March 27, 2011

By Wes Todd
Assistant Media Relations Director

AWENDAW, S.C. – South Carolina sophomore Clint Tolleson shot a 2-under-par 69 on Sunday to pace the Gamecocks in the opening round of the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate. The Gamecocks posted a team score of 297 (+13) and sit in 12th place after 18 holes at the par 71, 7,298-yard Bulls Bay Golf Club.

Tolleson, playing in just his third tournament of the year, made five birdies on the day to post his best 18-hole round of the season and equal the second-best of his collegiate career. He started off strong with a birdie at the opening hole, then overcame a bogey at No. 4 with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 7 and 8. A bogey at the ninth left him 1-under at the turn, and a birdie-bogey start to the back nine kept him in the same position. The native of Spartanburg then rolled off five straight pars before a birdie at the lengthy par-3 17th got him back to 2-under, where he would finish the day after a par at 18. It was the first round under par for Tolleson this season, leaving him in a tie for seventh place following 18 holes of play.

Junior Wesley Bryan, playing on a course where he has had success in the past, carded a pair of birdies en route to an opening 72 (+1), tying him for 32nd place through one round. Bryan had a mostly uneventful day, carding 14 pars with two birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey. He was even-par at the turn after birdie at No. 2 and a bogey at the fourth, but a double-bogey at the tricky par-3 12th over the water dropped him to 2-over. He would make birdie at No. 16 to get back to 1-over, and made par on the last two holes.

Carolina’s freshmen found the going a bit rough on Sunday. Blaine Woodruff opened with a 76 (+5) but did card two birdies on the day. Logan Harrell opened with an 80 (+9), and Caulder Moore posted an opening-round 82 (+11).

Wake Forest shot an opening 280 (-4) to take a one-shot lead over defending national champion Augusta State, Auburn and defending Hootie champion LSU at 281 (-3). Individually, a three-way tie for the lead exists at 67 (-4) among Blayne Barber (Auburn), Lee Bedford (Wake Forest) and Mitchell Sutton (NC State). Three more are at 3-under with Tolleson in a three-way tie for seventh.

The Gamecocks will begin their second round at 9 a.m. Monday on the No. 10 tee, paired with Virginia and Ole Miss. Live scoring is available through golfstatresults.com.

HOOTIE AT BULLS BAY INTERCOLLEGIATE – FIRST ROUND
March 27, 2011 • Awendaw, S.C.
Bulls Bay Golf Club • Par 71, 7,298 Yards

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T7. Clint Tolleson – 69 (-2)
T32. Wesley Bryan – 72 (+1)
T52. Blaine Woodruff – 76 (+5)
T67. Logan Harrell – 80 (+9)
T72. Caulder Moore – 82 (+11)

TEAM STANDINGS
1. Wake Forest – 280 (-4)
T2. Augusta State – 281 (-3)
T2. Auburn – 281 (-3)
T2. LSU – 281 (-3)
5. Texas A&M – 282 (-2)
6. North Florida – 287 (+3)
T7. Florida – 288 (+4)
T7. NC State – 288 (+4)
T7. Duke – 288 (+4)
10. Mississippi – 289 (+5)
11. Virginia – 294 (+10)
12. South Carolina – 297 (+13)
13. Kentucky – 301 (+17)
T14. College of Charleston – 306 (+22)
T14. North Carolina – 306 (+22)