No. 18 Gamecocks Take Third in Strong Field at Puerto Rico Classic – University of South Carolina Athletics

RÍO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO – No. 18 South Carolina finished third in a strong field at the Puerto Rico Classic on Wednesday in the team’s first event of the spring. It’s the Gamecocks’ third top-three finish in five events so far this season under first-year head coach Rob Bradley.

Carolina picked up head-to-head wins over three top-10 teams this week in No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 7 LSU and No. 8 Virginia. The Gamecocks improve their win-loss record to an impressive 57-11-1 this season in the team’s five tournaments. Carolina’s 54-hole score of 833 (-32) this week was a season-best and is T-13^th lowest 54-hole tournament total in program history.

Host Purdue won the team title with a 54-hole score of 825 (-39), finishing six shots in front of top-ranked Ole Miss. The Boilermakers went 1-2 on the individual leaderboard as Sam Easterbook and Ken Hsiao combined to shoot 29-under.

Sophomore transfer Brock Blais led the way for the Gamecocks this week with a career-best showing, as he finished solo fourth thanks to a 54-hole score of 204 (-12). He posted three consecutive rounds of 68 (-4) to lead the way for Carolina. Blais was third in the field with a team-high 16 birdies on his scorecards this week at Grand Reserve Golf Club.

Senior All-American Nathan Franks moved six spots up the leaderboard today with a final round 69 (-3). He finished T-13^th, good for his second top-20 finish of the season (9^th career). The Roebuck, S.C., fired scores of 69-71-69 this week.

True freshman Marek Fleming got the starting nod in the five-man spot and had a career-best showing as he finished T-16^th thanks to a new career-low, 54-hole score of 210 (-6). It’s his second top-20 finish in three starts in the lineup this season. The Tomball, Texas, native posted red numbers each day with scores of 71-68-71 at Grand Reserve.

Sophomore Bo Carpenter T-31^st finishing strong with back-to-back scores of 70 (-2) the final two rounds. Junior Zach Adams finished T-55^th at 1-over. His week was highlighted by an opening round 69 (-3) that featured six birdies. Franks, Fleming, Carpenter and Adams all made 11 birdies this week as all five Gamecocks in the lineup had double-digit red numbers on their scorecards. Carolina was second in the field in par-5 scoring average (4.60, -24) and tied for the field lead with three eagles, two of which came today from Franks and Fleming at the par-5 fifth hole.

Redshirt freshman Ismael Encinas and freshman mid-year enrollee Emil Elkjær…