Carolina Beats Florida 4-1, Play Suspended at SEC Match Play

SHOAL CREEK, Ala. – South Carolina opened the day with an impressive 4-1 victory over Florida in the opening round of the first ever SEC Match Play. The win propelled the Gamecocks to the quarterfinals against top-seeded Vanderbilt. Play has been suspended at Shoal Creek Club due to darkness as the Commodores lead in all five matches.
 
Seven holes remain and play will resume at 10 a.m. (ET) on Monday.
 
In the opening match against the Gators, senior transfer Evans Lewis put the first point on the board with a 1-up win over Ricky Castillo. He won three of his five final holes. All-American Ryan Hall followed suit with a 4&2 win against Yuxin Lin in a match he led for most of the back nine.
 
True freshman Gene Zeigler and sophomore Rafe Reynolds each were victorious 1-up in the final two bouts. Zeigler took a 2-up lead with three holes to play and didn’t look back. Reynolds trailed by two with four holes remaining and won three of his four final holes, including the last.
 
The winner of tomorrow’s quarterfinal match advances to play the winner of No. 18 Tennessee and No. 21 Georgia in the semis.
 
Live scoring will be available via Golf Genius.
 
SEC Match Play R1 vs. Florida
Evans Lewis (SC) def. Ricky Castillo (UF), 1-up
Gene Zeigler (SC) def. Fred Biondi (UF), 1-up
Rafe Reynolds (SC) def. Joe Pagdin (UF), 1-up
Tyler Wilkes (UF) def. Jack Wall (SC), 4&3
Ryan Hall (SC) def. Yuxin Lin (UF), 4&2
South Carolina – 4 Florida – 1
 
 SEC Match Play Quarterfinals vs. Vanderbilt
Cole Sherwood (VAN) leads Jack Wall (SC), 6-up
Jackson Van Paris (VAN) leads Rafe Reynolds (SC), 2-up
Michael Shears (VAN) leads Gene Zeigler (SC), 3-up
Gordon Sargent (VAN) leads Evan Lewis (SC), 4-up
Reid Davenport (VAN) leads Ryan Hall (SC), 1-up

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