Oct. 28, 2007

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – South Carolina women’s golf finished tied for seventh at the UA-Ann Rhoads Intercollegiate behind a top-20 finish from sophomore Bénédicte Toumpsin. NorthRiver Golf Course did not allow a single player to break par for the tournament and bore just three sub-70 scores over the three-day event. The Gamecocks finished at 905 (300-308-297), tying host Alabama for the seventh spot.

Toumpsin closed the tournament in 19th place after carding 75 (+4) each round. After a rollercoaster first round that featured four birdies but was marred by six bogeys and a double bogey, the sophomore had to rally on the back nine in her second round Saturday. After playing the front nine at +5, Toumpsin carded three birdies to get back to +2 through 16 holes. Back to back bogeys put her at 75 for the round. In the final round Sunday, Toumpsin had difficulty in the middle of the round. Starting on No. 7, she picked up a birdie on No. 9 before finding trouble with two bogeys and a double bogey on Nos. 15 through 18.

Senior Camila Mori took 25th place on the strength of a final-round 72 (+1). She carded matching 77s in each of the first two rounds before evening out her game on Sunday. Senior Whitney Simons opened the tournament well with a team-best 71 (E) on Friday, but could not repeat the effort the rest of the weekend, posting 78 and 80 over the final two rounds to finish in 34th.

Sharing 34th position with Simons, senior Blythe Worley turned in a 74 (+3) on Sunday. She kicked off the event with a 77, and carded a 78 on Saturday. Freshman Erika Holmen rounded out the team scoring for South Carolina, taking 67th place. After struggling with an 81 and a 79 on Friday and Saturday, respectively, she wrapped up a 76 on Sunday with three birdies. Sophomore Taylor Barrett competed as an individual at the event and finished 61st with rounds of 78, 79 and 78.

Arkansas won the team title with a combined score of 886, taking the title by eight strokes over Auburn. The Razorbacks’ Stacy Lewis collected the individual title with rounds of 68, 76 and 69.

FINAL TEAM SCORES
1 Arkansas 295-300-291=886 (+34)
2 Auburn 301-300-293=894 (+42)
3 Florida 307-300-289=896 (+44)
T4 Louisville 297-299-301=897 (+45)
T4 Notre Dame 298-300-299=897 (+45)
6 Furman 299-301-299=899 (+47)
T7 Alabama 313-292-300=905 (+53)
T7 South Carolina 300-308-297=905 (+53)
9 Texas 307-305-296=908 (+56)
10 Louisiana State 304-304-304=912 (+60)
11 Mississippi 305-306-306=917 (+65)
12 Central Florida 303-300-317=920 (+68)
13 Kansas 317-312-297=926 (+74)
14 Northwestern 308-322-301=931 (+79)
T15 Florida State 318-301-313=932 (+80)
T15 Kentucky 309-303-320=932 (+80)
T15 Mississippi St. 311-310-311=932 (+80)
18 Samford 332-322-325=979 (+127)