June 18, 2015

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. — South Carolina rising senior Matt NeSmith carded a 6-over 76 in the opening round of the 115th U.S. Open Championship on Thursday at Chambers Bay.

Making his first major championship appearance, NeSmith finished the day in a tie for 129th. Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson share the lead after each carding a 5-under 65. The low 60 golfers and ties after Friday’s second round will make the cut for the final two rounds.

A native of North Augusta, S.C., NeSmith had a solid round going through nine holes, shooting a bogey-free 35 on the front side. However, he got off to a rough start on the back nine, recording a pair of double bogeys and three bogeys on five of his next six holes. He made his lone birdie of the day on the par-3 17th and then made par on No. 18 to get into the clubhouse in 6-over.

Former Gamecock All-American Mark Silvers carded a 72 on Thursday and will head into the second round in a tie for 52nd.

Silvers will tee off in the first wave for the second round on Friday at 12:01 p.m. EDT, while NeSmith is slated to tee off at 6:01 p.m. Fox Sports will have live coverage of the second round from 12-8 p.m. on Fox Sports 1 and from 8-11 on Fox.

HUSKEY T-10TH THROUGH TWO ROUNDS AT SOUTHEASTERN AMATEUR
At Columbus, Ga., South Carolina rising sophomore Keenan Huskey fired a second-round 68 (-3) on Thursday at the Country Club of Columbus to move into a tie for 10th at the Southeastern Amateur with a 36-hole total of 138 (-4).

Carter Page leads the tournament with a total of 132 (-10). The field will be cut to the low 60 and ties after Friday’s third round.

Gamecock senior Sean Kelly made a leap up the leaderboard as well after posting a 5-under 66 on Thursday. A native of Staten Island, N.Y., Kelly is tied for 21st with a total of 141 (-1).

Junior Ben Dietrich is tied for 65th with a total of 146 (+4) after shooting a 74, while Carolina’s Alex Handy is tied for 79th with a total of 148 (+6) after turning in a 3-under 68 in the second round.

Third-round play is scheduled to begin Friday at 8 a.m. Handy (9:10 a.m.) and Dietrich (9:50) will begin play in the morning, while Kelly (12:10 p.m.) and Huskey (1) are slated to tee off in the afternoon wave.

STARKE T-46TH AT SUNNEHANNA AMATEUR
At Johnstown, Pa., rising senior Will Starke shot a 72 (+2) in the second round of the Sunnehanna Amateur on Thursday at Sunnehanna Country Club.

Starke is tied for 46th with a 36-hole total of 141 (+1). Sean Crocker leads the event with a total of 133 (-7). The field will be cut to the low 50 and ties after Friday’s round.

Will Murphy, who was a senior for the Gamecocks this season and is the defending Sunnehanna champion, is tied for 74th with a total of 146 (+6) after shooting a 74 on Thursday.

Murphy will tee off in the third round at 9:40 a.m. on Friday, while Starke will begin play at 11.