April 3, 2009

BROWNS SUMMIT, N.C. – South Carolina freshman Katie Burnett shot a 3-over-par 75 to lead the Gamecock women’s golf team Friday in the first round of the Bryan National Collegiate at Bryan Park Champions Course. On a day when scores were high across the board, the Gamecocks turned in a team score of 311 (+23) and are tied for 10th through one round of play.

Burnett had the most consistent round of the day for South Carolina, carding a pair of birdies to go along with four bogeys on the day. She made the turn at 1-over and birdied the 10th hole to stand at even par, but three bogeys over her final six holes dropped her to 3-over. She is tied for seventh heading into Saturday’s second round.

Freshman Cayci Ruppe was two shots behind Burnett in a tie for 25th place after a 5-over 77. After a rough start that included four bogeys in five holes, Ruppe was able to settle down and play the rest of her round at just 1-over. Junior Corrine Carr also got off to a rough start and was 8-over after seven holes, but carded a pair of birdies on the back nine and was even par over her final 11 holes of the day.

Junior Benedicte Toumpsin was reasonably steady through the first two-thirds of her round, standing 2-over through 13 holes. But a pair of double-bogeys and a bogey at the final hole dropped her to 7-over for the day with a 79 and a tie for 49th.

The scores were high across the board as no team managed to break par on the day. LSU is ahead by a comfortable margin at 2-over after an opening-round 290. Virginia and Wake Forest are tied for second, 14 strokes back of the Lady Tigers at 16-over. Only 12 strokes separate second and 15th place.

Only one player finished her round under par as LSU’s Tessa Teachman carded a 4-under 68 to hold a commanding lead through one round. TCU’s Valentine Derrey is four strokes back after an even-par 72; she is the only other player at par or better.

The Gamecocks will begin their second round of play Saturday with tee times to be announced. Live results can be obtained through golfstat.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTST7. Katie Burnett - 75 (+3)T25. Cayci Ruppe - 77 (+5)T49. Benedicte Toumpsin - 79 (+7)T62. Corrine Carr - 80 (+8)T80. Taylor Barrett - 84 (+12)
TEAM STANDINGS1. LSU (+2)T2. Virginia (+16)T2. Wake Forest (+16)4. East Carolina (+17)5. Louisville (+18)6. North Carolina (+19)T7. Notre Dame (+21)T7. Coll. of Charleston (+21)9. Arkansas (+22)T10. South Carolina (+23)T10. TCU (+23)12. Tennessee (+25)13. UNC Wilmington (+26)14. Michigan State (+27)15. NC State (+28)16. Georgia (+30)T17. Ohio State (+32)T17. UNC Greensboro (+32)