March 22, 2009

STATESBORO, Ga. – The South Carolina men’s golf team scored a huge tournament victory this weekend as it took the team title at the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational at Forest Heights Country Club in Statesboro, Ga. With a final-round 286 (-2), the 12th-ranked Gamecocks won by two strokes over North Carolina State and SEC rival Tennessee. Junior George Bryan IV, the defending tournament champion, was a big part of the Carolina victory with a final-round 68 (-4) to finish second in the individual standings.

“This was an awesome performance by our guys,” South Carolina head coach Bill McDonald said. “The other two tournament victories were great, but this one is probably the most special because there were so many strong teams in this field. I was especially pleased with how our freshmen played this weekend, particularly Sam Braver, who finished 11th in his first collegiate tournament. It was an exciting day; it pretty much came down to the last hole.”

The Gamecocks finished with a total score of 865 (+1) and picked up their third championship in six tournaments so far this season. South Carolina also won back in October at the Mason Rudolph Invitational in Nashville, Tenn., then again at the Rees Jones Intercollegiate in Daufuskie Island, S.C., in November. It marks the first time since the 2003-04 season and only the second time since 1990-91 that a Gamecock men’s golf team has won three tournament titles in the same season.

George Bryan IV led the way for South Carolina with his final round 68 to finish with a 4-under-par 212 for the weekend. Bryan came into the day at even par after a 70 on Saturday, then put together his best round of the season – a six-birdie, two-bogey 68 – to jump from a tie for 11th to second place overall. It was the best finish for Bryan on the year, topping his fourth-place showing at the Rees Jones Intercollegiate and giving him his third top-10 of the season and the ninth of his collegiate career.

Braver, completing his first 54 holes in a varsity collegiate tournament, was the pleasant surprise of the weekend with an 11th-place finish at even-par 216. The native of Roswell, Ga., returned to his home state in grand style with a 71 (-1) on the final day that included three birdies and a bogey-free back nine.

Senior Mark Silvers III, who fired a sizzling 69 on Saturday, hovered right around par most of the day and finished with a 1-over 73. Nine straight pars on the front nine gave way to a bogey at the 10th – the toughest hole on the course for the week – but he got a stroke back with a birdie at the par-3 13th. However, a bogey at 14 dropped him back to 1-over, which is where he would finish the day. He turned in a three-day score of 219 (+3) to finish in a tie for 26th place.

The squad’s other freshman, Wesley Bryan, was a stroke better than on Saturday with a 2-over 74 that included only one bad hole, a double bogey at the par-4 8th. A birdie at the last got him to 2-over on the day and a tie for 32nd place overall at 4-over. Junior Patrick Rada was consistent throughout the week, following up a pair of 75s with a final-round 76 Sunday, giving him a total score of 226 (+10).

NC State’s Matt Hill, ranked 11th in the country by GolfState, took the individual title with a pair of 69s in the final two rounds to finish with a 7-under-par 209. Bryan IV was second at 4-under, followed by Jonathan Randolph of Ole Miss, who fired a 69 on Sunday to finish at 3-under.

The Gamecocks will return to the Palmetto State for their next event, the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate, which begins next Sunday, March 29, at Bulls Bay Golf Club in Awendaw.

(Photos courtesy of Georgia Southern Athletic Media Relations)

CAROLINA RESULTS
2. George Bryan IV – 74-70-68=212 (-4)
T11. Sam Braver – 71-74-71=216 (E)
T26. Mark Silvers III – 77-69-73=219 (+3)
T32. Wesley Bryan – 71-75-74=220 (+4)
T62. Patrick Rada – 75-75-76=226 (+10)

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. South Carolina (+1)
T2. Tennessee (+3)
T2. NC State (+3)
4. Florida (+6)
5. Kentucky (+11)
6. Georgia Southern (+12)
7. North Carolina (+15)
8. Mississippi (+17)
9. Auburn (+18)
10. North Florida (+20)
11. Virginia (+21)
T12. Vanderbilt (+22)
T12. LSU (+22)
14. Iowa (+25)
15. Georgia State (+28)
16. Oklahoma (+32)
17. Augusta State (+36)
18. Notre Dame (+48)