USC Women’s Golf Still 23rd At NCAAs

ATHENS, GA (USC SID) — The South Carolina women’s golf team shot a 17-over 305 on Wednesday in the second round of the NCAA Championship at the University of Georgia Golf Course, but team standings were incomplete at the end of the day as two lightning delays kept teams from finishing their rounds. The Gamecocks completed their round early in the day and were in 23rd place with a two-round total of 609 (+33). The six teams that were unable to finish on Wednesday will head back out on the course Thursday morning at 7:25 to wrap up their rounds. Third-round play will begin as originally scheduled at 7:30. Senior Meredith Swanson delivered the low score for the Gamecocks on Wednesday as she carded a solid 2-over 74. Swanson was in a tie for 100th with a total of 153 (+9) with 12 golfers left to complete their rounds. After beginning her round with a bogey on the first, she reeled off four straight pars before making another bogey on the sixth on her way to shooting 37 (+2) on the front nine. She only had one more blemish on her scorecard, a bogey on the 13th, and played her final five holes at 1-under to get into the clubhouse with a 74. Freshman Mary Fran Hillow shaved one stroke off her opening-round score as she turned in a 4-over 76 to finish the round in a tie for 100th with a total of 153 (+9). Hillow recorded six bogeys on her first 12 holes but finished strong with a pair of birdies down the stretch, including one on the par-5 18th to end the day. Sophomore Justine Dreher is in a tie for 103rd with a total of 154 (+10) after shooting a 5-over 77 for the second straight day. Junior Suzie Lee and freshman Sarah Schmelzel carded rounds of 78 (+6) and 80 (+8), respectively. Lee is tied for 89th with a total of 152 (+8), while Schmelzel is in a tie for 110th with a total of 156 (+12).

No matter what happens as the teams finish the second round Thursday morning, the top five teams on the leaderboard will not change. Southern California built a sizeable lead with a round of 12-under 276. The Trojans have a total of 560 (-16) and hold a 12-shot lead over defending national champion Alabama (572). Duke (575), UCLA (576), Purdue (578) and Stanford (578) round out the top five. Alabama’s Stephanie Meadow holds the individual lead with a total of 136 (-8). The Gamecocks are slated to tee off in the third round at 7:30 and will be paired with Oklahoma State and Wisconsin. SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS (Incomplete) T89. Suzie Lee (1)

74-78=152 (+8) T100. Meredith Swanson (2)

79-74=153 (+9) T100. Mary Fran Hillow (5)

77-76=153 (+9) T103. Justine Dreher (4)

77-77=154 (+10) T110. Sarah Schmelzel (3)

76-80=156 (+12) TEAM STANDINGS (Incomplete) 1. Southern California -16 2. Alabama -4 3. Duke -1 4. UCLA E T5. Purdue +2 T5. Stanford +2 7. Arizona State +4 8. Oklahoma +6 9. Tulane +8 T10. San Jose State +12 T10. Vanderbilt +12 12. Arkansas +13 T13. Michigan State +14 T13. Northwestern +14 T15. Texas +18 T15. Arizona +18 T17. UC Davis +20 T17. Oregon +20 19. Florida +21 20. Auburn +23 21. Miss. State +26 22. Oklahoma State +27 23. South Carolina +33 24. Wisconsin +34