SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – No. 4 South Carolina turned in a solid opening round at the 2023 NCAA Championship on Friday. The Gamecocks, who teed off in the afternoon wave around noon local time, shot 286 (-2), and sit T-3rd with Georgia.
No. 9 Wake Forest leads with a field-best 279 (-9) and No. 24 Oklahoma State is second at 8-under. The Cowboys’ Maddison Hinson-Tolchard is the 18-hole individual leader by a shot with a 6-under 66.
Senior Mathilde Claisse, who is playing in her third NCAA Championship, paced Carolina with a 2-under 70. The Paris, France, native, was 1-over through five holes but made back-to-back birdies at holes six and seven to get to 1-under. She was bogey free on the back with a birdie at the par-4 14th hole.
Sophomore All-American Hannah Darling also posted a red number with a 71 (-1). She made the turn at 35 (-1). The Midlothian, Scotland, native was bogey free on the back nine with an even par 36.
Senior Justine Fournand put together a solid performance with an even par 72. She made a team-high five birdies. Freshman Mia Sandtorv Lussand also was solid in her NCAA Championship debut with a 73 (+1). The Bergen, Norway, native made four birdies. Sophomore All-American Louise Rydqvist shot 77 (+5).
The Gamecocks will again be paired with No. 5 Mississippi State and No. 6 Texas A&M for the second round on Saturday. Carolina is off in the morning wave and Rydqvist will be the first player out at 9:32 a.m. (ET) from hole 10. Golfstat will have live scoring again.
2023 NCAA Championship Gamecock Leaderboard
T10. Mathilde Claisse – 70 (-2)
T21. Hannah Darling – 71 (-1)
T36. Justine Fournand – 72 (E)
T51. Mia Sandtorv Lussand – 73 (+1)
T117. Louise Rydqvist – 77 (+5)
2023 NCAA Championship Leaderboard
1. No. 2 Wake Forest – 279 (-9)
2. No. 24 Oklahoma State – 280 (-8)
T3. No. 4 South Carolina – 286 (-2)
T3. No. 28 Georgia – 286 (-2)
T5. No. 39 New Mexico – 287 (-1)
T5. No. 6 Texas A&M – 287 (-1)
T7. No. 22 Duke – 288 (E)
T7. No. 10 Florida State – 288 (E)
T7. No. 1 Stanford – 288 (E)
10. No. 12 Baylor – 291 (+3)
T11. No. 20 SMU – 291 (+3)
T11. No. 32 Texas Tech – 291 (+3)
T13. No. 11 Texas – 292 (+4)
T13. No. 8 San Jose State – 292 (+4)
T13. No. 23 Arizona – 292 (+4)
T16. No. 33 Michigan State – 293 (+5)
T16. No. 35 TCU – 293 (+5)
18. No. 3 LSU – 294 (+6)
19. No. 16 Pepperdine – 295 (+7)
T20. Augusta – 296 (+8)
T20. No. 9 Southern California – 296 (+8)
22. No. 46 Oregon State –…
..