Gamecocks Finish Fourth, Pearson Fifth At SEC Championship

April 22, 2007

<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>West Point, Miss. – Senior Jenna Pearson and junior Blythe Worley both posted top-10 finishes for South Carolina at the Southeastern Conference Championship in leading the Gamecocks to a fourth-place finish at the event played this weekend at the par-72 Old Waverly Golf Club. The nation’s No. 50 player, Pearson finished the tournament tied for fifth on the individual leader board with a one-over-par 217, with Worley claiming 10^th with a four-over 220. Shooting a season-best 887 (+23) at the SEC Championship, the Gamecocks’ fourth-place finish put them ahead of four of the nation’s top-25 teams, including No. 4 Auburn and No. 5 Vanderbilt.

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Pearson provided South Carolina’s first top-five finish at the Southeastern Conference Championship since two-time SEC Champion and current LPGA player Kristy McPherson finished third in 2003.

The Gamecocks’ performance this weekend marked Carolina’s fourth top-four finish at the SEC Championship in the last seven years. Four Gamecocks – Pearson, Worley, Camila Mori, and BÃƒÂ©nÃƒÂ©dicte Toumpsin – finished in the top 25 on the individual leader board. The weekend score ties for the fifth lowest 54-hole team score in school history.

Georgia captured both team and individual medalist honors as the team scored an 865 (+1) and Taylor Leon led the field with a 208 (-8).

Pearson, who entered the final round tied for second place on the individual leader board, stayed in contention to win the title throughout the day before hitting a double-bogey on the 13^th hole and a triple-bogey on the 15^th hole. She finished the tournament with 11 birdies and averaged 72.33 scoring.

Worley shot a career-best 220 (+4) for the weekend and finished alone in 10^th place, her second top 10 finish of the season. Worley was the most consistent performer at the tournament and registered all but nine holes at or below par.

Mori finished tied for 18^th with a three-day score of 223 (+7). Toumpsin had her best day of the tournament Sunday with a one-over 73. She finished tied for 25^th with a 227 (+11) to become the fourth Gamecock to place in the top 25 at the tournament. Whitney Simons also enjoyed her best outing Sunday with a five-over 77, finishing with a 239 (+25) to place in a tie for 49^th.

The NCAA Regional Championship is set for May 10-12. The East Regional will be played at the University Club in Baton Rouge, La., with the Central Regional set for the University of Michigan Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Mich., and the West Regional to be played at the Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club in St. George, Utah.

Team Leader Board
1. Georgia: 285-291-289=865 (+1)

2. Florida: 296-295-290=881 (+17)

3. Tennessee: 292-296-298=886 (+22)

4. South Carolina: 295-289-303=887 (+23)

5. Alabama: 291-300-302=893 (+29)

6. Vanderbilt: 296-303-299=898 (+34)

7. LSU: 294-303-302=899 (+35)

8. Auburn: 298-302-302=902 (+38)

9. Arkansas: 296-299-311=906 (+42)

10. Mississippi State: 312-295-307=914 (+50)
11. Kentucky: 308-308-315=931 (+67)

12. Ole Miss: 312-311-323=946 (+82)

Gamecocks On The Individual Leader Board
T5. Jenna Pearson: 74-66-77=217 (+1)