Sept. 30, 2014

REUNION, Fla. – Led by senior Justine Dreher’s individual win, South Carolina captured the inaugural ANNIKA Intercollegiate title by seven strokes at the Reunion Resort’s Watson Course on Tuesday. In their first tournament of the season, the Gamecocks fired a 10-under 854 at the three-day event with Dreher finishing the tournament at 9-under.

The hand-selected field at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate is likely the deepest of the regular season. The 12-team field included 11 of the top 13 teams in the Golfweek preseason poll.

Entering the day with a one-stroke lead, all five South Carolina golfers shot even par or below during the final round to record a third-round total of 852 (-6).

After carding a pair of 68s (-4) on the first two days of the tournament, Dreher captured her first collegiate win. Dreher kept Duke’s Leona Maguire at bay with today’s round of 71 (-1). Maguire was the runner-up at 8-under with her Blue Devil teammate Celine Boutier and Stanford’s Shannon Aubert finishing in a tie for third at 6-under.

With three birdies on the back nine, freshman Nanna Madsen carded a round of 70 (-2) for her second under-par round of the event. Madsen recorded a three-day total of 214 (-2) in her first collegiate tournament to finish tied for ninth.

Sophomore Jia Xin Yang led South Carolina today, firing a 3-under 69, the best round of her career at South Carolina. Yang finished in a tie for 22nd with a total of 218 (+2). Steady junior Mary Fran Hillow yet again posted her third even-par round of the week for a total of 216 to finish in a tie for 14th.

Katelyn Dambaugh bounced back on the final day after struggling in the first two rounds, posting a round of 72 (E). Dambaugh finished the tournament at 9-over in a tie for 47th.

Arizona, the leader after the first round, finished in second place with a total of 861 (-3). Thanks to a third-round charge, Oklahoma State finished in third at 2-under (862) with Stanford just behind at even par. Duke, the defending National Champions, took fifth at 3-over.

ROUND CHANGER

South Carolina pulled away from the field on the back nine, shooting 5-under and producing nine birdies.

KEY STAT All five Gamecocks carded rounds of even par or below in today’s final round.

NOTABLES

• For the third-straight day, Justine Dreher produced a bogey-free front nine. The senior recorded just three bogeys at the 54-hole event while posting 12 birdies.
• Dreher took advantage of the par-5s, shooting 8-under over the course of the tournament to lead the field.
• The Gamecocks’ three-day total of 852 is the second-best 54-hole score in program history.
• Today’s round of 282 (-6) matches Sunday’s round as the seventh-best 18-hole score in school history.
• For the first time since 1980, the Gamecocks have captured a tournament title in their first event of the year.
• Just three teams finished under par – South Carolina (-10), Arizona (-3) and Oklahoma State (-2).
• The Gamecocks defeated SEC foes Alabama (+8) and Vanderbilt (+18) at the event.

TWEET OF THE ROUND

Justine Dreher wins the individual title of #ANNIKAIntercollegiate and leads @GamecockWGolf to the team title pic.twitter.com/InEtuE9tVC

— ANNIKA Foundation (@ANNIKA_Fdn) September 30, 2014

QUOTABLE South Carolina Head Coach Kalen Anderson
I’m just really proud of the way the team played today. It was a lot closer throughout the day than what it looked like in the final score. Most of the day, there were some teams ahead of us that were going low. We held the lead all day, but teams got within one or two of us. Stanford and Oklahoma State were playing really well, and Arizona was right there with us. It was close coming down the stretch with Arizona, but over the last few holes, we took control and clinched it. It’s huge that we had all five of our players in it all day under a pressure situation. I’m really, really proud. They played to win and were fierce out there. It was a great way to start the season. Twelve of the top 15 teams in the country were there. It was just a fun way to start the season.

As for Justine, I’m really happy for her to get her first collegiate win. She’s been due. She’s an incredibly hard worker and leader for our team on and off the course. She’s organized and detailed with her goals. Today, she was patient. It’s a difficult situation to have the lead. Early today, she had some birdie opportunities that didn’t fall, and she hung in there to get the win.

UP NEXT

The Gamecocks will be back in action at the Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill, N.C. The event at the UNC Finley Golf Course is set for Oct. 10-12.

South Carolina Results
1. Justine Dreher 68-68-71=2-7 (-9)
T9. Nanna Madsen 69-75-70=214 (-2)
T14. Mary Fran Hillow 72-72-72=216 (E)
T22. Jia Xin Yang 73-76-69=218 (+2)
T47. Katelyn Dambaugh 78-75-72=225 (+9)

Team Results
1. South Carolina 282-290-282=854 (-10)
2. Arizona 280-293-288=861 (-3)
3. Oklahoma State 287-292-283=862 (-2)
4. Stanford 286-293-285=864 (E)
5. Duke 293-286-288=867 (+3)
6. Southern California 287-291-291=869 (+5)
7. Northwestern 286-289-296=871 (+7)
8. Alabama 292-292-288=872 (+8)
9. UCLA 295-289-291=875 (+11)
10. Pepperdine 295-293-289=877 (+13)
T11. Arizona State 293-298-291=882 (+18)
T11. Vanderbilt 300-291-291=882 (+18)