Oct. 25, 2008

AUBURN, Ala. – South Carolina’s women’s golf team improved by six strokes in the second round and jumped up to seventh place with a 304 (+16) heading into the final round at The Derby Invitational at the Auburn University Club.

After a first-round 80, freshman Katie Burnett rebounded in a big way with a 73 (+1) in the second round to lead the charge for the Gamecocks. The freshman from Brunswick, Ga., made the turn at one-over, then had two birdies and two bogeys on the back nine to finish at 9-over through two rounds and a tie for 22nd place.

A fellow Gamecock newcomer, junior transfer Corrine Carr improved by five strokes over her first-round effort and finished with a 76 (+4) and moved up to a tie for 52nd place. Carr made the turn at two-over, and she would stay at that number until bogeys at the final two holes to get her to four-over. She stands at 13-over heading into Sunday’s final round.

Senior Meredith Taylor equaled her effort from Friday with a 5-over 77 and currently stands in a tie for 26th place at 10-over for the tournament. Taylor had a rough go of it on the front nine with four bogeys, but played the back nine at just one-over to finish strong and in a good position heading into the final round.

Juniors Taylor Barrett and Benedicte Toumpsin both stand tied for 31st after shooting 79 (+7) and 78 (+6), respectively. Toumpsin had a solid round and was just one-over through 13 holes. But bogeys at the 14th and 15th, then a triple-bogey at the 16th, left her at six-over for the day and 11-over for the weekend. Barrett made the turn at six-over, then had a birdie and a pair of bogeys on the back nine to salvage the round at plus-seven.

Arizona State improved by 16 strokes and shot a 4-under 284 Saturday to move into first place at 8-over for the weekend. Virginia shot 298 (+10) and stands second, three strokes behind the Sun Devils. Alabama is third, 12 strokes back of Arizona State.

The Sun Devils’ Anna Nordqvist fired a blistering 67 to lead the tournament at 7-under, three strokes clear of Virginia’s Whitney Neuhauser.

For full information on the tournament, including tee times and live scoring, keep updated at golfstat.com.