March 16, 2007

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The University of South Carolina men’s golf team is back in actionthis weekend at the Schenkel E-Z Go Invitational in Statesboro, Ga. Georgia Southern serves as the host of the 54-hole event, which is played at Forest Heights Country Club. Play begins with 36 holes on Saturday, March 17, and concludes Sunday, March 18 with the final 18 holes.

Live scoring can be found online at www.golfstat.com or by following the links for the South Carolina’s official athletics web site at USCsports.com.

THE 2006-07 GAMECOCKS
The 2006-07 South Carolina men’s golf team has eight letterwinners back from last season’s team, which competed in the NCAA Championship for the 14th time in school history. Despite the experience, Carolina is a youthful group with no seniors and only three juniors on the 12-man roster.

SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE SCHENKEL >> The Gamecocks will be competing in the Schenkel E-Z Go Invitational for the 25th time this weekend.
>> South Carolina has six top-five finishes in the event to its credit.
>> In 2006, South Carolina placed 11th in the event.
>> In 2005, Mark Anderson, then a freshman, finished first at the Schenkel, winning on the second hole of a playoff.

GAMECOCK LINEUP
South Carolina’s lineup for the Schenkel E-Z Go Invitational will feature juniors Mark Anderson and Warren Thomas, sophomores Allen Koon and Baker Elmore and freshman George Bryan IV.

In Anderson, the Gamecocks have a former champion at the Schenkel. As a true freshman, he earned medalist honors at the 2005 tournament. Bryan is the only golfer on the Gamecock roster that has been in the lineup for every tournament this season.

THE SCHENKEL FIELD
The 18-team field for the Schenkel E-Z Go Invitational features six teams ranked in the latest Golf World/GCAA (March 14) Poll. That list includes No. 2 Florida, No. 3 Georgia, No. 5 Alabama, No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 13 North Carolina and No. 17 Tennessee. South Carolina and host Georgia Southern are also joined by Arizona, Auburn, Augusta State, LSU, Kentucky, Michigan State, Minnesota, New Mexico, NC State and Ohio State.

SOUTH CAROLINA AT THE SCHENKEL IN `06
South Carolina senior Eirik Johansen posted his fourth top-10 finish of the season and the Gamecock golf team tied for 11th of 15 teams at the 2006 Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational. USC concluded the tournament with a score of 300-283-300=883 (+19).

Johansen carded a one-over-par 73 and wound up tied for 10th. The team captain owns 18 top-10 finishes during his South Carolina career.

Freshman Florian Fritsch was the Gamecocks’ next-best finisher in a tie for 37th. Fritsch also shot a 73, his best of the tournament Sunday. Sophomore Mark Anderson was one stroke behind Fritsch after firing a final round 76. Redshirt freshman Patrick Cunning shot a 78 to place in a tie for 51st and freshman Allen Koon fired an 80 to tie for 55th.

North Carolina captured the team title with a score of 291-278-288=857. Michigan State’s Matt Harmon collected individual medalist honors with a total score of 207.

LAST TIME OUT
The Gamecocks finished strong at the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational, shooting their best round of the of the tournament with a 291 on the final 18 holes. Carolina’s final round team score trailed only tournament champion and No. 1 Alabama as the Gamecocks finished 12th in th event.

South Carolina posted identical scores (311) in the first two rounds on, 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 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.

NEXT UP
South Carolina begins the busiest stretch of its schedule this weekend at the Schenkel. The Gamecocks will quickly return to action March 25-27 in the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate in Awendaw, S.C. After a two-day break from competition, Carolina will participate in the Administaff Augusta State Invitational March 30-April 1.