Aug. 15, 2012

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina incoming freshman Matt NeSmith has had a stellar summer in the junior ranks and he will look to continue that success this week as he takes his golf game to the highest level on Thursday when he opens play in the PGA Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.

NeSmith will play as an amateur and is set to tee off at 2 p.m. on hole No. 10 at Sedgefield. A native of North Augusta, S.C., NeSmith earned a sponsor’s exemption to the tournament by claiming a one-stroke victory at the American Junior Golf Association Footjoy Invitational in June. The victory was just one of many highlights for NeSmith this summer, as he also won the prestigious AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions at the end of June and was one of four junior golfers to receive the Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Award in May.

Currently ranked the No. 1 junior golfer in the Polo Golf Rankings, NeSmith will join the Gamecocks for the 2012-13 season after concluding play at the Wyndham Championship.

NeSmith won’t be the only golfer with Gamecock ties playing in the Wyndham Championship, as former Carolina standouts Mark Anderson and Kyle Thompson will also tee off on Thursday.

Live scoring for the tournament will be available by clicking here. Television coverage will be provided on Thursday and Friday from 3-6 p.m. on the Golf Channel and on Saturday and Sunday from 3-6 p.m. on CBS.