Sept. 28, 2005

Albuquerque, N.M. – The South Carolina women’s golf team shot a remarkable two-over-par 294 in Wednesday’s final round of the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Intercollegiate to finish the tournament in ninth place with a three-day score of 300-312-294=906.

“Today was a very good indication of the team we have this year,” Head coach Kristi Coggins said. “It has just been a matter of gaining confidence. The team competed hard the entire tournament, but really showed great energy today. I liked how the girls performed today and I know we will only get better. This is exciting to see.”

Leading the way for Carolina was senior Laura McCaslin, who finished the tournament tied for 12th on the individual leader board with a three-day score of 72-76-71=219. McCaslin fired four birdies Wednesday and finished the round at two-under-par to put a cap on her best tournament showing as a Gamecock.

“This is the best Laura has played for us in competition,” Coggins said. “She played with good confidence and had fun out there this week.”

Though she played as an individual with her score not counting toward the team’s total, sophomore Whitney Simons matched McCaslin’s score, both on Wednesday and overall, finishing the tournament with a score of 75-73-71=219 to place in a tie for 12th on the individual leader board.

Also shooting a two-under-par 71 Wednesday was sophomore Camila Mori, who finished the tournament tied for 38th with a 77-79-71=227. Mori shaved a full eight strokes off her second-round showing with a very steady showing, firing three birdies and only one bogey in the final round. The Santiago, Chile, native transferred to South Carolina this summer from Campbell University after being recognized as the Atlantic Sun Conference Freshman of the Year last year.

“Camila is playing on a new team in a new atmosphere and against new competition, but she really played wih the kind of presence that she played with back home,” Coggins said. “She was a little anxious coming in the first couple rounds, but she is a fireball. She always looks to get birdies.”

Junior Jenna Pearson finished the tournament tied for 53rd with a 74-79-77=230, with senior Erica Battle coming in tied for 59th with a three-day score of 77-78-76=231. Battle’s final round was highlighted by a stretch in which she fired a birdie in three out of four holes.

Sophomore Blythe Worley rounded things out for the Gamecocks by finishing in a tie for 74th with an 80-79-76=235.

The Gamecocks are back in action when they compete in the Lady Tar Heel Invitational Oct. 7-9.

Final Team Standings1    Pepperdine      -3     F   296      290     287     8732   Texas A&M   -1  F   294     292     289     8753   New Mexico  +6  F   297     291     294     8824   UNLV    +7  F   293     295     295     8835   Ohio State  +10     F   287     300     299     8866   USC     +11     F   293     300     294     887T7  Brigham Young   +21     F   302     303     292     897T7  California  +21     F   297     304     296     8979   South Carolina  +30     F   300     312     294     906T10     Baylor  +34     F   301     303     306     910T10     Tulsa   +34     F   305     304     301     91012  New Mexico State    +37     F   300     314     299     91313  TCU     +41     F   304     303     310     91714  Colorado State  +42     F   302     310     306     918T15     San Diego State +44     F   298     317     305     920T15     Texas El Paso   +44     F   309     299     312     92017  Texas Tech  +52     F   314     305     309     92818  Hawaii  +86     F   328     312     322     962
Gamecocks On The Individual Leader BoardT12 Laura McCaslin    E   72-76-71=219T12 Whitney Simons    E   75-73-71=219T38 Camila Mori  +8  77-79-71=227T53 Jenna Pearson  +11 74-79-77=230T59 Erica Battle    +12 77-78-76=231T74 Blythe Worley  +16 80-79-76=235