Sept. 19, 2005

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina men’s golf team is ranked No. 14 in Golfweek’s preseason top 30 poll, in the magazine’s Sept. 10 issue. In addition to the team recognition, sophomore Mark Anderson is listed among the nation’s top individuals.

Head coach Puggy Blackmon’s Gamecock team finished the 2004-05 season at No. 19 in the Golfweek poll. USC advanced to NCAA Regional play for the 10th-straight season under Blackmon, finishing tied for 10th at the West Region this past May. Carolina returns six players and has added four freshmen to its roster. Anderson, senior Eirik Johansen, senior Robert Svensson and sophomore Warren Thomas all competed in at least six events last season.

Anderson appears on Golfweek’s third-team preseason All-America list. The Beaufort, S.C., native led the Gamecocks in stroke average (73.22) as a freshman en route to earning Golf Coaches’ Association of America third-team All-America honors. He was also named first-team All-Southeastern Conference and SEC Freshman of the Year.

South Carolina is one of four SEC teams listed in the top 30. Defending national champion Georgia begins the year at No. 1, followed by No. 3 Florida, No. 13 Auburn and No. 19 Alabama. Other state teams listed in the poll include No. 16 Clemson and No. 23 Coastal Carolina.

The Gamecocks opened the 2005-06 season by playing in the TOPY Cup in Tanagura, Japan, Sept. 6-8. Johansen led USC with a fourth-place showing individually and the team placed eighth in the event. Carolina’s varsity squad is idle until Oct. 15-16 when it competes in The Ridges Intercollegiate in Johnson City, Tenn.