April 2, 2005

Browns Summit, N.C. – After the first round at the Bryan National Collegiate Tournament played at the Bryan Park Champions Course in Browns Summit, N.C., the South Carolina women’s golf team is in 14th place out of the 17 teams competing with a combined score of 310 (22 over par).

Though her score did not count toward the team’s overall score, freshman Whitney Simons turned in the best showing of any Gamecock, as the Aiken native fired a two-over-par 74 that was highlighted by a stretch of three consecutive birdies on the course’s third, fourth and fifth holes. Entering the second round, she is in a tie for 24th on the individual leader board.

Senior Tiffany Catafygiotu is in a tie for 32nd after shooting a three-over-par 75. The Greer, S.C., product spent much of the day at even par, and canceled out two bogeys with a pair of birdies. However, a triple-bogey seven on the course’s second hole moved her score to three-over.

Junior Erica Battle’s four-over 76 placed her in a tie for 42nd in the field. The Irmo native got off to a rocky start with back-to-back bogeys, but played the next 15 holes at even par, highlighted by birdies on the par-five third hole and the par-four 10th. Two bogeys on her last three holes pushed her score to four-over.

Sophomore Jenna Pearson carded a seven-over 79 and is in a tie for 58th. Pearson battled through a stretch of four bogeys in five holes that dampened an otherwise solid day.

Freshman Caroline Rominger, who has played solid golf this season, struggled Friday, carding an eight-over-par 80. Rominger bogeyed seven holes and suffered a double-bogey six on the par-four eighth hole before closing her day with birdie on the par-five 15th hole.

Fellow freshman Laura Raffo, making her spring debut as part of the lineup, rounded out the Carolina showing with an 11-over 83. She is in a tie for 75th.

Second round action resumes Saturday.

Team Leader Board        To Par  Through TotalT1  Georgia     -4  F   284T1  Duke    -4  F   2843   Florida     +2  F   2904   Tennessee   +3  F   291T5  Tulane University   +5  F   293T5  Furman University   +5  F   2937   North Carolina State    +8  F   2968   Auburn  +13     F   3019   Wake Forest     +15     F   30310  University of Virginia  +16     F   304T11     Vanderbilt  +18     F   306T11     Oklahoma State  +18     F   30613  North Carolina, U of    +19     F   30714  South Carolina  +22     F   310T15     Purdue  +27     F   315T15     N. Car.- Greensboro     +27     F   31517  Louisville, Univ. of    +29     F   317
South Carolina on the Leader Board        To Par  Through TotalT24 Whitney Simons* +2  F   74T32 Tiffany Catafygiotu +3  F   75T42 Erica Battle   +4  F   76T58 Jenna Pearson +7  F   79T67 Caroline Rominger +8  F   80T75 Laura Raffo +11 F   83
*Playing as an individual (score does not count toward team total)