No. 1 Gamecocks Win Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic

ATHENS, Ga.  –  The No. 1 South Carolina women’s golf team withstood a charge from Ole Miss to win the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic on Sunday at the University of Georgia Golf Course. 

The win gives Carolina four tournament wins this season, breaking the previous record of three set by the 2014-15 squad. 

Senior Ana Pelaez took second overall after battling for the lead all day. The senior sank a trio of birdies on the front nine before hitting a slump of three bogeys through the turn. After an up and down back nine Pelaez stepped up when the team needed her to notch birdies on holes 17 and 18 to secure the win. 

Sophomore Pauline Roussin-Bouchard had her best round of the weekend as she tallied five birdies, including a crucial one on the 18th hole, to finish the day 2-under and tied for third on the individual leaderboard.

“We wrapped it up with a win today, which we’ll take” head coach Kalen Anderson said after the round. “It was a little sloppy most of the day and the conditions were really difficult. This team has a lot of grit. It was extremely challenging out there with the wind, firm greens, and it was cold. The hole locations were very difficult. It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win, and we’ll take it. Very proud of the way this group fought and hung in there all day to the very end. We got it done.”

The Gamecocks are done for the regular season, but they’ll keep themselves busy ahead of the SEC Championship set to start on April 14. Roussin-Bouchard, Pelaez, Pimnipa Panthong and Paula Kirner are set to compete at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur starting March 31. 
 

2021 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic Leaderboard – Final

1. South Carolina – 881 (+17)
2. Ole Miss – 883 (+19)
3. Kentucky – 890 (+26)
4. Arkansas – 893 (+29)
5. Georgia – 898 (+34)
6. Southern California – 899 (+35)
7. LSU – 903 (+39)
8. Auburn – 905 (+41)
9. Florida – 907 (+43)
10. Vanderbilt – 908 (+44)
11. Alabama – 912 (+48)
12. Mississippi State – 914 (+50)
13. Louisville – 915 (+51)
14. Missouri – 923 (+59)
15. College of Charleston – 926 (+62)
16. Texas A&M – 927 (+63)
17. Tennessee – 928 (+64)
18. Georgia (B) – 950 (+86)

Gamecock Leaderboard

2. Ana Pelaez – 214 (-2)
T3. Pauline Roussin-Bouchard – 218 (+2)
T34. Lois Kaye Go – 227 (+11)
T36. Paula Kirner – 228 (+12)
T53. Pimnipa Panthong – 233 (+17)