Robinson, who tied for 39th place at 72-76-76-224, while competing as an individual, rounded out the Gamecock contingent in the tournament.

South Carolina will return to action on March 20-21, when it travels to Statesboro, Ga., to compete in the Schenkel EZ-Go Invitational. Full tournament results from the Palmetto Intercollegiate are available at www.pacersports.com.

FINAL TEAM SCORES1.  South Carolina  278-281-288-8472.  USC-Aiken   287-285-281-8533.  Coastal Carolina    282-289-286-8574.  Virginia Tech   289-289-285-8635.  Memphis 292-285-293-8706.  Purdue  296-283-293-8727.  Furman  282-302-289-8738.  College of Charleston   294-304-287-885    Maryland    292-299-294-88510. South Florida   297-297-294-88811. Florida State   298-308-299-90512. VCU 295-305-310-910    Navy    304-298-308-91014. Presbyterian    312-298-311-921
TOP-10 INDIVIDUALS1.  Eirik Johansen, South Carolina   67-68-69-2042.  Moises Cobo, Coastal Carolina   68-71-69-208    Buddy Davis, Furman 67-71-70-2084.  Martin Rominger, South Carolina 70-66-74-2105.  Joel Kraner, Virginia Tech  72-69-71-212    Allan Thomas, Memphis   73-71-68-212    Scott Wise, Virginia Tech   72-69-71-212    James McGhee, USC-Aiken 70-71-71-2129.  Kellen Altman, Charleston   72-73-68-213    Matt Davidson, Furman   69-73-71-213    Clint Smith, USC-Aiken  74-71-68-213
SOUTH CAROLINA INDIVIDUALST23.    Jake Thompson 72-74-72-218T27.    Alex Hamilton 69-73-77-219T33.    Robert Svensson 76-74-73-223T39.    Matt Robinson*  72-76-76-224*-Competing as an individual