Clemson, S.C.—Clemson golfer Turk Pettit has been named a first-team Freshman All-American by the College Golf Coaches Association. It marks the second consecutive year Larry Penley’s team has had a freshman All-American as Doc Redman was named by the Coaches Association last year.
Pettit is the third Clemson golfer to be named a freshman All-American by the Golf Coaches Association, as Kyle Stanley was also named in 2007
Pettit was joined on this year’s All-Freshman team by Matthew Wolff, the winner of the Phil Mickelson Award as the nation’s top freshman, Brandon Mancheno of Auburn, Noah Norton of Georgia Tech, and John Pak of Florida State. Three of the five members of the team were from the ACC.
A native of Auburn, Ala., whose family now lives in North Carolina, Pettit had a 70.97 stroke average this year, in 11 tournaments, the eighth best season average in Clemson history and the third best by a Clemson freshman. He had 18 rounds under par, a Clemson freshman record tying 11 rounds in the 60s, and five top 10 finishes.
All five of Pettit’s top 10s were top five finishes, including four straight top three finishes from Feb. 18 to April 14. That streak was the longest of its kind since D.J. Trahan had a Clemson record five straight top three finishes in 2001-02. He shot even par at the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Regional.
His 65 in the second round of the NCAA Regional in Bryan, Texas tied the Clemson record for low round in an NCAA Tournament until Bryson Nimmer had a 64 at the National Championship in the first round last week
“Turk had a terrific year for us,” said Head Coach Larry Penley. “There was a time in the spring when he had four straight top three finishes that he was among the best players in the nation. He carried us for a period of time when Doc Redman was out of the lineup playing PGA Tour events. “
Thirteen times this year Pettit had the best round of the day among Clemson golfers and he was Clemson’s top golfer in five tournaments, more than any other Tiger in both categories. He won the Irish Creek Invitational in Kannapolis, NC in April with a 209 score. His best tournament score came at Bandon Dunes where he led Clemson with an 11 under par 202.
