March 21, 2008

ATHENS, Ga. – South Carolina senior Camila Mori carded a team-best 75 (+3) to sit in 11th place after the first round of the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic at University of Georgia Golf Course. In an 18-team field that features 12 of the nation’s top 25 programs, the Gamecocks are tied with Vanderbilt in 13th place with a team total of 316 (+28). LSU leads the team standings at 297, five strokes ahead of Alabama, Georgia and Purdue, while LSU’s Megan McChrystal tops the first-round leaderboard with a 69 today.

Mori was solid right out of the gate, playing par golf through the first six holes. Back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 16 and17 had her making the turn at +2. She birdied three of her final nine holes to finish at 75. Seniors Blythe Worley and Whitney Simons turned in matching 80s (+8) and share 51st place. Like Mori, Worley made the turn at +2. But, after starting on the 10th hole, it was the first nine holes on the course that gave her difficulty as she turned in two double bogeys and a pair of bogeys. Simons was +4 on each side of the course.

Sophomore Taylor Barrett carded a 79 (+9) in the first round, also falling victim to the course’s first nine holes. She was even through six holes then matched Mori’s bogeys on Nos. 16 and 17 to make the turn at +2. After a par on No. 1, four straight bogeys derailed her round, which closed with a double-bogey on No. 8 and a bogey on No. 9, and put her in 68th place.

Team leader Bénédicte Toumpsin was the team’s high round for the first time this season as she posted an 82 (+10). Three straight bogeys preceded a double-bogey to set the sophomore back to +5 after just four holes. Toumpsin shot par over the rest of the first half of her round, but a double-bogey on No. 1 continued her stumble. She is in 75th place heading into the final two rounds.

Playing as an individual in her first career event, junior Meredith Taylor showed some competitive rust in her round. The highlight of her 82 (+10) was a birdie on the par-5 12th. She joins Toumpsin in 75th place.

Play continues on Saturday with the Gameocks teeing off No. 10 beginning at 9:50 a.m.