Gamecocks On Top After First Round of Darius Rucker Intercollegiate

Hilton Head Island, S.C. – No. 10 South Carolina women’s golf carded an opening round 282 (-2) in the 2019 Darius Rucker Intercollegiate on Friday. Carolina sits atop the standings, two strokes ahead of Florida State for the lead at Long Cove Club.

“Overall, it was a really good day,” South Carolina head coach Kalen Anderson said. “We were very disciplined. The team did a really good job at staying patient. We played the stretch of 11, 12, 13 and 14 really well. Emily [Price] made three birdies, and I was really pleased with that. The girls just did a really great job and we’re going to stick to our gameplan the rest of the weekend.”
 
13th-ranked Wake Forest (285, +1), No. 3 Duke (289, +5) and LSU (290, +6) rounded out the top five.

The lead is Carolina’s first after the opening round this season, and its 282 is the second lowest score of the 2018-19 campaign. Of the seven SEC squads, the nearest team to the Gamecocks is LSU, who finished with a first round score of 290 (+6). 
 
Individually, Frida Kinhult of Florida State is the leader of the 90 player field. She carded six birdies, including five on the back-nine, to finish with a 3-under 68.
 
For the Gamecocks, it was senior Marion Veysseyre who led the way on the scorecard. She totaled a team-high four birdies, including two on the first three holes. She finished the front nine with a 1-under, 35, and began the back-nine with a birdie followed by a bogey. She would complete her opening round on a high note with a birdie on the par-3 17th, to finish the round 2-under (69).
 
“I just did my best to stay patient,” Veysseyre said. “I knew the greens were really firm. I knew it was going to be tough. I was just taking one stroke at a time, sticking to my gameplan and just having fun.”
 
Freshman Emily Price followed up her top-six performance at the Allstate Sugar Bowl with a solid start on Friday. The Ludlow, England native shot 1-over (37) on the front-nine, but turned up her play on the back-nine. She sank three-straight birdies to pull to 2-under, and went into the final hole just one shot off the lead. Although she bogeyed the final hole, the freshman still sits in a tie for sixth, just two strokes off the individual leader.
 
For junior Anita Uwadia, it was a day of consistent golf. She completed her round with a team-high 16 pars on her way to an even, 71. Uwadia’s 71 tied her best score this season, the last coming on Oct. 12, 2018 at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational.
 
Wrapping up Carolina’s team score was junior Lois Kaye Go, who finished 1-over (72), connecting on 15 pars during her first round. She will begin Saturday’s round in a tie for 20th. Fellow junior Ana Pelaez enters the weekend in a tie for 44th. She carded a 4-over, 75, with 14 pars.
 
Senior Gaby Amos completed her first round of the season as an individual. She put in 15 pars, and finished her first round with a 3-over, 74.
 
The second round of the 2019 Darius Rucker Intercollegiate will begin on Saturday, March 9 at 8:30. The Gamecocks’ first tee time is at 8:30 a.m.

TEAM STANDINGS – After First Round
1. South Carolina – 282 (-2)
2. Florida State – 284 (E)
3. Wake Forest – 285 (+1)
4. Duke – 289 (+5)
5. LSU – 290 (+6)
T6. Furman – 291 (+7)
T6. Virginia – 291 (+7)
8. Auburn – 294 (+10)
9. UCLA – 295 (+11)
10. Georgia – 297 (+13)
T11. Vanderbilt – 298 (+14)
T11. Arkansas – 298 (+14)
13. Baylor – 299 (+15)
14. Northwestern – 300 (+16)
15. Oklahoma State – 301 (+17)
16. North Carolina – 305 (+21)
17. Alabama – 309 (+25)

GAMECOCK LEADERBOARD – After First Round
T2. Marion Veysseyre – 69 (-2)
T6. Emily Price – 70 (-1)
T10. Anita Uwadia – 71 (E)
T20. Lois Kaye Go – 72 (+1)
T39. Gaby Amos* – 74 (+3)
T44. Ana Pelaez – 75 (+4)