April 18, 2018

No. 10 Women’s Golf at SEC Championship

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Paced by a 2-under 70 from senior Ainhoa Olarra, South Carolina women’s golf ended day one of the SEC Championship near the top of the leaderboard. The No. 10 Gamecocks sit five shots off the lead in second place after posting a 291 (+3) in windy conditions Wednesday at Greystone Country Club.

Olarra, one of three Carolina golfers in the top 10 on the individual leaderboard, totaled three birdies en route to her under-par performance. All three of the San Sebastian, Spain, native’s birdies came on the front nine, as she notched ones on Nos. 1, 5 and 7. Olarra, who sits in a tie for third, will enter round two one shot off the lead.

Gamecock sophomore Lois Kaye Go and junior Marion Veysseyre both opened with a 72 (E) to end the day in a tie for seventh. Go made the turn at 1-over 37 before registering two birdies on her back nine. She shot par or better on each of her last six holes in a stretch highlighted by a birdie from off the green on No. 17.

Veysseyre tallied three birdies in round one, starting on the par-4 seventh when she hit her approach shot to less than two feet of the hole before converting the ensuing putt. The junior boasted a strong finish to her day, recording birdies on the par-4 15th and par-3 17th.

Gamecock sophomores Ana Pelaez and Anita Uwadia both sit in a tie for 32nd after firing a 5-over 77 Wednesday. Pelaez tallied 12 pars to go with a birdie on No. 3, while Uwadia racked up 13 pars and also notched a birdie on the par-5 third.

No. 2 Alabama grabbed the 18-hole lead following its first-round 286 (-2). No. 24 Vanderbilt (296, +8) sits in third, while No. 13 Florida (298, +10) and No. 3 Arkansas (299, +11) round out the top five. Kristen Gillman of the Crimson Tide holds the individual lead after posting a 3-under 69 Wednesday.

QUOTING COACH Kalen Anderson

ROUND CHANGER Ainhoa Olarra

NOTABLE

• South Carolina is one of two schools with three golfers in the top 10 after 18 holes of action at the SEC Championship.
• The Gamecocks led the 14-team field with 64 pars in round one.
• Wednesday marked the second time Carolina senior Ainhoa Olarra opened the SEC Championship with an under-par performance. She fired a 3-under 69 as a sophomore in the first round of the 2016 SEC Championship.
• Olarra’s 3.70 par-4 scoring average in round one led all golfers at Greystone Country Club.

UP NEXT

South Carolina is back on the course Thursday morning for round two of the SEC Championship. The Gamecocks, who will play with No. 2 Alabama and No. 24 Vanderbilt, begin their day at 9:40 a.m. CT on No. 1.