HOOVER, Ala. – No. 4 South Carolina is T-5th after 18 holes of the stroke play portion at the 2023 SEC Championship. The Gamecocks shot 293 (+5) on a bunched leaderboard and sit just a shot out of second place.
No teams posted red numbers on Wednesday. Just 12 players in the 70-women field fired red numbers. Greystone’s Legacy Course is in excellent shape per usual, but the newly redone greens were firm and presented a challenge to much of the field the opening round.
Carolina was led by a trio of players who shot 1-over in senior Justine Fournand, sophomore All-American Louise Rydqvist and freshman Mia Sandtorv Lussand. They all sit T-16th. Rydqvist led the team with three birides. She stuffed it tight at the par-5 18th and rolled in a 12-footer to end her round on a high note. Fournand was bogey free on the back nine with nine pars. Sandtorv Lussand’s round was highlighted by two birdies in three holes to end her front nine.
Sophomore All-American Hannah Darling, who enters this week No. 6 nationally in the Golfstat Player Rankings, shot 74 (+2). She just missed a good look for birdie on the 18th today. The Midlothian, Scotland, native had a pair of red numbers on the back nine as she shot even par coming in. Senior Mathilde Claisse carded a 78 (+6) in the round one.
Vanderbilt has the early lead in the team standings with an even par 288 as well as the individual leaderboard. The Commodores’ Celina Sattelkau shot an opening round 68 (-4) with five birdies and just one bogey.
Rain is expected to play a factor in Thursday’s second round. The Gamecocks will again be paired with No. 3 LSU. Alabama will also play with Carolina and the Tigers. Claisse will lead things off on hole one at 9:50 a.m. (ET). Live scoring will be available via Golfstat.
2023 SEC Championship Gamecock Leaderboard
T18. Louise Rydqvist – 73 (+1)
T18. Mia Sandtorv Lussand – 73 (+1)
T18. Justine Fournand – 73 (+1)
T27. Hannah Darling – 74 (+2)
T61. Mathilde Claisse – 78 (+6)
2023 SEC Championship Leaderboard
1. No. 19 Vanderbilt – 288 (E)
2. No. 20 Florida – 290 (+2)
T3. No. 5 Mississippi State – 292 (+4)
T3. No. 3 LSU – 292 (+4)
T5. No. 4 South Carolina – 293 (+5)
T5. Alabama – 293 (+5)
T7. No. 10 Auburn – 294 (+6)
T7. No. 27 Kentucky – 294 (+6)
T7. No. 29 Georgia – 294 (+6)
T10. No. 42 Tennessee – 295 (+7)
T10. No. 14 Ole Miss – 295 (+7)
T10. No. 13 Texas A&M – 295 (+7)
13. Missouri – 296 (+8)
14. No. 45 Arkansas – 306…
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