Sept. 28, 2014

REUNION, Fla. – South Carolina women’s golf opened the 2014-15 season with a 6-under 282 on Sunday at the Reunion Resort’s Watson Course and sit in second place after the first round of the ANNIKA Intercollegiate hosted by the ANNIKA Foundation and Golfweek.

Senior Justine Dreher sits atop the leaderboard with Arizona’s Wanasa Zhou after shooting a 4-under 68. Dreher posted five birdies in the round. Freshman Nanna Madsen is tied for third after carding a 3-under 69 in her first collegiate match.

Junior Mary Fran Hillow was the third Gamecock to shoot par or better, turning in an even 72. Sophomore Jia Xin Yang shot a 1-over 73.

The Gamecocks are just two strokes behind current leader Arizona who shot an 8-under 280 today. Behind South Carolina, Northwestern and Stanford are tied for third at 2-under.

The ANNIKA Intercollegiate features 12 of the top Division I women’s programs. Eleven of the 12 teams at the ANNIKA are featured in the top 13 of Golfweek’s preseason rankings.

ROUND CHANGER

After making the turn at 3-under, Justine Dreher overcame a bogey on the 12th with a pair of birdies on 14 and 17 to finish the day tied for first at 68 (-4).

KEY STAT The Gamecocks posted 64 pars in today’s round to lead the field.

NOTABLES

• Justine Dreher led the field in par-5 scoring (3-under) and posted five birdies in the round.
• Nanna Madsen completed her first round of collegiate golf bogey free to finish at 3-under.
• Three Gamecocks played a bogey-free front nine – Dreher, Madsen and Mary Fran Hillow.
• Today’s round of 282 matches the second round at the 2002 SEC Championship as the seventh-best 18-hole score in program history.
• Today marked the opening day of the inaugural ANNIKA Intercollegiate, an event co-founded by the ANNIKA Foundation and Golfweek. The event features 12 of the top Division I women’s programs in the country.

QUOTABLE South Carolina Head Coach Kalen Harris
We had a very solid start today in a very strong field. Justine played extremely well at 4-under and Nanna at 3-under. Mary Fran and Jia Xin played very steady at even at 1-over. Katelyn had a tough day, but has been playing extremely well lately. I expect that she will bounce back. We came out loose and focused and we need to stick to the same mentality the next two days.

UP NEXT The Gamecocks will tee off the second round from hole No. 1 at 8:50 a.m. on Monday and will be paired with Arizona and Stanford. Live scoring is available at www.GolfStat.com.

South Carolina Results
T1. Justine Dreher (4) 68 (-4)
T3. Nanna Madsen (1) 69 (-3)
T20. Mary Fran Hillow (3) 72 (E)
T28. Jia Xin Yang (5) 73 (+1)
T53. Katelyn Dambaugh (2) 78 (+6)

Team Standings
1. Arizona 280 (-8)
2. South Carolina 282 (-6)
T3. Northwestern 286 (-2)
T3. Stanford 286 (-2)
T5. Oklahoma State 287 (-1)
T5. Southern California 287 (-1)
7. Alabama 292 (+4)
T8. Arizona State 293 (+5)
T8. Duke 293 (+5)
T10. UCLA 295 (+7)
T10. Pepperdine 295 (+7)
12. Vanderbilt 300 (+12)