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Dean Hester

Class: Junior Hometown: Dublin, Ga. High School: Trinity Christian

• 2011 SEC Academic Honor Roll
  

2010-11
Played in eight tournaments as a sophomore... Earned a career-best finish as he took seventh place at the Kiawah Intercollegiate, posting rounds of 70-75-75=220; he was competing as an individual in the tournament... Kept up the strong play as the spring season began, tying for 12th at the Seahawk Invitational with rounds of 77-72-73=222... Tied for 39th at Bandon Dunes Championship with scores of 76-75-79=230... Made debut as part of the Gamecock starting lineup at the season-opening Carpet Capital Collegiate, where he tied for 43rd... Shot 73-75-71=219 at Mason Rudolph Championship for the best 54-hole total of his collegiate career to date... One of four Gamecocks competing at SEC Championship for the first time, where he tied for 49th... Won his final-round match vs. Washington State's Nick Ellis, 3 & 2... Season-best round was an opening-round 70 at Seahawk Invitational... Season scoring average was 74.56, ranking second on the team.

2009-10
Competed as an individual in two varsity events...Top finish came as he tied for 26h at the Seminole Intercollegiate, shooting 78-74-69=221 (+8)...His round of 69 equaled the team's low round of the week...Also competed in the rain-shortened Seahawk Intercollegiate, tying for 39th in his first varsity collegiate event...Played in three Garnet Team events, earning top-20 finishes in all three...Tied for third place at the Coker Intercollegiate, shooting a final-round 68...Tied for 15th at the CSU Fall Invitational...Was the Garnet Team's top finisher at the Johnny Palmer Invitational, tying for 11th place.

PRIOR TO SOUTH CAROLINA
Was the low medalist all four years at Trinity Christian School for coach Todd Bishop...Helped Crusaders to three state championships and won one individual state title...Won the AGJA event at Fort Myers as a junior... Qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship at age 14... Was the top-ranked junior in the state of Georgia for his graduating class at one point... Gained fully exempt status on the AJGA Tour... Also played basketball and baseball in high school.

PERSONAL
Full name is Dean Tilman Hester... Parents are Minton and Meda Hester... Has a brother, Alex... Father played golf at Georgia... Plans to major in finance... Chose South Carolina over offers from Vanderbilt, UCF and Georgia Tech.