Golf Finishes Ninth at Puerto Rico Classic

Feb. 28, 2006

Freshman David May shot a one-under-par 71 and senior Brian Duncan added an even par 72 to lead Clemson to a 295 team score on Tuesday and a ninth place finish out of 18 teams at the Puerto Rico Classic. The 54-hole event was played on the par 72 Westin Rio Mar River Course in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. The event included 11 of the top 25 teams in the nation, including the 19th ranked Tigers.

Clemson had an 877 team score for the three-day event, 13-over-par. Georgia won the tournament with a 21-under-par 843 score, four shots better than Florida. Oklahoma State, who had the lead after two rounds, shot a 299 score on Tuesday, four shots worse than Clemson, and finished third at 862.

Alabama shot an 865 to finish fourth, the highest finish in the field among the seven teams that were not ranked in the top 25 entering the tournament. East Tennessee State was fifth at 867, while Arizona State was sixth at 870. Purdue and Duke had 876 team scores for the event to tie for seventh, one shot better than Clemson.

The Tigers were ninth, followed by NC State in 10th at 878 and Illinois at 879. Clemson defeated four top 25 teams, including second ranked Georgia Tech who had a 300 team score on Tuesday and finished 15th overall at 886. It was the first time this year Clemson had beaten the Yellow Jackets. Clemson also defeated 25th ranked Texas, 12th ranked Northwestern and 14th ranked Minnesota.

Duncan never had Clemson’s best score in any of the three rounds, but was the top Tiger finisher for the 54 holes with a 215 score. His one-under-par tournament was good enough for 14th place, his best finish in a tournament since his junior year when he had three top 11 finishes. Chris Kirk of Georgia won the tournament with a 205 score.

May was Clemson’s top performer in the first and third rounds, but slumped to a non-counting 77 in the second round. Still, the freshman from Auburn, NY finished 27th with a 218 total, two-over-par.

Stephen Poole, senior from Spartanburg, who was Clemson’s lower stroke average player in the fall, finished with a 222 total for the three days, including a second round 69 that was the low individual round of the tournament by a Clemson golfer.

Anderson, SC freshman Phillip Mollica, one of three Tigers to shoot a 76 on Tuesday, finished at 223 and in a tie for 51st. The 76 on Tuesday was just his second score over 75 this year. Tanner Ervin, a sophomore, also had a 76 on Tuesday and finished at 232 for the tournament.

Clemson will next be in action March 10-12 at the Las Vegas Invitational at Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas.

Clemson at Puerto Rico ClassicFeb. 26-28, 2006Brian Duncan            73      70      72      215     -1      14thDavid May               70      77      71      218     +2      27thStephen Poole           77      69      76      222     +6      49thPhillip Mollica         74      73      76      223     +7      51stTanner Ervin            80      76      76      232     +16     81stClemson                 294     288     295     877     +13     9th