South Carolina Wins Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge
Steve Spurrier and Sterling Sharpe Repeat as Champions in Playoff Victory Take home $120,000 First-Place Scholarship Donation

Greensboro, Ga. (April 28, 2009) – The University of South Carolina team represented by head coach Steve Spurrier and Sterling Sharpe carded a 12-under-par 60 and then outlasted Virginia Tech in a playoff to win the Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge golf tournament and the $120,000 first-place scholarship donation. This is team South Carolina’s second straight championship in the Chick-fil-A Bowl Challenge.

“It was a fun day today. Sterling made a bunch of crucial putts down the stretch and I pitched in a little,”
Spurrier said after the victory. “I think this was the first playoff I’ve ever won, and I’ve been in a few.”

In regulation play, Sterling Sharp holed a dramatic 10-foot putt on 18 to force the playoff with Frank Beamer and Dell Curry from Virginia Tech. After repeating the 18th hole, the teams were still tied and a four-shot closest-to-the-pin competition decided the championship. From 150 yards, Beamer’s approach finished 23’ from the cup. Sharpe then stroked his approach to 18’ to win by five feet.

Team Alabama and team Georgia Tech tied for third with a 10-under-par 62 at the third annual event hosted at Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Ga.

“This was just an incredible day on the golf course,” said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Bowl president and CEO. “Everywhere you looked there was great golf action. These teams really delivered the level of play we’ve come to expect in this tournament. To cap everything off with a playoff victory put the perfect finishing touch on a fantastic three-day event.”

FINAL LEADERBOARD AND SCHOLARSHIP WINNINGS