Oct. 14, 2006

Jonesborough, Tenn. – A South Carolina Gamecock sits in a tie atop the individual leader board with the better part of two rounds of golf complete at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate, as freshman George Bryan IV leads the field with a 71-69=140 (-4). As a team, the Gamecocks are tied for fourth with a 304-288=592 (+16), a score that puts them 10 strokes behind tournament leader East Tennessee State. Play was suspended due to darkness with three teams still on the course. Carolina’s second round 288 marked the lowest team round of the day. The 15 squads in the field played 36 holes of golf at the par-72, 7147-yard Ridges Golf and Country Club Saturday and will play the final 18 holes Sunday.

On a day when only four players came in under par, Bryan solidified himself as a contender by finishing the first 18 holes at one under par. He was steady out of the gates, posting eight pars and one birdie on his first nine holes of the day. A bogey on the par-five 10th hole was immediately canceled out by a birdie on the par-three 12th. Bryan finished out the final six holes with four pars, a birdie and a bogey.

Bryan’s second round of golf started with a double-bogey on the par-four first hole, but the 2006 South Carolina High School Player of the Year rebounded to rattle off three consecutive birdies on the second, third and fourth holes, respectively. Bryan followed that hot streak with seven straight pars, then strung together three consecutive birdies for a second time, accomplishing the feat on the 12th, 13th and 14th holes before putting a cap on his day with three pars and a bogey. He is tied for first with East Tennessee State’s Rhys Davies, who posted an identical 71-69=140 (-4). Davies is a two-time All-America selection and is the reigning Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate champion after winning the tournament last year.

Freshman Paul Woodbury is tied for 23rd with a 76-73=149 (+5). Woodbury posted one of the highlights of Carolina’s day when he eagled the par-five 10th hole during his second round. Junior Warren Thomas is tied for 38th after he enjoyed an even-par second round, but a first-round 80 created an uphill climb for the Columbia native (Richland Northeast HS).

Sophomores Allen Koon and Mark Silvers were also in action for the Gamecocks, with Koon tied for 63rd with a 77-79=156 (+12) and Silvers tied for 68th with an 84-74=158 (+14).

South Carolina won the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate in 2005.

Final round action resumes tomorrow.

Team Leader Board
1. East Tennessee State: 291-291=582 (+6)
2. North Carolina: 296-287=583 (+7)
3. Tennessee: 294-290=584 (+8)
T4. South Carolina: 304-288=592 (+16)
T4. TCU: 294-298=592 (+16)
6. Wake Forest: 296-297=593 (+17)
7. Alabama: 304-290=594 (+18)
T8. Virginia Tech*
T8. Auburn: 302-297=599 (+23)
T8. NC State: 299-300=599 (+23)
11. Kent State: 305-296=601 (+25)
12. Virginia*
13. UAB*
14. Pepperdine: 312-304=616 (+40)
15. Kentucky: 312-308=620 (+44)

Gamecocks on the Individual Leader Board
T1. George Bryan IV: 71-69=140 (-4)
T23. Paul Woodbury: 76-73=149 (+5)
T38. Warren Thomas: 80-72=152 (+7)
T63. Allen Koon: 77-79=156 (+12)
T68. Mark Silvers: 84-74=258 (+14)

* Virginia Tech, Virginia and UAB were still on the course when play was suspended due to darkness. Their place on the team leader board is representative of their total strokes as of the time play was suspended.