March 23, 2007

Athens, Ga. – South Carolina senior women’s golfer Jenna Pearson provided the highlight of the day when she took her eight-iron and knocked in a hole-in-one on the 143-yard eighth hole at the par-71 University of Georgia Golf Course in day one action at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic. The ace was the first of Pearson’s golf career, and it came among a field that included nine teams ranked among the top 25 nationally and 29 players ranked among the top 100 nationally.

“It was my second-to-last hole of the day and I was struggling a little bit going in at five over,” Pearson said. “I had just birdied the hole before it and this one was downhill and downwind and I hit a really good shot and it went in. Both of our coaches were there to see it, plus the people I was going against and some others, so it was real cool.”

Pearson’s hole-in-one followed by a par on her final hole of the day sent her into the clubhouse with a three-over-par 74, which places her in a tie for 11th on the individual leader board, four strokes behind tournament leader Melissa Eaton from LSU. As a team, South Carolina came in at 18 over par, which ties it with Alabama for fifth place on the team leader board, nine strokes behind tournament leader Auburn.

Pearson, who will compete on the Duramed FUTURES Tour after she finishes her college career this year, became the first Gamecock to ace a hole since teammate Whitney Simons knocked in a hole-in-one at the 2005 NCAA East Regional played at the University of Florida Golf Course.

“That shot really brought Jenna back into contention,” Head Coach Kristi Coggins said. “Jenna plays to win and it was fun to watch her. The look on her face was priceless. She ran back to Marci Kornegay and I and we gave her high-fives and hugs. A hole-in-one doesn’t happen every day and it was real fun to see. Jenna was actually the last one off the course and when she finished up, her teammates were all waiting for her greenside and they were very excited and happy for her as well.”

Junior Whitney Simons joins Pearson in the top 25 on the individual leader board, as she is tied for 21st with a four over-par 74. Simons’ highlight of the day was a birdie on the par-five 12th hole. Her first-round 75 marked her second-lowest round of the season. With a five-over-par 76, junior Camila Mori is tied for 33rd on the individual leader board, with freshman Bénédicte Toumpsin tied for 40th with a six-over-par 77. Toumpsin showed resiliency by shooting two under par on the back nine after a rocky front nine that saw her post two double-bogeys and make the turn at eight over. Freshman Taylor Barrett rounded out the Carolina showing by shooting a seven-over-par 78 to stand in a tie for 48th on the individual leader board.

Second round action resumes tomorrow.

Team Leader Board
1. Auburn: 293 (+9)
2. Michigan State: 297 (+13)
3. Florida: 300 (+16)
4. LSU: 301 (+17)
T5. South Carolina: 302 (+18)
T5. Alabama: 302 (+18)
T7. Georgia: 303 (+19)
T7. Virginia: 303 (+19)
T9. Arkansas: 304 (+20)
T9. Purdue: 304 (+20)
11. Wake Forest: 307 (+23)
T12. Florida State: 312 (+28)
T12. Furman: 312 (+28)
T14. Kent State: 314 (+30)
T14. Mississippi State: 314 (+30)
T14. Augusta State: 314 (+30)
17. UCF: 319 (+35)
18. Georgia State: 331 (+47)

Gamecocks On The Individual Leader Board
T11. Jenna Pearson: 74 (+3)
T21. Whitney Simons: 75 (+4)
T33. Camila Mori: 76 (+5)
T40. Bénédicte Toumpsin: 77 (+6)
T48. Taylor Barrett: 78 (+7)