April 8, 2007

Browns Summit, N.C. – The South Carolina women’s golf team placed eighth with a 917 at the Bryan National Collegiate, played at the par-72 Bryan Park Champions Course. The Gamecocks finished 30 strokes behind tournament winner Purdue. Maria Hernandez from Purdue was the individual medalist with a 214 (-2).

Senior Jenna Pearson recorded her fifth top 20 finish of the season, scoring a 226 (+10) to place in a tie for 16th on the individual leader board. The five top 20 finishes are the most in a season for the Wheaton, Ill., native.

Holes six through nine caused problems for two Gamecock golfers in the final round. Bénédicte Toumpsin and Blythe Worley both bogeyed the four consecutive of the holes Sunday, but Toumpsin rebounded to lead the team with a 76 (+4) in the final round. Toumpsin finished with a three-day score of 229 (+13) to share 24^th on the individual leader board.

Whitney Simons also carded a 76 in the final round to bring her total to 231 (+15). Simons tied for 39^th and Camila Mori tied for 47^th with a 234 (+18). Blythe Worley recorded her best round Sunday finish the tournament tied for 77^th with a 243 (+27).

South Carolina next returns to action when they compete at the SEC Championship, held April 20-22 at the Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss.

Team Leader Board
1. Purdue: 290-303-294=887 (+23)
2. Florida: 298-294-302=894 (+30)
3. North Carolina: 291-309-297=897 (+33)
4. Duke: 292-301-305=898 (+34)
5. Tennessee: 305-312-286=903 (+39)
6. Georgia: 303-310-295=908 (+44)
7. Auburn: 301-315-300=916 (+52)
8. South Carolina: 297-310-310=917 (+53)
9. Ohio State: 307-312-301=920 (+56)
10. Virginia: 300-319-304=923 (+59)
11. Furman: 308-316-300=924 (+60)
12. LSU: 311-314-304=929 (+65)
13. Wake Forest: 309-312-311=932 (+68)
14. Florida State: 309-315-312=936 (+72)
15. UNC Greensboro: 316-315-308=939 (+75)
16. UNC Wilmington: 306-320-314=940 (+76)
17. NC State: 314-318-309=941 (+77)
18. College of Charleston: 312-333-312=957 (+93)

Gamecocks On The Individual Leader Board
T16. Jenna Pearson: 68-78-80=226 (+10)
T24. Bénédicte Toumpsin: 76-77-76=229 (+13)
T39. Whitney Simons: 80-75-76=231 (+15)
T47. Camila Mori: 73-80-81=234 (+18)
T77. Blythe Worley: 83-82-78=243 (+27)

*T90. Laura Raffo: 82-86-85=253 (+37)

*Competing as an individual; score does not count towards team score.