Aug. 8, 2004

BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. — University of South Carolina senior golfer Alex Hamilton finished with a 72-hole score of 6-under-par, 282, to claim a six-stroke victory at the 73rd annual South Carolina State Amateur Championship on Sunday. The event was contested at the par-72, 7,060-yard Columbia Country Club in Blythewood, S.C.

Hamilton, a native of Aiken, S.C., started the day with a four shot lead and quickly made it five shots with a birdie on the first hole of the day. A string of pars and a birdie from five feet on the 458-yard par-four sixth hole gave Hamilton a six shot lead after the first nine holes. Another birdie on the 10th hole gave Hamilton his largest lead of the day, seven shots ahead of Clemson’s Stephen Poole.

Hamilton’s big lead shrunk however, after making bogies on holes 11, 14, and 15. With a two-putt par on the 16th and a fabulous up and down out of the bunker on 17 the he was back in control after Poole failed to get up and down on the 17th hole for par. Hamilton finished in style making birdie on the 72nd hole to finish the tournament with his total of 6-under-par, 71-73-66-72–282.

Fellow Gamecock junior Jake Thompson joined Hamilton in the top 20 of the tournament, as he tied for 16th, with a 72-hole score of 72-71-73-80–296.

Full tournament results of the South Carolina State Amateur Champoinship are available at www.scgolf.org.

TOP 5 FINISHERS AT 73RD ANNUAL SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AMATEUR
1.	Alex Hamilton (Aiken) 71 73 66 72 282
2.	Stephen Poole Jr. (Spartanburg) 71 73 70 74 288
	David Dargan (Columbia) 76 69 72 71 288
4.	Thomas Kennaday (Columbia) 72 75 70 72 289
	Phillip Mollica (Anderson) 72 72 71 74 289

OTHER SOUTH CAROLINA INDIVIDUAL
T16.	Jake Thompson (Greenville) 72 71 73 80 296