March 4, 2017

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Junior Ainhoa Olarra fired a second-round 70 (-1) to keep No. 14 South Carolina women’s golf in contention at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate with 18 holes to play. The fourth-place Gamecocks will head into tomorrow’s third round seven strokes off the lead after carding a 7-over 291 Saturday at Long Cove Club.

No. 18 Duke posted a 287 (+3) on day two to join fifth-ranked Alabama atop the leaderboard at 5-over 573 for the tournament. No. 10 Arizona State (576, +4) stood pat in third place, while 19th-ranked Baylor and No. 8 Georgia are tied for fifth at 19-over 587. Kristen Gillman of the Crimson Tide sports the individual lead with a 36-hole mark of 139 (-3).

Olarra’s under-par performance moved the San Sebastian, Spain, native into the top 10 in a tie for ninth at 2-over 144. She totaled four birdies on her day, including three after the turn. Olarra opened the back nine with a birdie on the par-4 10th before adding another one on No. 13. The junior converted a long putt on the par-3 17th to notch her final birdie of the afternoon and post a back-nine 34 (-1).

Gamecock freshman Ana Pelaez will also begin the final day in a tie for ninth (144, +2) following her 73 (+2) Saturday. The Carolina newcomer moved into the top five on the individual leaderboard after shooting a 1-under 35 on her front nine behind birdies on Nos. 4 and 6. She registered pars on each of her first three holes after the turn before recovering from back-to-back bogeys with pars on Nos. 15, 16 and 17.

Senior Katelyn Dambaugh posted a 72 (+1) after turning in an up-and-down round on day two. After making the turn at 2-over 38, the Goose Creek, S.C., native notched three birdies over her final nine holes, the last of which came on the par-4 16th. Dambaugh will head into round three in a tie for 50th (151, +9).

Marion Veysseyre currently sits in a tie for 22nd place following her 5-over 76 Saturday. Her lone birdie of the day, which came on the par-4 fifth, helped the sophomore card a front-nine 37 (+1), and she registered pars on three of her first four holes after the turn.

Senior Jia Xin Yang posted a 79 (+8) in the second round and will head into the final day in a tie for 53rd place at 10-over 152. Sophomore Isidora Nilsson (T50), one of three Gamecocks competing as an individual, sports a two-round mark of 151 (+9), while senior Marianna Monaco sits in a tie for 63rd place (154, +12) and freshman Anita Uwadia is tied for 65th (155, +13).

Quoting Coach Kalen Anderson

Round Changer

Notable

• Carolina continues to pace the field in par-3 scoring with an average mark of 3.03.
• Junior Ainhoa Olarra was one of five players to shoot under par Saturday. Her 2.50 par-3 scoring average leads all players at Long Cove Club.
• The Gamecocks’ 23 birdies through two rounds are tied for third among the 17 teams at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.
• Carolina is one of four schools with multiple golfers in the top 10 on the individual leaderboard.

Up Next

The Gamecocks conclude play at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Sunday morning. Carolina will again play alongside Baylor and Georgia and get its day started on No. 1 at 8:45 a.m.