March 10, 2007

Bryan, Texas – No. 25 South Carolina jumped up two spots to move into a tie for seventh after Saturday’s second round at the “Mo”Morial Invitational played at the par-72 Traditions Golf Club. With a 36-hole score of 320-313=633 (+57), the Gamecocks are 35 strokes behind tournament-leader Arizona State. Junior Blythe Worley is Carolina’s top individual performer, tying for 25th with an 80-76=156 (+12), a mark that puts her 12 strokes behind individual leader Paola Moreno from Southern California.

Worley, who picked up a pair of early birdies on her first and fourth holes of the day, was at even par through nine holes – quite an accomplishment given that 57 of the 83 players in the field have turned in at least one round with a score in the 80s on the treacherous Traditions course through the first two rounds. Worley did not enjoy the same run of success on her final nine holes, finishing at four over par. Worley’s second-round 76 tied for the 17th-lowest score in the field Saturday.

Junior Camila Mori matched Worley’s effort Saturday and is tied for 37th with an 83-76=159 (+15). Mori kept her scorecard tidy in her first nine holes, rattling off eight pars and only one bogey. At 15-over-par for the tournament, Mori is tied with among others, teammate Jenna Pearson, who owns a 36-hole score of 77-82=159. Two strokes behind at 17 over, freshman Taylor Barrett shaved five strokes off Friday’s performance to improve her score to 83-78=161.

Freshman Bénédicte Toumpsin withdrew from the field after sustaining an injury to her right leg on her 14th hole of the day. She will rejoin the lineup when the team returns to action for Sunday’s final.

Team Leader Board
1. Arizona State: 303-295=598 (+22)
2. Southern California: 307-293=600 (+24)
3. Denver: 308-300=608 (+32)
4. UCLA: 304-305=609 (+33)
5. Oklahoma State: 307-309=616 (+40)
6. Texas A&M: 306-314=620 (+44)
T7. UTEP: 324-309=633 (+57)
T7. South Carolina: 320-313=633 (+57)
9. Missouri: 316-320=636 (+60)
10. Texas: 331-307=638 (+62)
11. Princeton: 318-324=642 (+66)
12. Tulsa: 324-320=644 (+68)
T13. Oklahoma: 322-324=646 (+70)
T13. Iowa State: 323-323=646 (+70)
15. Kansas State: 326-322=648 (+72)
16. Redlands College: 334-339=673 (+51)

Gamecocks on the Individual Leader Board
T25. Blythe Worley: 80-76=156 (+12)
T37. Camila Mori: 83-76=159 (+15)
T37. Jenna Pearson: 77-82=159 (+15)
T44. Taylor Barrett: 83-78=161 (+17)