Feb. 6, 2006

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The South Carolina men’s golf team shaved 11 strokes off its first-round total on Monday in the second round of the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship, played at Sawgrass Country Club (Par 72 – 6,901 yards) in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Carolina stands in sixth place of the 15 teams heading into the final 18 holes on Tuesday.

The Gamecocks shot 297 as a team, improving on their 308 on Sunday. Senior Eirik Johansen turned in the best round of any Gamecock today, firing a one-over par 73 to bring his two-day stroke total to 151. Johansen moved up into a tie for 19th after starting the day in 32nd. Senior Eirik Johansen turned in the best round of any Gamecock today, firing a one-over par 73 to bring his two-day stroke total to 151. Johansen moved up into a tie for 19th after starting the day in 32nd. Freshman Florian Fritsch matched his score of 74 from Sunday’s first round and remains in the top 10 individually. Fritsch is alone in ninth place with a stroke total of 148.

Sophomore Mark Anderson knocked five strokes off his opening round total, carding a two-over par 74. Freshman Allen Koon carded a 76 and the pair sits tied for 32nd with a stroke total of 153.

Sophomore Warren Thomas fired an 80 to bring his two-day total to 161. He is tied for 59th. Redshirt sophomore David Kite, who is competing an individual, shot 81 and is tied for 51st at 158.

UCLA held on to the team lead, but Texas Tech trails by only two strokes in second place. LSU and Georgia State are locked in a tie for third, followed by Alabama in fifth and the Gamecocks in sixth. Other SEC teams include Florida in seventh, Auburn in eighth and Tennessee tied for 10th. Coastal Carolina sits in 13th.

South Carolina Individuals (First Round-Second Round-Total)Place, Player, Scores9   Florian Fritsch 74-74=148T19 Eirik Johansen    78-73=151T32 Mark Anderson  79-74=153T32 Allen Koon    77-76=153T59 Warren Thomas  81-80=161T51 David Kite (I)    77-81=158