Oct. 21, 2007

WINDERMERE, Fla. – Junior Florian Fritsch carded a 69 (-3) in the first round of the Isleworth-UCF Collegiate Invitational to guide South Carolina into seventh place, just five strokes out of first place. Fritsch is tied for fourth individually after posting four birdies in his round.

In his second tournament of the season, Fritsch finished the round well with three birdies coming on his back nine, including the final hole. He is just one stroke behind three players tied for first.

Senior Mark Anderson continued his solid play with a 70 (-2) on Sunday to hold a share of 11th place. He made his move on the par fives, scoring three birdies on the four longest holes on the course.

Juniors Patrick Cunning and Allen Koon are tied in 60th place with rounds of 75. Cunning’s play was up and down all afternoon after he carded bogeys on two of the first round holes. He repaired some of the damage with a birdie on the 17th hole, but two more bogeys after he made the turn further set him back. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 4 and 5 put him back on track before two more bogeys set him back to +3 for the round.

Koon opened the round well and, following birdies on Nos. 12 and 14, was at -2 through the first eight holes. A double bogey on the par-4 18th hole brought him back to even, and three bogeys over his back nine left him at +3.

Sophomore George Bryan IV was in a similar position, scoring -1 over the first nine holes. He battled over the next nine, however, carding three bogeys and a double bogey to sit in 68th place at 76 (+4).

The Gamecocks’ 289 (+1) is five strokes behind three teams tied for the tournament lead – No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 6 Southern Cal and host Central Florida. The teams return to the course on Monday for round two.