April 19, 2015

Final Results

HOOVER, Ala. – After entering the final round of the 2015 SEC Championships nine shots behind leader No. 13 Texas A&M, the No. 2 Gamecocks pulled within two strokes on the back nine, but ultimately finished second after shooting a 1-under 284 in the final round at the Greystone Golf and Country Club. South Carolina posted a 54-hole team score of 863 (-1).

The Gamecocks drew within two strokes just after making the turn, but the Aggies pulled back out ahead by five strokes. With most golfers having just three holes to go, a weather delay struck. At the time, South Carolina had pulled back within three shots, but when they returned to the course, lost momentum.

Senior Justine Dreher capped her career at the SEC Championships with her fourth top-15 finish. Dreher was 2-under (70) on the day. She briefly shared the lead, but struggled after the delay to finish the tournament at 4-under (212).

Sophomore Katelyn Dambaugh had some difficulty on the front nine before steadying after the turn to finish the day at 2-over (74) and tie with Dreher at 4-under (212) for the weekend. It is the highest SEC Championships finish of her career.

Junior Sarah Schmelzel played steady golf throughout the day to finish at even-par (72) in the third round. Schmelzel was 5-over (221) for the weekend to tie for 21st. In her first SEC Championship appearance, sophomore Jia Xin Yang finished at 5-over (221) to also tie for 21st. Yang rebounded from a tough first round to shoot a 1-under 71 on Saturday followed by a 2-under 70 on Sunday. She birdied three-straight holes on the front nine to jump-start her day.

Junior Mary Fran Hillow also posted her best finish at the conference event, taking 39th at 10-over (226). Hillow carded her best round of the tournament on Sunday, shooting even-par (72).

Texas A&M claimed both the team and individual crowns. The Aggies finished at 13-under (851) after posting an 11-under second round on Saturday to create separation and 7-under 281 in the final round on Sunday. Their second-round 277 set a new team round SEC Championship record. At 9-under (207), A&M’s Bianca Fabrizio earned medalist honors by two strokes over her teammate Maddie Szeryk (-7).

NOTABLES

• This is the second-straight season the Gamecocks have finished as the tournament runner up. South Carolina has brought home a top-three finish in each of the last three seasons.
• South Carolina’s 54-hole score of 863 is the program’s second-best ever at the SEC Championships. It is the fifth-lowest 54-hole score in school history.

UP NEXT South Carolina awaits NCAA Regional selections. The selection show will be broadcast on the Golf Channel on Mon., April 27, at 6 p.m. ET. This season, there are four regional sites – the Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh, N.C, the Warren Golf Course in South Bend, Ind., the Briggs Ranch Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas, and the Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club in St. George, Utah.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS

T4. Katelyn Dambaugh 73-65-74=212 (-4)
T4. Justine Dreher 70-72-70=212 (-4)
T29. Sarah Schmelzel 77-72-72=221 (+5)
T38. Jia Xin Yang 80-71-70=221 (+5)
T47. Mary Fran Hillow 79-75-72=226 (+10)

TEAM STANDINGS 1. Texas A&M 293-277-281=851 (-13)
2. South Carolina 299-280-284=863 (-1)
3. Vanderbilt 293-292-282=867 (+3)
4. Tennessee 293-291-294=878 (+14)
5. Alabama 300-288-296=884 (+20)
6. Florida 299-295-290=892 (+22)
7. LSU 299-293-297=889 (+25)
8. Arkansas 300-293-298=891 (+27)
9. Auburn 307-295-290=892 (+28)
10. Georgia 306-289-298=893 (+29)
11 Kentucky 307-297-290=894 (+30)
12. Mississippi State 308-291-298=897 (+33)
13. Missouri 307-302-306=915 (+51)
14. Mississippi 310-307-308=925 (+61)