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-3^rd 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 14^th 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 – 297 (+9)

23. No. 26 Virginia – 298 (+10)

24. No. 19 Clemson – 299 (+11)

25. No. 18 Ole Miss – 300 (+12)

T26. No. 5 Mississippi State – 301 (+13)

T26. No. 36 Tulsa – 301 (+13)

28. No. 15 Northwestern – 303 (+15)

T29. No. 17 Vanderbilt – 305 (+17)

T29. No. 41 North Carolina State – 305 (+17)

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