Feb. 13, 2015

Day 1 Results

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – No. 1 South Carolina opened the 2015 spring season with a 4-over 292 on Friday at the SouthWood Golf Course to top the leaderboard by four strokes after the first round of the Florida State Match-Up. Senior Justine Dreher shot even par (72) to lead the Gamecocks and finish the opening day tied for fourth.

In the team’s first round of the spring, Dreher picked up where she left off after posting a stroke average of 71.92 in the fall. The senior strung together three-straight birdies on the back nine to start the day before carding the Gamecocks’ first eagle of 2015 on the par-4 No. 2.

Junior Sarah Schmelzel made a strong season debut after missing the fall due to injury. Schmelzel, the individual runner-up at the 2014 Florida State Match-Up, opened this year’s event with a 1-over 73. Sophomore Katelyn Dambaugh matched her score and the pair is tied for sixth.

In her debut in the lineup, freshman Ainhoa Olarra was solid with a 2-over 74 and carded three birdies. Olarra finished the day tied for 18th.

The Gamecocks dropped Mary Fran Hillow’s score. The junior struggled out of the gate on the back nine, but rebounded by shooting 1-over on the front nine. She finished with a 6-over 78 (T44).

Mississippi State finished the day in second at 8-over with Coastal Carolina and Kennesaw State tied for third at 10-over. In the individual standings, Bianca Fabrizio of Texas A&M tops the standings at 3-under (69). Virginia’s Lauren Coughlin and Coastal Carolina’s Malene Krolboll Hansen are just behind at 1-under. At even par, Dreher is tied with Ally McDonald from Mississippi State in fourth.

KEY STAT

Three Gamecocks – Dreher, Olarra, Schmelzel – carded three birdies apiece as the team combined to post seven overall in their first round of the spring.

NOTABLES

• Justine Dreher’s eagle on the par 4 No. 2 is the second of the Gamecocks’ season and the first of the spring. Mary Fran Hillow carded the first eagle of the year on her way to a program record 65 in the third round of the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate in October.
• Dreher’s eagle was the only one in the first round of the event.
• The Gamecocks captured the 2014 Florida State Match-Up title in their first appearance at the event last spring.

QUOTABLE South Carolina Head Coach Kalen Harris
Overall, we had a solid first round of the spring. We battled through very cold, windy conditions early this morning, as well as some tough pin placements. The team played very steady throughout the day and is in a good position heading into tomorrow.

UP NEXT The Gamecocks continue the Florida State Match-Up tomorrow morning. Follow along here.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS T4. Justine Dreher (2) 72 (E)
T6. Katelyn Dambaugh (4) 73 (+1)
T6. Sarah Schmelzel (1) 73 (+1)
T18. Ainhoa Olarra (5) 74 (+2)
T44. Mary Fran Hillow (3) 78 (+6)

TEAM STANDINGS 1. South Carolina 292 (+4)
2. Mississippi State 296 (+8)
T3. Coastal Carolina 298 (+10)
T3. Kennesaw State 298 (+10)
T5. Florida State 300 (+12)
T5. Texas A&M 299 (+11)
T7. Missouri 300 (+12)
T7. Virginia 300 (+12)
9. Furman 301 (+13)
10. East Tennessee St. 309 (+21)
11. Troy 312 (+24)
12. Georgia State 232 (+35)