Sept. 13, 2008

DALTON, Ga. – Senior Allen Koon turned in his lowest score since Spring 2007 to help No. 19 South Carolina move into a tie for fifth place with one round remaining to play in the Carpet Capital Collegiate at The Farm Golf Club. The Gamecocks shot 291 (+3) to finish the day tied with Mississippi and No. 3 Georgia for fifth place, 11 strokes off the tournament lead.

After rallying for a first-round 73 on Friday, Koon was steady throughout Saturday’s round. He turned in three birdies among his 14 pars to post his 70 (-2) and move into eighth place in the individual standings, four strokes behind the tournament leader.

Junior George Bryan IV picked up a pair of birdies on his first nine on Saturday and was steady down the stretch to turn in a 73 (+1) to hold a share of 18th place. Freshman Wesley Bryan, who was tied with George for the team lead after a 72 on Friday, was up and down on Saturday, finishing with a 76 (+4). Wesley carded four birdies, but saw three bogeys and a double-bogey on his second nine derail his effort.

Senior Mark Silvers III turned in a 72 (E) in round two, the second-lowest round on the team Saturday. He rebounded from consecutive bogeys to close his first nine to card two birdies on the back half, on which he shot two-under. He is in a tie for 46th place. Junior Paul Woodbury finished with an 80 (+8) on Saturday to slip back to 84th place.

Overall, Chattanooga moved into the tournament lead, passing first-round leader East Tennessee State, en route to a three-shot lead over the Bucs. No. 6 Clemson and No. 15 Tennessee are between those two and the Gamecocks heading into Sunday’s final round. Clemson’s Kyle Stanley shot 66 (-6) on Saturday to surge into the individual lead by two strokes over Stephan Jaeger of Chattanooga, Tennessee’s Chris Paisley, David Dragoo of Georgia Tech and UAB’s Zach Sucher.

The Gamecocks are in the first group off the tee Sunday at 8 a.m. South Carolina will play with Wake Forest and UAB.