April 17, 2004

ST. SIMON’S ISLAND, GA. – Junior Alex Hamilton carded a 2-under-par, 68 on Saturday to move into fifth place in the individual standings and help the South Carolina men’s golf team move up three places into fourth at the Southeastern Conference Championship in St. Simon’s Island, Ga. The 54-hole tournament is being contested at the Sea Island Golf Club’s par-70, 6,898-yard Seaside Course.

The Gamecocks improved their team score by 13 strokes over the second round and finished with the second-best team round of the day with a 1-over-par, 281. South Carolina is at 15-over-par, 294-281-575 after 36 holes and is 15 shots behind team co-leaders Georgia and Florida, which are at even par with scores of 269-291-560 and 283-277-560, respectively .

Hamilton continued his solid play for the Gamecocks on day two with his 2-under-par 68 and has a two-round total of 1-under-par, 71-68-139, to stand alone in fifth place. That score is just two shots off the pace of individual co-leaders Matt Every and Brett Stegmaier, both of Florida, who are at three under par with matching scores of 72-65-137.

The next South Carolina individual in the field is junior Jake Thompson, who carded a 1-under-par, 69 on Saturday, to stand in a tie for 25th place at 77-69-146. Junior Martin Rominger and sophomore Eirik Johansen followed Thompson, and are both part of an eight-way tie for 31st place, with scores of 72-76-148 and 74-74-148, respectively. Rounding out the Gamecock contingent in the field is sophomore West Streib, who finished with an even-par, 70 in the second round to stand tied for 39th place at 79-70-149.

The SEC Championship will conclude on Sunday with the final round of play. Full tournament results and live scoring are available at www.secsports.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA INDIVIDUALS5.  Alex Hamilton 71-68-139T25.    Jake Thompson 77-69-146T31.    Eirik Johansen   74-74-148T31.    Martin Rominger 72-76-148T39.    West Streib 79-70-149