April 3, 2016

BROWNS SUMMIT, N.C. — South Carolina women’s golf senior Sarah Schmelzel captured her first career medalist honors on Sunday, winning the individual title at the Bryan National Collegiate after firing a 3-over 75 in the final round of the 54-hole event.

Schmelzel finished two strokes clear of the field with a three-day total of 219 (+3), while the Gamecocks climbed up the leaderboard and earned a second-place finish (894, +30). Junior Katelyn Dambaugh carded the only round under par (70, -2) on the final day, as she moved up 26 spots to finish in a tie for second at 5-over (221).

South Carolina’s third-round total of 298 (+10) marked the low round of the day and was six strokes lower than Virginia, which won the tournament with a score of 888 (+24). Schmelzel became the first Gamecock to earn medalist honors since Nanna Madsen won the individual title at the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Collegiate, and the senior is the fifth player to finish first in an event under head coach Kalen Anderson.

As she did all weekend, Schmelzel battled the windy conditions and found her stroke down the stretch on Sunday at the Bryan Park Champions Course. Following a front-nine 4-over (41), the Phoenix, Ariz., native recovered with birdies on holes No. 15 and 17. She recorded just one bogey following the turn and carded a back-nine 1-under (34).

Dambaugh notched her 10th round of par or better this season on Sunday, tallying three birdies on the final day. After opening with a par on the par-4 fifth, the junior birdied No. 6 before making the turn at 1-under (34). She tallied back-to-back birdies on No. 15 and 16 and closed her round with six-straight pars. This weekend marked Dambaugh’s fourth top-three finish of the season.

Ainhoa Olarra grabbed her second top-20 showing of the spring after finishing with a 54-hole total of 226 (+10). She collected two birdies and recorded a 3-over 75 on Sunday to end the tournament in a tie for 15th place. The sophomore shot a 37 (+2) on her front nine and tallied her final birdie of the tournament on the par-4 17th.

Freshman Marion Veysseyre wrapped up a successful weekend with a third-round 6-over (78) to earn her lowest career finish (T35). She totaled a three-round score of 230 (+14) and tallied three birdies on Sunday, the last one coming on the par-4 second.

Jia Xin Yang ended the weekend in a tie for 47th place (234, +18) after shooting a 79 (+7) in round three, while freshman Gaby Amos, who competed as an individual, placed 64th with a three-round total of 241 (+25).

Florida State finished third (896, +32), while host Wake Forest (901, +37) and Notre Dame (909, +45) and Kentucky (909, +45) rounded out the top five. The Demon Deacons’ Jennifer Kupcho and Florida State’s Matilda Castren finished second individually along with Dambaugh.

Quoting Coach Kalen Anderson

Round Changer

Notable

• This weekend marked South Carolina’s second runner-up honors of the spring. The Gamecocks opened 2016 with a second-placing showing at the FSU Match-Up (Feb. 12-14).
• South Carolina has finished second in each of its last two appearances (2016, 2014) at the Bryan National Collegiate.
• Senior Sarah Schmelzel boasts two top-three finishes at the Bryan National Collegiate. She placed third at the event in 2014.
• For the second time this spring, South Carolina had three golfers (Sarah Schmelzel, Katelyn Dambaugh, Ainhoa Olarra) finish in the top 20.
• The Gamecocks led the field this weekend in pars (174). Junior Katelyn Dambaugh totaled the most pars (41) among individuals.

Up Next

The Gamecocks open postseason play at the SEC Tournament later this month. The three-day event, which gets underway on Fri., April 15, takes place at the Greystone County Club in Birmingham, Ala. South Carolina has earned top-three finishes at the conference tournament in each of the last three seasons.