Sept. 27, 2009

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – South Carolina sophomore Katie Burnett put together a 36-hole total of 142 (-2) to earn her second top-20 finish in as many events and lead the Gamecocks at the Mason Rudolph Women’s Championship. With a team score of 296, South Carolina was four strokes better on Sunday than in Friday’s first round and finished at 596 (+20) in 17th place at the rain-shortened event at the Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course.

Burnett, who was tied for eighth after Friday’s first round, shot a 1-over 73 on Sunday to finish tied for 20th place at 2-under par. Burnett had four birdies, three bogeys and one double-bogey on the day as she led South Carolina for the week.

Senior Corrine Carr had Carolina’s best round of the day, shooting an even-par 72 to finish at 7-over-par for the week and tied for 76th place. Carr had only a bogey to blemish her opening-nine scorecard as she made the turn at 1-over, then had three birdies and two bogeys on her back nine to finish at even par for the day.

Freshman Amanda Strang was consistent with a pair of 74s on the week to finish at 148 (+4), tied for 61st. Freshman Meredith Swanson and sophomore Taylor Weaver both improved by one shot on Sunday as Swanson shot 77 to finish 84th and Weaver shot 80, finishing 88th.

Southern California took the team title with a 560 (-16), and UCLA was two strokes behind at 14-under. Auburn finished one stroke back of the Bruins at 13-under par.

The Trojans’ Jennifer Song ran away with individual medalist honors, shooting 66-66-132 (-12) to win by three shots over Vanderbilt’s Marina Alex, Auburn’s Cydney Clanton and UCLA’s Sydnee Michaels.

The teams played 18 holes on Sunday to make the tournament a 36-hole event after heavy rains forced the cancellation of Saturday’s second round.

The Gamecocks return to the links in two weeks as they travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., for the Lady Tar Heel Intercollegiate.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T20. Katie Burnett – 69-73=142 (-2)
T61. Amanda Strang – 74-74=148 (+4)
T76. Corrine Carr – 79-72=151 (+7)
84. Meredith Swanson – 78-77=155 (+11)
88. Taylor Weaver – 81-80=161 (+17)

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Southern Cal (-16)
2. UCLA (-14)
3. Auburn (-13)
T4. Arizona State (-11)
T4. Duke (-11)
6. LSU (-7)
7. Alabama (-6)
8. Oklahoma State (-5)
9. Georgia (-3)
10. Arizona (E)
11. Vanderbilt (+2)
12. Virginia (+3)
13. Stanford (+4)
14. Florida (+5)
15. Texas (+8)
16. Tulane (+9)
17. South Carolina (+20)