Nov. 1, 2010

By Wes Todd
Assistant Media Relations Director

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore Dean Hester and freshman Caulder Moore put together 36 solid holes on Monday and are in the top 10 through two rounds at the Kiawah Intercollegiate. The Gamecocks are in eighth place at 625 (+49) after two rounds at the par 72, 7,061-yard Turtle Point Golf Course.

Playing as individuals, Hester and Moore were the two top players for the Gamecocks on this day – despite not counting toward the team score – with Hester posting a 70-75=145 (+1) and Moore shooting 74-73=147 (+3). Hester’s first-round 70 was a season-best and the second-best 18-hole round of his collegiate career as he recorded six birdies on the day. A bogey at No. 18 – his starting hole – and a tough triple-bogey at the par-5 10th were his only blemishes on an otherwise stellar round. His second round was a bit tougher with three bogeys and a double-bogey – again at No. 10 – but two birdies salvaged a 75 to leave him at 1-over for the day and tied for third place.

Moore, a native of nearby Isle of Palms, got off to a rough start in both rounds with a triple-bogey on No. 18 – also his opening hole – in the first round and a quadruple-bogey to start the second round. But he recovered nicely and rallied for 11 birdies in his remaining 34 holes to finish at 3-over for the day. Moore carded seven birdies in his first round en route to a 73, then had four more in the second round to lead to a 74 and a tie for sixth place in the individual standings.

The Gamecock starting lineup had mixed results. Freshman Blaine Woodruff was tied for sixth after a 1-under 71 in his opening round; he carded five birdies and four bogeys in the morning 18 to climb the leaderboard. But he found rougher going in the afternoon, finishing with an 81 (+9) to stand at 152 (+8) through two rounds and tied for 22nd place. Fellow freshman Logan Harrell shot 78-77=155 (+11) to move into a tie for 38th place.

Sophomore Dykes Harbin shot an 83 (+11) in the first round, but improved by six shots in the afternoon to go 83-77=160 (+16) for the day. Michael Raines, playing in his first varsity collegiate event, posted rounds of 86-79=165 (+21).

Indiana leads the team scoring through 36 holes at 578 (+2), followed by Campbell (+17) and College of Charleston (+22). Individually, the Hoosiers’ Brant Peaper shot 68-69=137 and leads by five shots at 7-under. Longwood’s Michael Young is second at 142 (-2), with Hester and Indiana’s David Mills tied for third place at 1-over.

The Gamecocks will be paired with George Washington and Presbyterian for Tuesday’s final round, and Hester and Moore will play with competitors from Western Illinois and Bethune-Cookman in an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. Live scoring is available via golfstatresults.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
*T3. Dean Hester – 70-75=145 (+1)
*T6. Caulder Moore – 74-73=147 (+3)
T22. Blaine Woodruff – 71-81=152 (+8)
T38. Logan Harrell – 78-77=155 (+11)
T51. Dykes Harbin – 83-77=160 (+16)
T62. Michael Raines – 86-79=165 (+21)
T77. Wesley Bryan – 79-101=180 (+36)
*Competed as individuals; score does not count toward team total