Gamecocks Set to Host Darius Rucker Intercollegiate

March 6, 2014

Notes | Live Scoring

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina women’s golf team opens play on Friday in one of the premier tournaments in collegiate golf as it hosts the third annual Darius Rucker Intercollegiate in Hilton Head Island, S.C. The 54-hole event runs through Sunday on the Pete Dye Course at Long Cove Club, which features a par-71, 6,142 yard layout.

“This tournament has become a really neat event for women’s golf in general,” said head coach Kalen Harris. “We obviously have Darius Rucker involved, he’s a huge University of South Carolina fan. We also have Long Cove Club involved, which is a very exclusive, private club here in Hilton Head. The two of them together have drawn a lot of teams here, a very elite field. They [Long Cove Club] put on an incredible event and we’re just excited to be here”

The Gamecocks are currently ranked No. 12 in the Golf World/WGCA Division I College Coaches’ Poll. No. 12 is the highest ever ranking achieved by South Carolina in this poll. The Gamecocks are also ranked in the Golfstat Poll at No. 13 and in the Golfweek Sagarin Rankings at No. 14.

South Carolina looks to continue the momentum from its first place finish as the Florida State Match-Up. Sophomore Sarah Schmelzel led the way for the Garnet and Black as she claimed second place, a career-best finish, after firing rounds of 70-72-70=212(-4).

Schmelzel will hold the top spot in this weekend’s lineup followed by senior Samantha Swinehart and junior Justine Dreher. Freshman Jia Xin Yang earned a spot in the lineup after a stellar performance in her collegiate debut, competing as an individual at the Florida State Match-Up. Freshman Katelyn Dambaugh will take the last spot the lineup for the Gamecocks. South Carolina will also enter two individuals in the tournament in senior Suzie Lee and sophomore Mary Fran Hillow.

At last year’s Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, South Carolina finished in 11th place with rounds of 314-305-302=921 (+69). Suzie Lee finished highest on the individual leaderboard as she tied for 17th place with rounds of 75-75-73=223 (+10). Next on the leaderboard for the Gamecocks were Justine Dreher and Mary Fran Hillow, the pair tied for 39th and 54th, respectively. In 2012 the Gamecocks claimed eighth place after shooting rounds of 303-301=604 (+36) in the rain-shortened tournament. Alabama has won the tournament both years with scores of 876 (+24) in 2013 and 571 (+3) in 2012.

The 17-team field consists of 11 teams currently ranked in the Golf World/WGCA Division I College Coaches’ Poll, including six of the top-10. New to the tournament this year are No. 3 Duke, No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 9 Stanford and Kentucky. Nine SEC teams will participate in this year’s tournament as No. 6 Alabama, No. 7 Arkansas, No. 24 Auburn, Georgia, No. 25 LSU, Tennessee and No. 14 Vanderbilt join South Carolina and Kentucky. No. 4 Arizona State, Furman, North Carolina, Virginia and Wake Forest round out the field.

“This is one of the best fields of the year,” Harris said. “That’s what this event is all about, trying to draw the most exclusive and best teams and make it a premier event. We’re going to have to play some of out best golf and we have been playing very well. We just need to keep playing our game and put ourselves in a position to contend. If we can do that, then on Sunday we’re going to have an opportunity to win the event.”

First round play begins Friday at 8:00 a.m. Live scoring will be available Here