Nov. 7, 2010

By Wes Todd
Assistant Media Relations Director

STANFORD, Calif. – South Carolina team fought one of the toughest fields in women’s college golf and treacherous playing conditions on Sunday in the final round of the Pac-10/SEC Challenge, finishing 15th at the Stanford Golf Course. The Gamecocks shot 310 (+26) in the final round to finish at 912 (+60) for the week.

Freshman Katie Rose Higgins had the Gamecocks’ best round of the day, shooting a 75 (+4) to end her fall season on a high note. Despite a pair of double-bogeys on par-5s, Higgins came through with three birdies and 10 pars on a difficult scoring day on the par 71, 6,148-yard Stanford course. Starting on No. 14, she was 3-over after three holes, but made birdie at No. 18 to head to the front nine at 2-over. A double bogey at the first dropped her to plus-4, but she would play the next six holes at 1-under with a birdie at No. 5. Bogeys at Nos. 8 and 9 would be followed by a birdie at the 12th as she wrapped up her tournament in a tie for 63rd place.

Junior Katie Burnett was the team’s top finisher, but struggled in the final round with a 79 (+8). Burnett played her first six holes at 1-over, but ran into trouble on the front nine with five bogeys and a double-bogey on the first seven holes. However, from that point on, she was flawless, finishing with five pars and a tie for 47th place. Sophomore Amanda Strang and freshman Suzie Lee also both posted rounds of 79 to wrap up the week. Freshman Samantha Swinehart had her best round of the week, signing for a 77 (+6) that included a pair of birdies.

Fifth-ranked UCLA took the wire-to-wire victory, shooting a final-round 290 to finish at 856 (+4). No. 3 Alabama took runner-up honors at 867 (+15), and second-ranked Southern Cal finished in third place. The Trojans’ Sophia Popov was the individual medalist at 207 (-6) with UCLA’s Stephanie Kono in second and Auburn’s Cydney Clanton taking third place.

Play was suspended for two hours midway through the round due to unplayable course conditions on a rainy, cool day in northern California.

The Gamecocks will now have a little more than three months of offseason workouts and training before the spring season gets underway in February. Carolina will return to action Feb. 13-15 at the UCF Challenge in Sorrento, Fla.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T47. Katie Burnett – 74-73-79=226 (+13)
T58. Amanda Strang – 77-73-79=229 (+16)
T58. Suzie Lee – 73-77-79=229 (+16)
T63. Katie Rose Higgins – 75-80-75=230 (+17)
T91. Samantha Swinehart – 78-82-77=237 (+24)

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. UCLA – 856 (+4)
2. Alabama – 867 (+15)
3. Southern California – 875 (+23)
4. Arizona – 877 (+25)
5. Auburn – 879 (+27)
T6. Stanford – 882 (+30)
T6. Georgia – 882 (+30)
8. Tennessee – 886 (+34)
T9. Washington – 890 (+38)
T9. California – 890 (+38)
11. Arkansas – 891 (+39)
12. Vanderbilt – 897 (+45)
13. LSU – 907 (+55)
14. Oregon – 911 (+59)
T15. South Carolina – 912 (+60)
T15. Mississippi – 912 (+60)
17. Kentucky – 923 (+71)
18. Florida – 924 (+72)
19. Oregon State – 929 (+77)
20. Mississippi State – 941 (+89)
21. Washington State – 947 (+95)