March 29, 2011

By Wes Todd
Assistant Media Relations Director

AWENDAW, S.C. – A hole-in-one by freshman Blaine Woodruff was the highlight of South Carolina’s final day at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate as the Gamecocks shot their best round of the week in Tuesday’s final round.

Carolina finished Tuesday’s round at 4-over-par 288, their best round of the week, as they moved up one spot in the final standings to finish in 13th place at the par 71, 7,298-yard Bulls Bay Golf Club.

“Today was much better,” head coach Bill McDonald said. “We dealt with some really rough conditions this week, but I was proud of the way the team responded today.”

Woodruff aced the 186-yard seventh hole to put an exclamation mark on an even-par round of 71, his second straight round of even par to finish the week. He hit a high draw to curve around the water hazard on the front-left of the green, and his ball took one bounce on the green and then dropped in the hole. Woodruff said it was his third lifetime hole-in-one.

“I knew it was going in when he hit it,” McDonald said. “It was a great shot. I tried to jump in his arms but he didn’t catch me. Really proud of the way he finished this week.”

The freshman from Acworth, Ga., finished his week at 5-over par 218, tied for 37th place. In addition to his ace at the seventh, Woodruff carded four birdies in his final round.

Sophomore Clint Tolleson was the Gamecocks’ top finisher, tying for 31st place with rounds of 69-75-73=217 (+3). In Tuesday’s round, he made the turn at even-par after a bogey at No. 11 and a birdie at the par-3 14th. He would get to 1-under after a birdie at No. 2, but three bogeys over his final six holes would drop him to a 2-over day.

Freshman Caulder Moore and junior Wesley Bryan both posted rounds of 72 (+1), equaling Bryan’s best round of the week and marking a five-shot improvement for Moore, who was playing on his home course of Bulls Bay. Bryan worked in a birdie at 16 to go along with bogeys at 14 and 18 to make the turn at 1-over, then birdied two of his first four holes on the front side to move to 1-under through 13. He would bogey the 611-yard par-5 sixth and then make another bogey at No. 8 to finish at 1-over.

Moore fought his way back from a 2-over start with a birdie at 16 and another at No. 6 to get back to even par. Only a bogey at No. 7 would keep him above par for the day. Freshman Logan Harrell wrapped up his week with a 78 (+7).

LSU defended its Hootie title with a 3-under-par 849, holding off defending national champion Augusta State by one shot. Auburn and Duke tied for third place at 855 (+3). Individually, NC State’s Mitchell Sutton and LSU’s Andrew Loupe tied for medalist honors at 207 (-6), with a three-way tie for third place at 209 (-4) among Phillip Choi (Florida), Mitchell Krywulycz (Augusta State) and Jonathan Randolph (Ole Miss).

The Gamecocks will have a quick turnaround for their final tournament of the regular season as they make the short trip to Augusta for the Insperity Augusta State Invitational. The event runs Saturday and Sunday at Forest Hills Country Club.

HOOTIE AT BULLS BAY INTERCOLLEGIATE – FINAL ROUND
March 29, 2011 • Awendaw, S.C.
Bulls Bay Golf Club • Par 71, 7,298 Yards

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T31. Clint Tolleson – 69-75-73=217 (+3)
T37. Blaine Woodruff – 76-71-71=218 (+4)
T44. Wesley Bryan – 72-77-72=221 (+7)
T64. Caulder Moore – 82-77-72=231 (+17)
T71. Logan Harrell – 80-75-78=233 (+19)

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. LSU – 849 (-3)
2. Augusta State – 850 (-2)
T3. Auburn – 855 (+3)
T3. Duke – 855 (+3)
T5. Wake Forest – 856 (+4)
T5. Texas A&M – 856 (+4)
T5. NC State – 856 (+4)
8. Florida – 869 (+17)
9. Mississippi – 872 (+20)
T10. North Florida – 877 (+25)
T10. Virginia – 877 (+25)
12. North Carolina – 879 (+27)
13. South Carolina – 883 (+31)
14. Kentucky – 884 (+32)
15. College of Charleston – 912 (+60)