South Carolina Ties For 11th At NCAA Men’s Golf Championships

June 2, 2007

The University of South Carolina men’s golf team finished in a tie for 11th place at the NCAA Championships, completed Saturday at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club’s Gold Course (Par 70 – 6,803 yards). The Gamecocks fired a final round 287 (+7) to finish the tournament with final score of 16-over-par 1136. Stanford won the team crown with an 11-under-par 1109 to capture the title by 12 strokes over runner-up Georgia. Southern California’s Jamie Lovemark was the individual champion with a nine-under-par 271 after posting a final round six-under-par 64.

The 11th-place finish is the highest for the Gamecocks at the NCAA meet since the 1998 squad also placed 11th. It matches that squad for the second-best finish in school history behind only the 1988 team that finished in a tie for eighth place among 30 schools at the Championships held that year in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The Gamecocks placed 22nd a year ago in Sunriver, Ore.

“I’m really proud of the guys,” said Associate Head Coach Bill McDonald. “I thought we came out a little flat today. The last two days were pretty emotional for us just to get through the cut after a tough opening round. The course played a little harder today with a little more wind and tight pin placements, so the scores were a little higher overall.”

Sophomore Mark Silvers (Savannah, Ga.) shot a final round two-under-par 68 to finish with a four-day total of one-over-par 281 to pace the Gamecocks individually with a tie for 22nd place. He had three birdies and one bogey in the final round.

Freshman George Bryan IV (Chapin, S.C.) had his toughest day of the tournament, carding an eight-over-par 78 to finish with a 286 to tie for 42nd place overall.

Juniors Mark Anderson (Beaufort, S.C.) and Warren Thomas (Columbia, S.C.) each tied for 57th place individually with final scores of 290. Both golfers shot a final round four-over-par 74.

Sophomore Florian Fritsch (Munich, Germany) posted a final round one-over-par 71 to finish in a tie for 68th place with a four-day total of 293.

“I was really blown away by Mark Silvers,” noted McDonald. “He only recently broke into our lineup and has come a long way. George Bryan only hit five greens today, but he’ll be fine. He wants it so bad for himself and for the team. Warren Thomas battled back from a slow start to post a respectable score today. All five guys really competed hard.

“This was an amazing finish considering where we came from this year,” added McDonald. “The team really came together at the end of the year and we get everybody back. Based on what we’ve seen this year, we need to set some high goals for next year.”

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS:

T22. Mark Silvers 74-66-73-68=281

T42. George Bryan IV 70-72-66-78=286

T57. Warren Thomas 73-69-74-74=290

T57. Mark Anderson 74-71-71-74=290

T68. Florian Fritsch 76-76-70-71=293

TEAM SCORES:

1. Stanford 1109 (-11)

2. Georgia 1121 (+1)

3. Lamar 1125 (+5)

Charlotte 1125 (+5)

5. Coastal Carolina 1128 (+8)