UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549




                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                        DATE OF REPORT: OCTOBER 22, 2003




                        THE SOUTH FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
             -----------------------------------------------------
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)




    SOUTH CAROLINA                 0-15083                     57-0824914
    --------------               -----------                 ---------------
(STATE OF OTHER JURIS-           (COMMISSION                 (IRS EMPLOYER
DICTION OF INCORPORATION)        FILE NUMBER)            IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)


         102 SOUTH MAIN STREET, GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA    29601
         -------------------------------------------------    -----
               (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)    (ZIP CODE)



REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE:  (864) 255-7900




                                       1




ITEM 9.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE
         ------------------------

         The South  Financial  Group,  Inc.  ("TSFG") may from time to time make
written or oral "forward-looking  statements," including statements contained in
TSFG's  filings with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  ("SEC"). Certain
matters set forth in this current report may contain forward-looking  statements
that are provided to assist in the understanding of anticipated future financial
performance.  These statements,  as well as other statements that may be made by
management,  include, but are not limited to, factors which may affect earnings,
return  goals,  expected  financial  results for  mergers,  estimates  of merger
synergies and merger-related  charges,  and credit quality assessment.  However,
such performance involves risks and uncertainties, such as market deterioration,
that  may  cause  actual  results  to  differ  materially  from  those  in  such
statements.   For  a  discussion   of  certain   factors  that  may  cause  such
forward-looking  statements to differ materially from TSFG's actual results, see
TSFG's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, 2002.  TSFG
undertakes  no  obligation  to  release   revisions  to  these   forward-looking
statements or reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

         TSFG hereby furnishes the following information.

         On October 22, 2003,  TSFG filed a  preliminary  prospectus  supplement
with the SEC for a proposed  offering of 5.5 million shares of its common stock,
subject  to  market  and  other  conditions.  TSFG  also  expects  to grant  the
underwriters of the proposed  offering a 30-day option to purchase up to 825,000
shares  to cover  over-allotments.  TSFG's  proposed  stock  offering  is not in
connection with TSFG's recent acquisition of MountainBank  Financial Corporation
("MBFC"),  which was completed on October 3, 2003.  In connection  with the MBFC
acquisition,  TSFG issued  approximately 5.5 million shares of TSFG common stock
to MBFC shareholders.

         TSFG expects to meet or exceed the current  First Call EPS estimates of
$0.44 for fourth quarter 2003 and $1.93 for 2004.




                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                               THE SOUTH FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.


October 24, 2003                      By:      /s/ William S. Hummers III
                                               --------------------------
                                               William S. Hummers III
                                               Executive Vice President