Oct. 30, 2011

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The South Carolina men’s golf team posted a final-round 301 (+13) on Sunday to finish in fifth place at the Bridgestone Golf Collegiate at Forest Oaks Country Club.

The Gamecocks, who entered the day on top of the leaderboard, ended the tournament with a two-round score of 592 (+16), which was 10 strokes back of tournament champion Iowa State (582).

“We got off to a rough start today and found a way to hang in there,” South Carolina head coach Bill McDonald said. “We lost a few more shots late and that hurt us. Overall it was a pretty solid tournament, and the guys got to experience being in contention again.”

Senior Wesley Bryan and junior Dykes Harbin were Carolina’s top finishers as they tied for 15th with two-round scores of 147 (+3). Bryan carded a 75 (+3) on Sunday, while Harbin turned in a 4-over 76.

Bryan recorded double bogey and bogey on his third and fourth holes of the day but he played even par down the stretch to finish the day at 3-over.

Harbin struggled early as he was 7-over through 12 holes but he caught fire with four straight birdies on the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th holes to move to 3-over. A bogey on the 18th left Harbin at 4-over at the end of the round.

Freshman Sean Kelly posted the lowest round of the day for the Gamecocks with a 1-over 73. The Staten Island, N.Y., native was 2-under through eight holes but he recorded only one birdie, four bogeys and five pars the rest of the way to conclude the round at 1-over and end the tournament tied for 34th with a score of 150 (+6).

Freshman Will Murphy shot a 79 (+8) on Sunday to tie for 34th with a score of 150 (+6) in his first career appearance, while sophomore Blaine Woodruff carded a 5-over 77 to tie for 72nd with a score of 156 (+12).

North Carolina State’s Albin Choi fired a 3-under 69 to win medalist honors with a two-round score of 139 (-5).

The Gamecocks now head into winter workouts in preparation for the spring season, which begins on Feb. 26 at the Seahawk Invitational in Wilmington, N.C.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS
T15. Dykes Harbin 71-76=147
T15. Wesley Bryan 72-75=147
T34. Sean Kelly 77-73=150
T34. Will Murphy 71-79=150
T72. Blaine Woodruff 79-77=156

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Iowa State 582
2. North Carolina State 587
T3. Virginia Tech 591
T3. Mississippi State 591
5. South Carolina 592
T6. North Carolina 593
T6. Kentucky 593
T6. 38 Purdue 593
T6. Michigan 593
T10. Pepperdine 594
T10. Mississippi 594
T12. UNCG 598
T12. Georgia State 598
14. VCU 603
15. Toledo 609