May 20, 2004

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The South Carolina men’s golf team found scoring conditions difficult, along with the rest of the field and is tied for 14th place after 18 holes of play at the NCAA East Regional in New Haven, Conn. The 54-hole tournament is being contested at the par-70, 6,749-yard Course at Yale. The top-10 teams from the event will advance to the NCAA Championships on June 1-4 in Hot Springs, Va.

As a team, the Gamecocks did not find their scoring groove on the opening day, finishing with a team score of 19-over-par, 299, and are tied for 14th with both NC State and Vanderbilt. That total is 13 shots off the pace of team leader and top-ranked Florida, which is at 6-over-par 286 after first 18 holes. South Carolina’s score is just five shots out of eighth place, and the four teams tied in that position at 14-over-par, 294.

Sophomore Eirik Johansen, who finished with an opening-round score of 3-over-par, 36-37-73, and is one of 12 players tied for 29th place, led the Gamecock individuals in the field. Johansen is six shots behind individual leaders Kenneth Fahey of Rhode Island (33-34-67) and Bill Haas of Wake Forest (33-34-67), both of whom are at three under par after 18 holes.

The next South Carolina individual in the field is junior Martin Rominger, who is one shot behind Johansen in a 15-way tie for 41st place at 4-over-par, 36-38-74. Two shots behind Rominger are junior Alex Hamilton (38-38-76) and sophomore Robert Svensson (36-40-76), both of whom are part of a 13-player logjam in 72nd place. Rounding out the Gamecock contingent in the field is junior Jake Thompson, who is tied for 118th place at 40-40-80.

The NCAA East Regional will continue on Friday with the second round of competition. South Carolina will begin its second 18 holes at 7:30 a.m. on the first tee grouped with Georgia Tech and Augusta State.

SOUTH CAROLINA INDIVIDUALST29.    Eirik Johansen   36-37-73T41.    Martin Rominger 36-38-74T72.    Alex Hamilton 38-38-76    Robert Svensson 36-40-76T118.   Jake Thompson 40-40-80