Oct. 11, 2008

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – South Carolina’s women’s golf team struggled in Saturday’s second round at the Mercedes-Benz Championships at Fox Den Country Club, shooting a 313 (+25) and dropping to 15th place.

Junior Benedicte Toumpsin again had the low round for the Gamecocks, shooting 76 (+4) to follow up an even-par 72 in Friday’s first round. A double bogey at the 18th (her ninth hole) left her 4-over at the turn, but a pair of birdies sandwiched around two bogeys on the front nine gave her an even-par second nine. She stands tied for 34th heading into Sunday’s final round.

Corrine Carr got off to a much better start today, making the turn at 1-over, but a rough stretch of holes on her back nine left her with a 77 (+5), a four-stroke improvement over Friday’s first round. She birdied the 18th, then got back to even with another birdie at No. 1, but two bogeys and a double over her final four holes left her at 14-over for the weekend and tied for 79th.

Junior Taylor Barrett also had a good start, making a birdie at the 13th and finishing her front nine at 1-over. But six bogeys on the second nine left her with a 79 (+7) and at 13-over for the tournament. She is tied for 75th place.

Freshman Katie Burnett made birdies at holes 1 and 18, but four bogeys, two doubles and a triple-bogey in between left her with an 81 (+9) and dropped her to a tie for 70th place. Senior Meredith Taylor also had a tough round, shooting 82 (+10) to drop to a tie for 75th place.

North Carolina shot an even-par 288 and holds the team lead at 1-over through two rounds. Louisville is two shots back at 3-over, and NC State is third at 7-over. First-day leader and tournament host Tennessee dropped to seventh with a second-day 306 (+18).

Marika Lendl of UCF maintained her individual lead after a 2-under 70 and is 6-under for the tournament. Sydney Crane (North Carolina) and Cindy LaCrosse (Louisville) are two strokes back at 4-under. LaCrosse shot the low round of the tournament thus far with a 5-under 67 Saturday.

The Gamecocks will go off in the second wave of tee times in Sunday’s final round, again from the 10th tee, beginning at 9:45 a.m. Carolina will be paired with Denver and UT Chattanooga. Live stats and complete results are available at golfstat.com.

CAROLINA RESULTS/FINAL ROUND TEE TIMES (No. 10 Tee)