Gamecocks Tie For 12th At Tar Heel Invitational

Oct. 14, 2012

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The South Carolina women’s golf team posted a final-round 311 (+23) on Sunday to wrap up the Tar Heel Invitational in a tie for 12th place at the UNC Finley Golf Course.

The Gamecocks finished the tournament with a three-round total of 910 (+46).

Junior Samantha Swinehart led South Carolina on Sunday with her second round of even-par 72 of the weekend. A native of Lancaster, Ohio, Swinehart recorded her first top-20 finish of the season and fifth of her career as she tied for 12th with a three-day total of 220 (+4). The finish is the second best of her career.

“It wasn’t the finishing round we were hoping for, but we put together two solid rounds,” South Carolina head coach Kalen Harris said. “Samantha had a good tournament, finishing 12th. It’s nice to see her playing well, as she can make a strong team impact along with Sarah Schmelzel’s steady play.”

Swinehart started the day on the back nine and moved to 2-under early in the round with back-to-back birdies on holes 13 and 14. However, she gave both strokes back with bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes. She bounced back to make 11 straight pars to close out her round.

Schmelzel carded a 6-over 78 on Sunday as she just missed out on her second consecutive top-20 finish. She closed out the tournament in a tie for 25th with a total of 223 (+7).

Freshman Chelsey Couch, who played the weekend as an individual, was the next Gamecock on the leaderboard as she tied for 47th with a total of 229 (+13) after shooting her second straight round of 75 (+3).

Junior Suzie Lee tied for 67th with a total of 234 (+18) after carding a final-round 81 (+9). Sophomore Justine Dreher shot an 8-over 80 to wrap up the tournament in a tie for 73rd with a score of 235 (+19), and senior Meredith Swanson turned in an 82 (+10) on Sunday to tie for 82nd with a score of 238 (+22).

Tournament host North Carolina shot a final-round 291 (+3) to win the event with a total of 872 (+8). Mississippi and Baylor tied for second with scores of 885 (+21), followed by Duke (887), Virginia (888) and Arkansas (888).

Florida’s Isabelle Lendl fired a 3-under 69 to win medalist honors with a tournament total of 210 (-6).

The Gamecocks will wrap up their fall schedule on Oct. 26-28 in the Landfall Tradition at The Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C. South Carolina finished fourth at the tournament last season.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTST12. Samantha Swinehart (3)    72-76-72=220 (+4)T25. Sarah Schmelzel (1)  72-73-78=223 (+7)T67. Suzie Lee (5)      78-75-81=234 (+18)T73. Justine Dreher (2)    78-77-80=235 (+19)T82. Meredith Swanson (4)    76-80-82=238 (+22)*T47. Chelsey Couch         79-75-75=229 (+13)*Played as an individual
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS1. North Carolina   288-293-291=872 (+8)T2. Mississippi     299-297-289=885 (+21)T2. Baylor      288-303-294=885 (+21)4. Duke         296-301-290=887 (+23)T5. Virginia        286-309-293=888 (+24)T5. Arkansas        301-297-290=888 (+24)7. NC State         300-295-294=889 (+25)8. LSU          294-302-297=893 (+29)9. Florida      301-292-302=895 (+31)10. Michigan State  302-298-300=900 (+36)11. Louisville      304-297-301=902 (+38)T12. South Carolina  298-301-311=910 (+46)T12. Kentucky       305-305-300=910 (+46)14. Auburn      311-308-302=921 (+57)15. UCF         307-314-303=924 (+60)16. Wake Forest     304-310-312=926 (+62)17. Colorado        311-312-307=930 (+66)18. Michigan        319-304-324=947 (+83)