Feb. 20, 2007

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — In Tuesday’s final round of the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational, the University of South Carolina men’s golf team shot its best round of the of the tournament with a 291 and finished 12th in the team standings. The Gamecocks’ final round team score at the par-72, 6,910-yard Sawgrass Country Club trailed only tournament champion and No. 1 Alabama.

South Carolina posted identical scores (311) in the first two rounds on Sunday and Monday, but shaved 20 strokes off the team round on the final day of play.

Sophomore Allen Koon fired even par in the final round and wound up tied for 29th with a three-day total of 78-77-72=227, the best finish for the Gamecocks. Freshman George Bryan IV was one stroke back of Koon with a final total of 75-80-73=228 and placed in a tie for 32nd.

Junior Mark Anderson produced the best round of any Carolina golfer during the tournament with a one-under par 71 Tuesday. Anderson capped the event with a final score of 81-78-71=230, putting him tied for 39th.

Sophomore Baker Elmore shared 51st place after carding rounds of 78-76-78=232. Sophomore Florian Fritsch shot 75 today to close at 80-84-75=239 and tie for 72nd. The Crimson Tide led from start to finish and captured the team title with a score of 303-291-287=881.

South Carolina is idle until March 17 when it begins play in the Schenkel E-Z Go Invitational in Statesboro, Ga.

South Carolina Individuals (Final)
T29 Allen Koon 78-77-72=227 +11
T32 George Bryan 75-80-73=228 +12
T39 Mark Anderson 81-78-71=230 +14
T51 Baker Elmore 78-76-78=232 +16
T72 Florian Fritsch 80-84-75=239 +23
Team Total: 311-311-291=913 (+49)

Team Leader Board (Final)
1 Alabama 303-291-287=881 +17
T2 Vanderbilt 304-295-292=891 +27
T2 Coastal Carolina 309-289-293=891 +27
T4 UAB 312-293-294=899 +35
T4 UCF 315-284-300=899 +35
T4 UCLA 309-297-293=899 +35
T4 Georgia State 305-297-297=899 +35
8 North Florida 309-298-293=900 +36
9 Tennessee 313-302-294=909 +45
10 Pepperdine 311-309-290=910 +46
11 Charlotte 307-305-299=911 +47
12 South Carolina 311-311-291=913 +49
T13 Notre Dame 311-314-295=920 +56
T13 Augusta State 307-303-310=920 +56
15 Louisiana State 310-303-308=921 +57