Wednesday 05/22/2002
May 22, 2002
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Clemson Qualifies for 21st Consecutive National NCAAs Clemson has now qualified for the national portion of the NCAA men’s golf tournament 21 consecutive years, including 19 under Head Coach Larry Penley. Clemson’s current streak of appearances in the national portion of the event is second to Oklahoma State’s streak of 56 straight years (including 2002). Clemson has played at the national portion of the tournament every year Larry Penley has been the head coach (since 1983-84 academic year).
The streak actually began two years prior to Penley’s appointment. Current Clemson Athletic Director Bobby Robinson coached the Tigers to the NCAA tournament in 1980, 1982 and 1983. The appearance in 1980 was Clemson’s first at the NCAA Tournament as a team. Clemson won its first ACC Tournament title in 1982, then had its first top five national finish in 1983, all under Robinson.
Clemson’s streak of 21 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances is the longest in Clemson athletic history, regardless of sport. Clemson has come out of the regional all 14 years the NCAA has had that format, including five years in which it was regional champion (1993-94-95, 2000 and 2002). Clemson is now tied with Arizona and Arizona State for the most regional championships with five.
Clemson has five straight top 10 finishes at the NCAA national tournament. This is the first time Clemson has had five straight top 10s in golf and the first Clemson sports program to do it since the 1973-79 era when the men’s soccer program had seven straight top 10s under Dr. I.M. Ibraham.
The Tigers finished in the top 15 of the NCAA National Tournament in nine of the 10 years in the decade of the 1990s. That includes 1997 and 1998 when Clemson finished third and second, respectively. Clemson was the only school in the country to finish among the top three teams in the country each of those seasons. The only year in the 1990s that Clemson failed to make the cut was in 1995 at Ohio State. That is also the last time Clemson failed to make the cut for the last two rounds. Clemson has made six straight cuts.
Clemson has finished in the top 20 of the national event 14 of the last 15 years, including seven top 10 finishes in the last nine years. Clemson was fourth in 1993 and ninth in 1994. Overall, Clemson has had 18 top 20 finishes in its history. The Tigers have finished national runnerup two of the last four years (1998 and 2001). Clemson has made the cut for the final two rounds 12 of the last 13 years. The only year since 1989 that Clemson failed to make the cut was in 1995 at Ohio State
Clemson’s NCAA Tournament History National Appearances: 22nd in 2002 (all since 1980)Consecutive Nat. Appearances: 21 (2nd longest active streak behind Oklahoma State)2001 Finish: 2nd at Durham, NCTop Finish: 2nd at the University Course, Albuquerque, NM (1998) 2nd at Duke University Course, Durham, NC (2001)Top Five Finishes: 6 (1983, 1989, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2001)Top 10 Finishes: 9 (including 5 in a row)Top 20 Finishes: 18 (14 of last 15 years and 6 in a row)Cuts Made: 15 (6 in a row, 12 of last 13)Top Individual Finishes: 1st by Charles Warren at Conway Farms, 1997 2nd by Charles Warren at Albuquerque, NM, 1998 3rd by Thump Delk in 1993 at Lexington, KY 3rd by Mark Swygert in 1994 at McKinney, TXTop Individual Score: 272 (-16) by Charles Warren, 1998 at Albuquerque, NMLow Round, NCAA Play: 65 (-7), 3rd round, Mark Swygert, 1994 at McKinney, TX
Clemson's NCAA National Tournament History Year Site Score Vs par Finish 1980 Columbus, OH 1213 +61 12th 1982 Pinehurst, NC 882 +18 16th 1983 Fresno, CA 1176 +24 5th 1984 Houston, TX 881 +17 19th 1985 Haines City, FL 933 +69 27th 1986 Advance, NC 898 +34 21st 1987 Columbus, OH 1197 +45 11th 1988 Westlake Vil, CA 903 +51 17th 1989 Edmond, OK 1160 +40 3rd 1990 Tarpon Spr, FL 1174 +22 12th 1991 Pebble Bch, CA 1196 +44 13th 1992 Albuquerque, NM 1166 +14 12th 1993 Lexington, KY 1153 +1 4th 1994 McKinney, TX 1151 -1 9th 1995 Columbus, OH 594 +18 21st 1996 Chattanooga, TN 1227 +75 14th 1997 Lake Forest, IL 1153 +17 3rd 1998 Albuquerque, NM 1121 -31 2nd 1999 Chaska, MN 1199 +47 8th 2000 Opelika, AL 1133 -19 7th 2001 Durham, NC 1144 -8 2nd
Clemson’s top 10 Individual National Finishes (Chronological order) Year Player Score Vs Par Fin 1987 Kevin Johnson 291 +3 9th 1990 Danny Ellis 288 E 8th 1993 Thump Delk 287 -1 3rd Mark Swygert 288 E 7th 1994 Mark Swygert 277 -11 3rd 1996 Joey Maxon 295 +7 9th 1997 Charles Warren 279 -5 1st Richard Coughlan 284 E 6th 1998 Charles Warren 272 -16 2nd Joey Maxon 278 -10 10th 1999 Lucas Glover 295 +7 8th 2001 D.J. Trahan 283 -5 7th
Tigers Won Ping/Golfweek Preview D.J. Trahan came through in the clutch on the 18th hole to give Clemson the team title of the 2001 Ping Preview at The Scarlet Course at The Ohio State University in September.
Clemson finished first on Sunday in the 15-team field that included 10 of the top 12 ranked teams in the . The par 71 course that is nearly 7300 yards in length is the site of the NCAA Championship in late May and early June of 2002.
Larry Penley’s Tigers finished with a 10-over par team total of 862 in winning the event for just the second time in its history.. The Tigers last won in the fall of 1990. It was the 47th victory of Penley’s Clemson career. Wake Forest finished second with a 863 team score, while Texas was third at 864. Host school Ohio State was fourth at 867, while Virginia Tech was fifth at 871.
Defending NCAA Champion Florida, in second place by just two shots behind the Tigers heading into the final round, was 15-over-par as a team on Sunday and finished tied for sixth with Georgia at 872. Oklahoma State was eighth at 874, Oklahoma was ninth at 882 and Georgia Tech was 10th at 890, 38-over par.
Trahan was Clemson’s top individual with a 71 on Sunday and a 211 score for the 54 holes, good enough for second place. Brent Wanner of Wake Forest was the individual medallist at 210, one stroke better than Trahan, Bill Haas of Wake Forest and Doug Wade of Ohio State. Clemson held a five-shot lead heading into the final seven holes. But, the Tigers had to count five bogeys over the last seven holes and Wake Forest played consistent golf to forge into a tie with two holes left. The Deacons played three holes ahead of Clemson and headed into the clubhouse with a +11 team total.
Clemson was also at +11 as a team as Trahan went to the 18th tee. But, the Clemson junior who was a member of the United State Walker Cup team this past summer, responded with a birdie three on the par four hole. He drove the ball 370 yards over trees into a greenside bunker. He blasted out 10 feet from the hole, then made the putt to give Clemson the win.
Gregg Jones supported Trahan on Sunday with a 72 and he finished the 54 holes with a 214 score, good enough for a ninth-place finish. Jones came through in the clutch with three pars to finish his round when Clemson and Wake Forest were tied as a team.
Matt Hendrix was Clemson’s third best golfer at the event and the third best golfer on Sunday. He shot a two-over-par 73 on Sunday and finished at 221 for the three rounds. He played the final 36 holes at even par after shooting an eight-over-par 79 in the first round. Martin Catalioto, playing in his first collegiate tournament, had his third straight 75 on Sunday. His score counted towards Clemson’s team score all three days. Jack Ferguson, Clemson’s top golfer in the first round with a 70, slumped to an 80 on Sunday.
Clemson at Ping Preview/NCAA Championships Year Site Preview Result NCAA National Result 1990-01 Pebble Bch, CA 1 of 15 (+3) 13 of 30 (+44) 1991-92 Albuquerque, NM 12 of 15 (+8) 12 of 30 (+14) 1992-93 Lexington, KY 2 of 15 (+16) 4 of 30 (+1) 1993-94 McKinney, TX 4 of 18 (+19) 9 of 30 (-1) 1994-95 Columbus, OH 14 of 18 (+28) 21 of 30 (+18) 1995-96 Cornelius, OR 3 of 18 (+18) 14 of 30 (+75) Chattanooga, TN 1996-97 Chicago, IL 6 of 15 (+52) 3 of 30 (+17) 1997-98 Albuquerque, NM 9 of 15 (+10) 2 of 30 (-31) 1998-99 Edina, MN 7 of 15 (+32) 8 of 30 (+47) 1999-00 Auburn, AL 2 of 18 (-8) 7 of 30 (-19) 2000-01 Durham, NC 3 of 14 (+12) 2 of 30 (-8) 2001-02 Columbus, OH 1 of 15 (+10) ???
Trahan Wins NCAA East Regional Title Clemson Co-Champion of NCAA East with Georgia Tech D.J. Trahan rolled in a six-foot par putt on the 18th hole, to bring Clemson into a first-place tie and co-championship honors at the NCAA East Regional at Settindown Creek Country Club in Roswell, GA on May 18.
Trahan closed with a final round 71 and won the individual title by three strokes. Clemson finished in a tie with Georgia Tech at 876 for the team title. The NCAA holds regional tournaments as qualifiers for the national tournament, so there was no playoff for the team championship. The two ACC rivals will both claim the regional title.
All three regional championships ended with co-champions. Oklahoma State and Purdue tied for the Central Regional Championship, while New Mexico and Washington tied for the West Regional title.
It was the fifth regional championship for Clemson, all under Larry Penley. The Tigers also won a regional in 1993-94-95 and 2000. Clemson has more East Regional titles than any other school and now ties Arizona and Arizona State for the most regional championships regardless of area of the country. Trahan’s individual title was the first regional championship for a Clemson golfer since 1994 when Mark Swygert won the title at Auburn, AL.
Trahan finished with a 210 total for the three days, three shots better than Bob Cherry of North Carolina, who also shot a 71 on Saturday. Tyler McKeever of Georgia Southern and Brandt Snedeker of Vanderbilt were tied for third at 214. Those were the only players in the 141 player field who broke par over the three days.
It was the third win of the year for Trahan, who also won the Carpet Classic and the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate in the fall. He became the first Clemson player to win three tournaments in the same academic year. The victory was his ninth top 10 finish of the year, also a Clemson single season record.
“It was a scrambling round,” said Trahan, who had three birdies and two bogeys in the round. “I did not drive the ball that well, but I was able to get up and down, that was the key.” Trahan hit his second shot on the par four 18th hole into a trap at the right of the green. He exploded to within six feet past the hole, then made the putt coming back.
“I did not know that I needed to make the last putt to tie the team championship,” said Trahan. “I looked at the scoreboard coming up the 18th fairway, but the scores were behind. I just wanted to get up and down and do the best I could.”
Trahan’s round included a birdie at the par five 16th hole. He hit his approach shot to within two feet of the cup, then made the putt. Another highlight of the round came on the par four 13th hole. He drove the ball into the woods. He faded a 150-yard shot around a tree onto the green, then two putted to save par.
“D.J. Trahan proved again why he is the best player in the country,” said Clemson Head Coach Larry Penley. “In Clemson we call it the Eye of the Tiger. He has it. He has been doing that since he was 13 years old.”
Trahan was the only Tiger to break 75 on Saturday. The course proved to be very difficult as the wind was swirling most of the day. Sophomore Gregg Jones shot a 76 to finish with a 220 score and a 13th place finish.
Matt Hendrix both had rounds of 76 that counted towards Clemson’s team total. Hendrix double bogeyed the first two holes, then played even par golf the rest of the way. He had an eagle three on the 16th hole and that proved to be very important coming down the stretch. Ben Duncan shot a 77 on Saturday, but his 225 total for the 54 holes was second behind Trahan and Jones among Clemson golfers.
Clemson To Take Young Team to National Championships Clemson will take a young team to the national championships. Clemson will take two juniors, two sophomores and a freshman to Ohio State, a combined 11 years of experience. That is the youngest Clemson team to go to the NCAA championships since 1999 when the Tigers had 10 combined years of experience at Hazeltine. This is the first year since the 1999 tournament that Clemson has not had a senior in its lineup.
This is the sixth time in history that Clemson has made the national field without a senior. Clemson’s best finish without a senior in its lineup is eighth, that 1999 team that had a talented young team paced by junior Jonathan Byrd, sophomores John Engler, Lucas Glover, and freshman Michael Hoey. All but Saari are now pros on the PGA, BUY.com, or European tours.
Clemson Lineup for NCAA Regional Tournament 2001-02 Stats Name Cl. Hometown Trns Avg D.J. Trahan Jr. Inman, SC 12 70.33 Gregg Jones So. Florence, SC 11 71.94 Ben Duncan Jr. Greenville SC 8 73.50 Matt Hendrix So. Aiken, SC 11 73.73 Martin Catalioto Fr. Hilton Head, SC 7 74.86
The youngest Clemson team in history to make the national field was the 1995 club that had a combined eight years of experience. Clemson finished 21st that year in the tournament that was also held at Ohio State. That Clemson team had one junior, one sophomore and three freshmen in the lineup. Ironically, this will be the seventh Clemson team to make the NCAA national field with 11 years of experience or less and three of the seven tournaments have taken place at Ohio State.
Youngest Clemson Teams to Go to the NCAA NationalsYear Site Fr. So. Jr. Sr. Exp Finish1995 Columbus, OH 3 1 1 0 8 21st1987 Columbus, OH 2 1 2 0 10 11th1999 Chaska, MN 1 3 1 0 10 8th2002 Columbus, OH 1 2 2 0 11 ??1990 Tarpon Springs, FL 3 0 0 2 11 11th1991 Pebble Beach, CA 1 3 0 1 11 13th1982 Pinehurst, NC 1 2 2 0 11 16th
Clemson Teams at National Event Without a Senior Year Site Fr. So. Jr. Sr. Exp Finish 1982 Pinehurst, NC 1 2 2 0 11 16th 1987 Columbus, OH 2 1 2 0 10 11th 1992 Albuquerque, NM 1 1 3 0 12 12th 1995 Columbus, OH 3 1 1 0 8 21st 1999 Chaska, MN 1 3 1 0 10 8th 2002 Columbus, OH 1 2 2 0 11 ??
Clemson at The Scarlet Course This will be the sixth time Clemson has played a tournament at the Scarlet Course. It will be the fourth time Clemson has played in the NCAA national tournament at Ohio State. Clemson has also played in two Ping Preview events at the Scarlet Course.
Clemson won the Ping Preview this past fall at the Scarlet Course with a 10-over par 862. (It should be noted that this year the par for the course is a 71 and in previous years it was a par 72). That championship this past fall is by far Clemson’s best showing on the Scarlet Course. Clemson has finished 12th, 11th and 21st at NCAA events at the Scarlet Course and 14th at the 1995 Preview.
In fact, the last time Clemson failed to make the cut at the NCAAs was at Ohio State in 1995 when Clemson shot a 594 for the first two days and finished 21st. Ohio State was also the scene of Larry Penley’s only NCAA Tournament appearance as a player. Penley shot a 306 and finished 64th at the 1980 NCAA Tournament at Ohio State. That was Clemson’s first team trip to the NCAA national event.
Clemson at the Scarlet Course Year Event Finish Score 1980 NCAA Championships 12 of 32 1213 1987 NCAA Championships 11 of 33 1197 1995 Ping Preview 14 of 18 604 NCAA Championships 21 of 30 594 2002 Ping Preview 1 of 15 862
Tiger Golfers Ranked among Nation’s Best Statistically Clemson golfers D.J. Trahan and Gregg Jones are both ranked among the top 15 college players nationally according to the latest Golfweek/Sagarin player rankings. Trahan is rated third in the nation by the computer rankings, while Jones is now 13th. Trahan trails only Graeme McDowell of UAB and Camilo Villegas of Florida in the individual rankings. He beat both players by at least nine shots at the NCAA East Regional last weekend. All three will be in the same tournament May 29- June 1 at the NCAA championships at Ohio State.
The Clemson team is ranked second in the nation, trailing only Georgia Tech in the Golfweek/Sagarin team rankings. The two teams tied for the NCAA East Regional title with identical 876 scores. Wake Forest is third, followed by Florida, Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU, Southern Cal, Auburn and Georgia. NC State, also of the ACC, leads the second 10 in 11th place.
Golfstat, the service that compiles the national college golf stats, has Trahan and Jones ranked among the best players in the nation in many statistical categories. Trahan is ranked in the top 10 in the nation in eight different categories, including a #2 ranking in scoring average (70.33) , subpar strokes per round (4.53), scoring average vs. par (-1.33), and fewest bogeys per round (2.25). Jones is ranked in the top 25 in seven different categories, including a number-five ranking in greens in regulation percentage (.753) and a number-nine ranking in par three scoring average (3.05). Clemson freshman Martin Catalioto is ranked 25th in the nation in pars per round (11.86).
The Clemson team is ranked in the top 15 in the nation in nine different team categories. The list includes a third-place listing in scoring average (73.01), fewest bogeys per round (3.18), and par four scoring average (4.10).
Clemson Top 25 National Rankings
D.J. Trahan, Jr., Inman, SC *2nd, Scoring Average (70.33) *2nd, Score compared to par (-1.33) *2nd, Subpar strokes/round (4.53) *2nd Fewest bogeys per round (2.25) *4th, Par 4 Scoring average (3.94) *5th First round Scoring Average (70.50) *6th, Eagles, (7) *6th, Birdies (149) *18th, Last Round Scoring Average (71.42) *22nd, par 5 Scoring average (4.67)
Gregg Jones, Sophomore, Florence, SC *5th, Greens in Regulation (.753) *9th, Par Three Scoring (3.05) *12th, Greens in Regulation on par threes (.694) *17th, Sand Saves (.545) *19th, Fewest Bogeys/Round (2.67) *24th, Scoring Compared to Par, (+0.21) *24th, Par 4 Scoring Average (4.07)
Martin Catalioto, Freshman, Hilton Head, SC *25th, Pars/Round (11.86)
Clemson Team Rankings *3rd, Scoring Average (73.01) *3rd, Score Compared to Par (+1.28) *3rd, Fewest Bogeys/Round (3.18) *3rd, Par 4 Scoring, (4.10) *6th, First Round Scoring Average (72.95) *6th, Pars/Round (11.18) *12th, Last Round Scoring Average (73.47) *13th, Subpar Strokes/Round (3.13) *15th, Par 3 Scoring Average (3.18)
Trahan Wins Ben Hogan Award Clemson junior D.J. Trahan won the 2002 Ben Hogan Award, the honor presented to the top college golfer in the nation for his play in the college ranks and in amateur competition for the period May 1, 2001 to May 1, 2002. Trahan is the first Clemson golfer to win the award.
The announcement was made by the Golf Coaches Association of America in conjunction with The Colonial Country Club and the Friends of Golf. Trahan was presented the award at a black tie dinner in Fort Worth, TX on May 13th. The banquet was held at Colonial Country Club, the site of the PGA Tour’s Colonial Invitational. The presentation to Trahan will be shown on CBS Sports’ coverage of the tournament on Sunday, May 19.
Trahan has had an outstanding career at Clemson, as he was named a Freshman All-American and ACC Freshman of the Year in 2000 and won the United States Public Links Championship. In the spring of 2001 he finished seventh at the NCAA tournament, Clemson’s top performer, helping the Tigers to second place in the event.
Last summer, he won the South Carolina Amateur, defeating three-time defending champion and Clemson teammate Lucas Glover, and he competed for the United States in the Walker Cup. He also finished third at the Porter Cup and eighth at the Rice Planters and reached the second round of match play at the US Amateur.
Trahan had the top fall in Clemson golf history in 2001, as he won two tournaments (Carpet Classic and Jerry Pate) and had three second-place finishes. He did that in five consecutive events, the first time in Clemson history any golfer had ever had five straight first or second place finishes. With his win at the NCAA East Regional he became the first Tiger to win three events in one year.
In addition to all of the accomplishments on the course, Trahan carries a 3.22 GPA and is an academic All-America candidate. He has made the ACC Academic Honor Roll each of his first two years at Clemson and was named to the Academic All-District III team in May.
Trahan Stroke Average Among Best in NCAA History D.J. Trahan has a 70.33 stroke average for this academic year, a figure that ranks second in the nation to Graeme McDowell of UAB. The 70.33 figure would be the eighth best in NCAA history if the season ended today.
According to research by the Arizona State sports information office last summer, the NCAA record for lowest stroke average in a season is 69.43 set by Bryce Molder of Georgia Tech last year. Charles Howell of Oklahoma State had a 69.57 average in 1999-00. Two Arizona State players, Paul Casey and Phil Mickelson, have the only other season stroke averages in the 60s.
Trahan’s average of 70.33 would be second in ACC history behind Molder’s if the season ended today. Matt Kuchar of Georgia Tech had a 70.65 stroke average in 1999-00. The Clemson record is 70.87 by John Engler set last year.
Trahan said prior to the season one of his goals was to average 70.50 or less for the season. If he shoots an even par 288 for four rounds at the NCAAs he will finish at exactly 70.50 for the year. If he averages 70.33 for his four rounds at the NCAAs he would finish with a 281 score, three under par. Trahan finished second at the Scarlet Course last fall at the Ping Preview with a 211 score.
Lowest NCAA Stroke Average Seasons Rk Player School Year Avg 1. Bryce Molder Georgia Tech 2000-01 69.43 2. Charles Howell Oklahoma St. 1999-00 69.57 3. Paul Casey Arizona State 1999-00 69.87 4. Graeme McDowell UAB 2001-02 69.88 5. Phil Mickelson Arizona State 1991-92 69.95 6. Phil Mickelson Arizona State 1990-91 70.08 7. Joel Kribel Stanford 1998-99 70.12 8. D.J. Trahan Clemson 2001-02 70.33 9. Luke Donald Northwestern 1998-99 70.45 10. Luke Donald Northwestern 1999-00 70.47
Trahan Chosen ACC Player of the Year Trahan, Jones Named to All-ACC Golf Team Clemson junior golfer D.J. Trahan was named ACC Player of the Year on May 10. The native of Inman was joined on the All-ACC golf team by teammate Gregg Jones. The team was selected by the ACC men’s golf coaches.
It marked the first time since 1997 that a Clemson golfer had won the ACC Player of the Year Award. Richard Coughlan, now on the BUY.com Tour, was the co-winner of the Player of the Year award in 1997 as a senior. Ironically, teammate Charles Warren went on to win the national championship that season.
Trahan is ranked third nationally among college golfers according to Golfstat and Golfweek/Sagarin and has a 70.33 stroke average for the year. Trahan has now been named to the All-ACC team as a freshman, sophomore and junior, joining former Tiger Jonathan Byrd as the only Tigers to earn All-ACC honors in his first three years.
Jones ranks second on the Clemson team in stroke average with a 71.94 figure, a number that is ninth best in Clemson history for one season. He has four top 10 finishes this year including a second place finish at the Augusta State Invitational when he lost in a playoff after shooting a 203 score for 54 holes. It was the first All-ACC selection for Jones, who is a sophomore from Florence, SC.
Trahan Named to Academic All-District III Team Clemson junior D.J. Trahan, who won the Ben Hogan Award as the nation’s top college golfer on May 13, has been named to the Verizon Academic All-District III At-Large team. The team is chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
The At-large team is made up of athletes in NCAA sports of golf, swimming, tennis, volleyball, lacrosse, and wrestling. Members of this 11-man team are now eligible for the national team that will be announced in June. District III takes into account Division I schools from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
Trahan and George Mason junior Ben Adlard are the only golfers on the team, menaing Trahan is the only golfer from the SEC or ACC who has a chance to make the Academic All-America team as chosen by CoSIDA. Athletes with at least a 3.20 GPA and have completed their second year of school are eligible for the team.
Trahan is trying to become the second Clemson golfer to be selected in the last three years. Jonathan Byrd, now on the PGA Tour, was a member of the national at-large team in 1999 and 2000.
Trahan has excelled in the classroom and on the course for the Tigers this year. He has made the academic honor roll each semester this year and is currently the number-three ranked college golfer in the nation according to the Sagarin Computer rankings. At the NCAA East Regional he was the medallist with a six-under-par 210 score. He has already won a Clemson record three tournaments this year and has established Clemson marks for rounds under par (25), top 10 finishes (9) and top five finishes (8).
2002 Verizon Academic All-District III Men's At-large Team Name School Year Sport Ben Adlard George Mason Jr. Golf Adam Britt VMI Jr. Wrestling Michael Jansen Florida Sr. Swimming Ola Jonsson UNCC Sr. Tennis Mark Koontz Virginia Sr. Lacrosse Art Kulans George Mason Jr. Volleyball Marc Lindsay Georgia Sr. Swimming Andrew Lux James Madison Sr. Tennis Stephen Mohr North Carolina Sr. Swimming D.J. Trahan Clemson Jr. Golf Johna Westin Central Florida Sr. Tennis
Golf Team Posts Another Outstanding Semester in Classroom The Clemson golf team had another outstanding semester in the classroom this spring. Larry Penley’s team posted a team GPA of 3.02 and six of the 10 players on the roster were named to the academic honor roll. Four of the five participants in this year’s NCAA Tournament earned a 3.0 or better. That includes Matt Hendrix and Gregg Jones, who were both on the Dean’s List (3.50 or better). Starters D.J. Trahan were also on the honor roll.
This was nothing new for Penley’s team. The Tiger golf team has now had at least a 3.0 GPA for five straight semesters and seven of the last eight. Penley has never had a player turn pro early, so he also has a strong graduation rate for his program. Current PGA and BUY.com players Charles Warren, Jonathan Byrd, John Engler, Kevin Johnson, Joey Maxon, Tommy Biershenk, Danny Ellis and Richard Coughlan all have degrees. Lucas Glover, who finished third on the BUY.com Tour last week, has just one course left.
Future NCAA National Tournament Sites The NCAA National Tournament sites for the years 2003-2006 have been announced. Here is a list:
2003 Karsten Creek Stillwater, OK Host-Oklahoma State Dates: May 28-31, 2003
2004 Cascades Golf Course The Homestead, Hot Springs, VA Host-Virginia Tech Dates: June 2-5, 2004
2005 Caves Valley Golf Course Baltimore, MD Host-Loyola (MD) Dates: June 1-4, 2005
2006 Crosswater Golf Club Sunriver, OR Host-Pacific 10 Conference Dates: May 31, June 3, 2006
Clemson Golf Team Ranked Second or Third in All three Polls The Clemson men’s golf team was ranked second in the nation by the Precept Division I Coach’s poll of May 16. Clemson has been in the top 10 in the nation in every poll this year and has been in the top five in every poll so far in the Spring season.
Earlier this week, Clemson was ranked second in the nation by the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. Clemson has been ranked second in the nation in that poll all spring. ACC teams hold down the top three spots in both polls. Georgia Tech is number-one in both polls, while Wake Forest in second in the Coach’s poll and third by Golfweek/Sagarin.
Clemson has now been ranked in the top five of the Coach’s poll in all but one of the rankings over the last five years. That lone absence from the top 5 was in the preseason poll for this year when Clemson was listed ninth. That means Clemson has been in the top five of the coaches poll in 71 of the last 72 polls dating to March 11, 1998.
Clemson was ranked third in the nation in the latest Golf World poll of May 10th. Georgia Tech is first and Wake Forest second in that publication.
Precept Coach’s Poll Golfweek/Sagarin (As of May 16, 2002) (As of May 20, 2002) Rk Team Pts Rk Team Rating 1. Georgia Tech 175 1. Georgia Tech 70.00 2. Clemson 161 2. Clemson 70.67 3. Florida 147 3. Wake Forest 70.91 4. Texas 141 4. Florida 70.93 5. Wake Forest 137 5. Oklahoma St 71.06 6. Oklahoma St 135 6. Texas 71.15 7. Southern Cal 120 7. TCU 71.38 8. TCU 115 8. Southern Cal 71.40 Fresno State 115 9. Auburn 71.43 10. Tennessee 89 10. Georgia 71.54 11. Virginia Tech 83 11. NC State 71.56 12. Georgia 74 12. Tennessee 71.58 13. Augusta State 70 13. Washington 71.58 14. Auburn 68 14. Oklahoma 71.60 15. NC State 63 15. Fresno State 71.64 16. Washington 61 16. Augusta State 71.69 17. Purdue 60 17. Toledo 71.69 Toledo 60 18. Virginia Tech 71.74 19. Oklahoma 57 19. Purdue 71.75 20. Minnesota 52 20. Pepperdine 71.79 Note: Precept Poll does not reflect NCAA regional results, the Golfweek poll does.
Trahan Ranked First Among Amateurs Clemson junior D.J. Trahan is ranked as the number-one player in the Golfweek/Titleist Men’s Amateur Rankings. Bubba Dickerson, formerly of the University of Florida, turned professional after the Masters and dropped out of the rankings.
Dickerson was ranked #1 among amateurs prior to the Masters. Trahan has ranked in the top 10 in the world amateur rankings since he won the United States Public Links championship in the summer of 2000. He improved his ranking recently by winning the Azalea Invitational in April and finishing 45th at the BUY.com event in Greenville in late April. He was the low amateur at that pro event.
Trahan is currently third in the nation in two NCAA player ratings. Gregg Jones is 13th according to Golfweek/Sagarin and 24th according to Golfstat.
World Amateur Rankings by Golfweek/TitleistThrough May 20, 2002 Rk Name Hometown Pts 1. D.J. Trahan Inman, SC 200 2. Robert Hamilton Carmichael, CA 185 3. Adam Groom Sydney Australia 165 Jamie Elson Augusta, GA 165 5. Danny Green Jackson, TN 150 6. Chez Reavie Tempe, AZ 135 7. Sean Knapp Oakmont, PA 125 8. Brian Nosler Lake Oswego, OR 120 9. Jason Hartwick Sacramento, CA 115 Kevin Haeffner Pittsford, NY 115 Matt Weibring Plano, TX 115
Golfweek/Sagarin Individual Rankings (Through May 20, 2002) Rk Name School Rating 1. Camilo Villegas Florida 68.88 2. Graeme McDowell UAB 68.94 3. D.J. Trahan Clemson 69.05 4. Hunter Mahan Oklahoma State 69.30 5. Bill Haas Wake Forest 69.48 6. Ryan Hybl Georgia 69.52 7. Troy Matteson Georgia Tech 69.93 8. Nick Watney Fresno State 69.96 9. Lee Williamson Purdue 70.15 10. Brendon DeJonge Virginia Tech 70.15 11. Oliver Wilson Augusta State 70.17 12. Kevin Haefner Auburn 70.22 13. Gregg Jones Clemson 70.37 14. Kris Mikkelsen Georgia Tech 70.44 15. Matt Weibring Georgia Tech 70.49
Jones Having Strong Sophomore Season Gregg Jones is a Clemson sophomore who has had a strong spring. He has a 71.28 stroke average for the six spring events, just seven more strokes than D.J. Trahan has had. Jones has three top five finishes in the six spring events, plus a 13th place finish at the NCAA East Regional.
His top performance came in the most recent tournament when he fired a 203 at the Augusta State Invitational. He tied for medallist honors, but lost in a playoff when David Skinns of Tennessee when the Volunteer rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole. Jones 13-under-par figure at the event tied for the lowest figure under par in Clemson history. The only other time a Clemson player has been 13-under-par in a 54-hole event took place at last year’s ACC Tournament when John Engler won the event with a 13-under-par 203 score.
Jones also finished fourth at the Puerto Rico Classic and fifth at Las Vegas in his outstanding spring. He had one top 10 finish in the fall when he was ninth at the Ping Preview. That 214 score helped the Tigers to the team championship. For the academic year Jones is second to D.J. Trahan in stroke average (71.80), second in rounds in the 60s with eight and second in rounds under par with 13. Twenty-nine of his 33 rounds have been at 75 or better.
Jones is currently ranked 13th in the nation in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings and is 24th in the Golfstat Cup rankings. He is ranked in the top 25 in the nation in seven different stat categories.
Duncan Having Improved Junior Season Another Tiger who is showing improvement this spring is junior Ben Duncan. The native of Greenville, SC has had four top 20 finishes in the spring, a stretch that started with a career best 11th place finish at the Puerto Rico Classic. He was also 11th at the ACC Tournament with a 212 score. That is his career low for a tournament. He shot a 214 at Puerto Rico, and had a first round 68 that contributed to his success.
Duncan followed that with a 218 at Las Vegas to finish 19th and he was 20th at the Schenkel with a 219 score. He had a 220 total at Augusta State and now has a 72.20 stroke average for the spring, third best on the team. Duncan is a veteran of 20 tournaments and 59 rounds. He has a career stroke average of 73.90 , including a 73.50 figure for this academic year, third best on the team. He was third best among Tigers at the NCAA East Regional.
Trahan Having Record Setting Season Clemson junior D.J. Trahan is having quite a season. Here are some facts on Trahan’s accomplishments so far the 2001-02 academic year:
Had a streak of 20 consecutive rounds of 72 or better, anall-time record in Clemson golf history. Only one of the rounds(third round 72 at Long Cove on November 11th) was over par, theother 19 were at par or better. The streak was broken with anopening round 76 at Las Vegas. Had five consecutive tournamentfinishes of first or second, also an all-time Clemson record forconsecutive first or second place finishes. Won the Carpet Classicand Jerry Pate Intercollegiate in consecutive events. Posted a69.78 stroke average for the Fall of 2001, a Clemson record for afall stroke average. A model of consistency, he was at par orbetter in all six events in the fall, also a first in Clemson golfhistory. Had six straight under-par tournaments from September 30until Feb. 26th, longest streak of under par tournaments in Clemsonhistory. Already has 14 rounds in the 60s for the year. The recordis 15 by Chris Patton in 1988-89, so he needs just two more to tiethe single season record. Has 31 rounds at par or better. That istied for the Clemson single season record of 31 set by John Englerlast year. Has nine top 10 finishes, an all-time Clemson record.The previous best was eight set by Kevin Johnson (1986-87 and1988-89) and by Charles Warren in 1995-96. Has 25 rounds under parfor the year, breaking the previous mark of 23 set by CharlesWarren in 1997-98. Has a 70.33 stroke average for the year, aheadof the Clemson single season record pace of 70.87 set by JohnEngler last year. Has already won three tournaments, a record for aClemson player in a single season. In addition to winning the NCAAEast Regional, he won the Carpet Classic and the Jerry Pate. Has arecord six first or second place finishes this academic year.
Trahan Now First in Career Stroke Average Clemson junior D.J. Trahan has lowered his career stroke average to 71.73 through 12 events this year and 33 for his career. He has now jumped all the way to first place on Clemson’s career list thanks to his 70.33 stroke average this year. The 71.71 career stroke is just ahead the 71.78 turned in by John Engler between 1997-01. In third place is two-time first-team All-American Lucas Glover, who had a 71.95 career average between 1997-01. Engler, Trahan and Glover, who were teammates each of the previous two years, are the only golfers in Clemson history to have a career average under 72. Trahan has played exactly 100 rounds of college golf at Clemson.
Gregg Jones has jumped into fifth place on the career list with a 72.62 stroke average. Players need a minimum of 50 rounds to qualify for the list.
Clemson Career Stroke Average Leaders (Minimum 50 rounds Played) Rk Name Years Rds Stks Avg 1. D.J. Trahan 1999-02 100 7,171 71.71 2. John Engler 1997-01 153 10,983 71.78 3. Lucas Glover 1997-01 147 10,579 71.95 4. Jonathan Byrd 1996-00 155 11,234 72.48 5. Gregg Jones 2000-02 61 4,430 72.62 6. Chris Patton 1986-90 139 10,106 72.71 7. Kevin Johnson 1985-89 147 10,711 72.86 8. Charles Warren 1994-98 144 10,510 72.99 9. Nicky Goetze 1989-93 159 11,638 73.19 10. Richard Coughlan 1993-97 144 10,552 73.28
Clemson Single Season Stroke Average Bests Rk Name Year Rds Stks Avg. 1. D.J. Trahan 2001-02 33 2322 70.33 2. John Engler 2000-01 39 2764 70.87 3. Lucas Glover 2000-01 39 2776 71.18 4. Lucas Glover 1999-00 37 2636 71.24 5. Charles Warren 1997-98 39 2780 71.28 6. John Engler 1999-00 40 2853 71.33 7. Jonathan Byrd 1999-00 37 2648 71.57 8. Chris Patton 1988-89 40 2874 71.85 9. Gregg Jones 2001-02 30 2154 71.94 10. Dillard Pruitt 1983-84 31 2230 71.94
Clemson Spring ReviewClemson Finishes Second at Puerto Rico ClassicFeb. 26, 2002 Rio Mar, Puerto Rico – D.J. Trahan fired a final round 69 and Ben Duncan added a 70 to lead Clemson to a second-place finish at the Puerto Rico Classic at Rio Mar Country Club in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Clemson finished the three-day, 54-hole event on the par 72 course with an 854 score, 10-under par.
Clemson trailed only #1 ranked Georgia Tech, who ran away from the field with an 829 total, an incredible 35-under-par. Clemson was three strokes better than Purdue, who had an 857 score, while defending national champion Florida was fourth at 869.
Colorado was fifth at 872, while Minnesota was sixth at 881. East Tennessee State was seventh with an 883 score, while NC State was eighth at 887, and Duke was ninth at 889. Oklahoma finished 10th with an 890 count, while Georgia was 11th at 893. Texas, who was in third place after one round, finished 12th with an 894 score. Kent State, Northwestern and Virginia all tied for 13th at 913.
Trahan shot a 69 on Tuesday, giving the Clemson junior three straight under-par rounds. He has now scored under par in 15 of his 21 rounds this year and has 20 consecutive rounds of 72 or better. He finished at 211, and the fourth place finish was his sixth straight top five, a first in Clemson history. He now has a 69.86 stroke average for the academic year.
Jones tied Trahan for fourth place, his highest finish as a Tiger. His previous best was a ninth-place at this year’s Ping Preview, an event Clemson won as a team. Jones had rounds of 69-69-73 in recording his 211 total.
Ben Duncan had a 70 on Tuesday to finish with a 214 score, tied for 11th place. That was also Duncan’s best score and highest finish as a Tiger. He had rounds of 68-76-70. Matt Hendrix fired a 76 on Tuesday and finished at 223, while Jack Ferguson had a 74 to finish in 40th position at 224.
Troy Matteson won the tournament with a 205 after a 71 on Tuesday, while Lee Williamson of Purdue was second at 207. Nicholas Thompson of Georgia Tech had three consecutive rounds of 70 to finish at 210, one shot better than Trahan.
Clemson Finishes Fourth at Las Vegas InvitationalMarch 10, 2002 Clemson, SC – Gregg Jones birdied four of the last seven holes on the way to a two-under-par 70, leading Clemson to a fourth-place finish at the Las Vegas Invitational on Sunday. Clemson finished the 54-hole event with an 867 team score, three-over par.
Jones finished fifth individually, his second straight top five finish. He was tied for fourth at five-under par at the Puerto Rico Classic in the first tournament of the spring. Jones finished with rounds of 74-71-70, a one-under-par score of 215.
Ben Duncan was Clemson’s second best golfer for the entire tournament with a 218 score, two-over par. It was another consistent tournament for Duncan, who had a career best 214 at the Puerto Rico Classic two weeks ago. It is the first time Duncan has put a pair of top 20 finishes together. Duncan had rounds of 72-73-73 for his 54 holes to finsh 19th.
Matt Hendrix tied Jones for Clemson’s best golfer on Sunday with a 70. He finished 29th overall for the event with scores of 73-77-70. Martin Catalioto had his best tournament of his young career. The first-year freshman had rounds of 74-75-71. The 71 on Sunday was his first career under-par round.
D.J. Trahan entered the event as the number-one ranked player in the nation. The junior struggled in the first round with a four-over-par 76, his worst round of the year. But, he finished with a par of even par 72s and finished at 220 for the three days, tied for 29th.
Georgia Tech won the team team with an 844 score, 20-under-par. It was the third win of the spring for the Yellow Jackets, who will retain their number-one ranking in the nation. Host school UNLV finished second at 863, while NC State was just one stroke back at an even par 864. Clemson was fourth at 868, four strokes better than Georgia. The field was composed of 16 teams, including 10 of the top 25 in the nation.
Clemson Finishes Sixth at E-Z-Go Schenkel Invitational March 24, 2002 Statesboro, GA – No Clemson player shot better than a 74 and the Tigers shot a 297 team score on Sunday, as Clemson finished sixth out of the 15 teams in the E-Z-Go Chris Schenkel Invitational in Statesboro, GA. It was just the second time all year that the second-ranked Tigers failed to finish in the top four of a tournament.
Pin placements were difficult and it was reflected in the scores as no team bettered par on the day. NC State had the top team score on Sunday with a 288 The Pack was paced by Justin Walters who had a 67, the top round of the day. He won the individual championship with a 207 score, five shots ahead of the field.
Augusta State won the event with an 865 total, one-over-par. Even the team champion Augusta State shot eight-over par 296 on Sunday. Wake Forest, ranked third in the nation behind Clemson and Georgia Tech in the Sagarin Poll, finished second at 867, while the Pack was third at 871. Florida was fourth at 872, followed by defending NCAA Champion Florida at 874. Clemson and Duke were tied for sixth at 876.
Clemson’s top player for the tournament was junior D.J. Trahan. He finished in a tie for fifth, but his round of 77 on Sunday did not count towards the Clemson team score. Trahan had rounds of 69-69-77 in finishing tied for fifth with Florida players Camilo Villegas and Ari Savolainen.
The turning point in Trahan’s round came on the ninth hole when he drove the ball straight down the middle of the fairway 315 yardsŠinto a lake. He double bogeyed the par five hole. Still, it was another top 10 finish for Trahan, who was trying to become the first Clemson golfer in history to win three tournaments in the same year. He was the leader after two rounds at six-under-par. He finished with a 215 total, one-under-par.
Ben Duncan finished in a tie for 20th with a 219 score after rounds of 70-75-74. He was one-under-par with four holes left on Sunday, but bogeyed three of the last four. It was Duncan’s third straight top 20 finish.
Gregg Jones both shot rounds of 74 on Sunday and tied for 34th with a 222 total. Hendrix had 16 pars and two bogeys. The Clemson sophomore hit 15 greens in regulation, but just couldn’t drop a birdie putt. He had three straight rounds of 74. Jones was coming off consecutive top five tournament finishes heading into this weekend and was ranked 15th in the nation.
Freshman Jack Ferguson shot a 227 for the tournament after rounds of 76-76-75. The native of Seneca finished tied for 58th.
Clemson Finishes 3rd at Cleveland/Augusta State Invitational April 7, 2002 Augusta, GA – Clemson sophomore Gregg Jones lost in a playoff for medallist honors, but fired a career best 66 in the final round to lead Clemson to a third-place team finish at the Cleveland/Augusta State Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, GA.
Jones finished the tournament with a 203 score for 54 holes, 13 under-par. He lost in a one-hole playoff to David Skinns of Tennessee, who had rounds of 66-67-70 for the three days. Jones’ second place finish was the best of his career and the 203 score tied for the third best in Clemson history. It tied for the best ever in a spring tournament in Clemson history. John Engler had a 203 at the ACC Tournament last year. His 66 on Sunday tied for the best round by a Clemson player this year.
Jones also became just the fifth golfer in Clemson history to record three rounds in the 60s in the same tournament. It was last done by Lucas Glover last year at the Jerry Pate Invitational. Jones had rounds of 69-68-66 in recording his 203 over the weekend.
Jones was eight shots better than teammate D.J. Trahan, who had a 74 on Sunday. Trahan had recorded rounds of 70-67 in the first two rounds and was in third place heading into the final round.
Matt Hendrix had a 73 on Sunday and finished 47th at 219. Ben Duncan carded a 72 on Sunday and finished tied for 52nd at 220. Freshman Martin Catalioto had a one-under-par 71 on Sunday and finished at 220, also 52nd place.
Tennessee won the event with an 841 team score, while Wake Forest was third at 846. NC State and Florida tied for fourth behind Clemson with an 851 score. The field included 18 teams.
Clemson Finishes Third at ACC Golf TournamentTrahan Leads Way with 6th place FinishApril 21, 2002Uwharrie Point, NC – D.J. Trahan and Ben Duncan both had final rounds of two-under-par 70, but it was not enough for Clemson to overcome Georgia Tech and NC State on Sunday afternoon at the 49th ACC Men’s Golf Championship. The tournament was played at the Old North State Club in Uwharrie Point, NC.
Clemson finished third with a score of 845 on the par 72 course, behind champion Georgia Tech (837) and N.C. State (841). The final standings were closer than those scores indicate. With two holes to play, only one shot separated all three schools.
Wake Forest, ranked second in the nation in one poll entering the tournament, finished fourth at 851. North Carolina had individual champion Dustin Bray, but the Tar Heels were fifth as a team at 862. Florida State, coached by former Clemson All-American Nicky Goetze, finished sixth at 868, while Virginia was seventh at 874. Maryland was eighth at 875 and Duke was last at 878.
Clemson made a charge on the last two holes on Saturday to cut Georgia Tech’s lead to five strokes entering today. Clemson played 17 and 18 five under par that day. But, the Tigers struggled on the last two holes on Sunday. Clemson had to count a double bogey and a bogey on the 18th hole, while Georgia Tech had a birdie and two eagles.
Trahan led the Tigers with a 70 and finished in sixth place overall with a 54-hole score of 209, seven-under-par. Trahan had three rounds under par at the event, giving him 22 under-par rounds for the year. He is now just one under-par round off of Charles Warren’s single season record of 23 set in 1997-98.
Duncan and Gregg Jones both tied for 11th in the tournament overall with 212 scores. Duncan shot a 70 on Sunday but finished with bogies on each of the last two holes. Still, his 212 score was the lowest of his Clemson career and it was just the second time he had been under-par for a 54-hole event. He had 13 birdies on the weekend, more than any other Tiger.
Jones finished with a double bogey on the 18th hole when he tried to go for the green in two, a necessary attempt if Clemson was to win the tournament. But, his shot was short, caught the bank and went into the water. Jones had given Clemson hope just a hole earlier when he birdied the difficult 17th hole. He hit his drive on the par three hole just two inches from the cup. For Jones, it was his fourth under-par tournament in his last five and he is now 17-under par for his last five events.
Matt Hendrix finished in a tie for 15th with a 214 score, two-under-par. He was two under par through eight holes, but double bogeyed the ninth hole. Clemson was the only school in the tournament with four players among the top 15 in the final standings. Hendrix had rounds of 71-69-74 for the three days. The 214 score was his lowest of the season.
Freshman Martin Catalioto had a solid 72 on Sunday, including a birdie on the 18th hole. It gave him a 220 score for the three days, 30th overall. He had a 71 in the first round giving him two rounds of par or better in the same event for the first time in his young Clemson career. Catalioto played with consistency as he had 39 pars in his 54 holes, more than any other Tiger.
Penley Has won 47 Tournaments You can easily make a case that Larry Penley is the most successful coach in Clemson athletics history. That certainly is the case when it comes to consistency. The Tigers have been to the NCAA national tournament all 18 years he has been at Clemson, something only Oklahoma State and Arizona State can also claim on the national scene.
Clemson has 15 top 20 finishes, 13 top 15 finishes and eight top 10s in this period of time. That includes an active streak of five straight top 10s, the first Clemson program to do that since the men’s soccer team had seven straight from 1973-79.
Individually, Clemson has had 12 top 10 NCAA Tournament finishes in Penley’s career. That includes the NCAA Championship by Charles Warren in 1997, and his number-two finish in 1998. Joey Maxon also finished in the top 10 that year, while Lucas Glover finished eighth in 1999. D.J. Trahan joined the list in 2001 with a seventh place finish off a 283 score.
On a regional basis, Clemson has been outstanding in the top golf conference in the nation. Clemson has won the ACC Championship three of the last five years, and has had four NCAA East Regional titles in, more than any other school. In fact, only Arizona and Arizona State (with five) , have more regional titles than Clemson since the regional format of the NCAA Tournament came into play in 1989.
Penley has been honored for his success in the ACC, winning the ACC Coach of the Year honors three of the last six years, and six years overall since his first season, 1983-84. He was the first coach in ACC history to win this award three consecutive years (1996-97-98). He has six ACC championships to his credit, second on the all-time list of ACC mentors.
Penley, along with Mike Holder of Oklahoma State, are the only coaches in the nation to take a program to the NCAA national tournament each of the last 18 years. Overall, Penley has won 47 tournament titles, including the Ping/Preview, which the Tigers won this past fall. His Clemson program has ranked in the top 10 in the nation in every poll each of the last seven years, including a streak of 62 straight top five rankings from March of 1998 until the preseason poll of 2001.
Tigers Win Ping/Golfweek Preview D.J. Trahan came through in the clutch on the 18th hole to give Clemson the team title of the 2001 Ping Preview at The Scarlet Course at The Ohio State University in September.
Defending NCAA Champion Florida, in second place by just two shots behind the Tigers heading into the final round, was 15-over-par as a team on Sunday and finished tied for sixth with 2000 NCAA Champion Georgia at 872. Oklahoma State was eighth at 874, Oklahoma was ninth at 882 and Georgia Tech was 10th at 890, 38-over par.
Byrd Finishes Tied for Third at Greater Greensboro OpenApril 28, 2002 Clemson, SC – Former Clemson All-American Jonathan Byrd fired a final round 66 and finished tied for third at the Greater Greensboro Open on Sunday. It was the best finish of the young season for Byrd, who is a rookie on the PGA Tour.
Byrd and former Clemson teammate Charles Warren had a productive weekend. Warren won the BUY.com event at the Cliffs Valley Course in Travelers Rest. Byrd won that event a year ago. On Sunday, Byrd birdied three of the first five holes and finished the day with six birdies and no bogeys. It was his best finish of the year, better than the 15th place ranking he had at the Tucson Open earlier this year. The 66 on Sunday was his best final round and two shots off his career best of 64, a figure he posted in the second round at Tucson this year.
Byrd finished with rounds of 72-71-69-66, 10-under par. In fact, on Friday he was in danger of missing the cut, but he birdied two of the last three holes and went on to the strong weekend. He was 58th after two rounds and 22nd after three rounds before closing with his 66 on Sunday for his first career top five finish.
Chad Campbell, also a member of the BUY.com Tour last year, had a bogey five on the last hole, and tied Byrd at 10-under-par.
Warren Captures BUY.com TournamentApril 28, 2002Clemson, SC – Former Clemson All-American Charles Warren fired a four-under-par 68 on Sunday and won the BMW Charity Pro Am at the Cliffs BUY.com event at the Cliffs Valley Course in Travelers Rest, SC He captured the championship with a 23-under-par 264 score over the four days, four strokes ahead of the field. The 1997 NCAA Champion, who threw out the first pitch of the Clemson vs. Wake Forest baseball game on Saturday night, won $94,500, his biggest check as a professional.
It marked the second straight year a former Clemson golfer had won the event. Last year Jonathan Byrd shot an 18-under-par score to win the tournament title. Byrd used that victory to finish eighth on the BUY.com money list and is now on the PGA Tour.
Warren had rounds of 67-65-64-68 for his four rounds and the 23-under score was just three shots off the all-time BUY.com record of 26 under. For the four rounds Warren had 25 birdies and just four bogeys. A key to his performance was the 12-13-14 holes on Valley course. Over the last two rounds he birdied those three holes each day.
“This is a thrill of a lifetime,” said Warren in accepting the championship trophy, presentation televised live by the Golf Channel. “I have had this event marked on my calendar. This is like a major to me. To have all the support from the Clemson people all week was just terrific. My putting was the key. I made putts all week. “
It was the first professional victory for Warren, who was a two-time ACC Champion during his time (1994-98) at Clemson. He earned his degree in May of 1998 and has been on the PGA or BUY.com tours ever since. Last year at this time he was recovering from shoulder surgery and served as an on-course announcer for the Golf Channel as he watched Byrd win the championship.
It marked the seventh time a former Clemson golfer had won a BUY.com tour event. Kevin Johnson, who also competed in Greenville this weekend, leads the way with three wins. Chris Patton and Clarence Rose also won BUY.com events in their careers.
Warren was one of five golfers with Clemson connections who made the cut at the BMW Charity Pro Am at the Cliffs. Charles Raulerson, who played two years at Clemson before transferring, finished 14th with a 12-under-par score (274). Johnson finished at eight-under par 279, good enough for 35th. Current Clemson junior D.J. Trahan shot a 74 on Sunday, but still finished at seven-under par 280, good enough for 45th. John Engler, an All-American on last year’s team, shot a third straight 71 and finished 54th. He had a 282 score for the four days.
Clemson at the BMW Charity Pro Am at the Cliffs
Charles Warren 67-65-64-68 264 -23 1st Charles Raulerson 71-69-68-67 274 -12 14th Kevin Johnson 74-66-68-71 279 -8 35th D.J. Trahan 67-70-69-74 280 -7 45th John Engler 69-71-71-71 282 -5 54th
Clemson Tigers Buy.com Tour VictoriesGolfer Year Event Chris Patton 1993 Albuquerque Open Clarence Rose 1995 Pensacola Open Kevin Johnson 1997 Puget Sound Open 1999 South Carolina Classic 2000 Permian Basin Classic Jonathan Byrd 2001 Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs Charles Warren 2002 Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs
Johnson Named to Clemson Hall of Fame Former Clemson All-America golfer Kevin Johnson will be inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame September 13. The ceremonies will take place on the Clemson campus. Johnson will be introduced as a member of the class at halftime of the Clemson vs. Georgia Tech football game on September 14th.
Johnson will be joined in the class by former football All-American William “Refrigerator” Perry, former baseball All-American Bert Heffernan, former women’s basketball All-American Mary Ann Cubelic, former All-ACC football player Gary Barnes, and athletic director Bobby Robinson, who will be retiring July 1.
Johnson was the first three-time All-American in Clemson golf history (1987-88-89). He led the Tigers to a third place finish at the NCAA Tournament in 1989. A three-time All-ACC selection, Johnson won the United States Public Links tournament in 1987. He has played professionally since he left Clemson and was a member of the PGA Tour in 2001. He is currently on the BUY.com Tour.
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