March 19, 2008

COLUMBIA – South Carolina sophomore George Bryan IV added two more Player of the Week honors to his collection as Golf World and the Southeastern Conference both bestowed their honors on him today. After winning his first career event at the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational, which featured seven nationally-ranked teams, Bryan picked up his first Player of the Week award on Monday from Golf Week magazine, making him the first Gamecock to earn a national player of the week award since three-time All-American Kyle Thompson was named Player of the Week by Golf World on Oct. 13, 2000. Bryan, who currently ranks 40th in the Golf Week/Sagarin Performance Index, is the first Gamecock to collect the recognition from multiple sources in the same week.

“I am so proud of George,” South Carolina head coach Bill McDonald said. “His victory at the Schenkel E-Z-Go is a landmark event for our program. He battled some of the best players in the country on the back nine of his final round, and the way that he won proved that he belongs among the elite players in college golf. It has been rewarding to see the growth in George’s game, and I expect him to use this win as a springboard to more victories.”

After a first-round 73 (+1), Bryan made his key move with a 66 on Saturday and closed out the event with a 69 Sunday to Michael Thompson of top-ranked Alabama by one stroke. Saturday’s bogey-free round of 66 featured six birdies. Heading into the final round in a six-way tie for first, Bryan powered his way to -4 just seven holes into the round. Bryan survived a slump of three bogeys in the next four holes and got back on track with a birdie on the par-5 12th. Five pars had his round holding steady, and Bryan punctuated his effort with what proved to be a decisive birdie on the par-5 18th.

Bryan’s total of 208 (-8) is among the top 15 tournament scores in school history, as is his second-round 66. He joins senior Mark Anderson as the only players on the current Gamecock roster to win an event and is now one of just 25 Gamecocks all-time to earn individual medalist honors. Only seven players in that group have won multiple events in their careers.

South Carolina returns to the course on Sun., Mar. 23, in the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate in Charleston, S.C.