EXHIBIT 99.1

                          CNB FLORIDA BANCSHARES, INC.
           THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

                PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE PROXY CARD
                    PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE TO:

                          CNB FLORIDA BANCSHARES, INC.
                              C/O ________________
                               __________________
                                ================


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                              FOLD AND DETACH HERE


                          CNB FLORIDA BANCSHARES, INC.
                    PROXY SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
                       FOR SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                                TO BE HELD , 2004

The undersigned hereby appoints K. C. TROWELL and G. THOMAS FRANKLAND,  and each
or either of them, proxies, with full power of substitution, with the powers the
undersigned  would  possess  if  personally  present,  to vote all shares of the
COMMON STOCK of the undersigned in CNB Florida  Bancshares,  Inc. at the Special
Meeting  of  Stockholders  to be  held [ ],  2004,  and at  any  adjournment  or
adjournments thereof,  hereby revoking all proxies heretofore given with respect
to such  shares,  and the  undersigned  instructs  said  proxies  to vote at the
Special Meeting in accordance with the instructions below.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS VOTING FOR EACH ITEM.

1.   MERGER  AGREEMENT:  To approve and adopt the  Agreement and Plan of Merger,
     dated as of January 20, 2004,  between The South Financial Group,  Inc. and
     CNB Florida  Bancshares,  Inc.  and the merger  contemplated  thereby.  The
     merger  agreement  is  described  in, and  attached  as  Appendix A to, the
     accompanying Proxy Statement/Prospectus.


                  |_|   FOR         |_|   AGAINST    |_|   ABSTAIN

                   (Continued and to be signed on the reverse)



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                          CNB FLORIDA BANCSHARES, INC.
           THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

                PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THE PROXY CARD
                    PROMPTLY USING THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE TO:

                          CNB FLORIDA BANCSHARES, INC.
                              C/O ________________
                               __________________
                                ================



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                              FOLD AND DETACH HERE


IN THEIR DISCRETION, THE PROXIES ARE AUTHORIZED TO VOTE UPON SUCH OTHER BUSINESS
AS MAY  PROPERLY  COME  BEFORE  THE  MEETING.  Receipt  of the notice of special
meeting and accompanying proxy statement is hereby acknowledged. This proxy will
be voted as specified  herein. IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH  SPECIFICATION,  THE PROXY
WILL BE VOTED  "FOR" ITEM 1.  Please  date,  sign  exactly as printed  below and
return promptly in the enclosed postage-paid envelope.
                                    Dated:_______________________
                                    __________________, 2004.
                                    ---------------------------------------

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                                    (When   signing   as   attorney,   executor,
                                    administrator, trustee, guardian, etc., give
                                    title  as  such.  If a joint  account,  each
                                    joint owner should sign personally.)


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