Tigers Open Spring Golf Season in Puerto Rico

Feb. 24, 2006

The Clemson Golf team will be open its spring season February 26-28 at the Puerto Rico Classic on the River Course at Westin Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. The competition starts Sunday, February 26 on the 6,945-yard par 72 course and the 54-hole event ends Tuesday, February 28th.

The Tigers have had much success at this event, and have finished in the top five four of the last five seasons. The 19th ranked Tigers (Golf Coaches Association poll) are looking to get started in the right direction this spring but will have to do so against some tough competition. Ten of the top-25 teams in the country, according to the latest Golf Coaches Association of America poll, will be competing in the event including Georgia (1) , Georgia Tech (2) , Oklahoma State (3) , Florida (5) , Duke (8) , and Arizona State (9).

Clemson will be bringing two seniors, a sophomore, and two freshmen to the event. Senior Stephen Poole had Clemson’s lowest stroke average in the Fall with 73.22. He also ranks 12th in the nation in greens in regulation with a 75.9 percent figure. Poole is also the 74th ranked collegiate golfer in the nation according to the Sagarin Golf Rankings.

Brian Duncan is the other senior traveling for the Tigers this week. The native of Greenville is Clemson’s highest ranked player according to the Sagarin Golf Rankings at 26th in the nation. Duncan ended the fall season with a 73.67 stroke average for the two tournaments he played and recorded top 20 finishes in both events.

Tanner Ervin is competing for the Tigers with a 74.14 stroke average. He is coming off his best career finish, a t-14th at the Jerry Pate where he shot a one under par 212 total.

David May is one of the two freshmen competing for the Tigers this week. The native of Auburn, NY competed in all three events for Clemson in the Fall and finished runner-up individually at the Carpet Capital Classic with a nine under par 207 total for the event. That tied D.J. Trahan’s freshman record for a 54-hole event.

Phillip Mollica is the other freshmam rounding out the top-five for the Tigers this week. Mollica competed in two events for Clemson in the Fall and ended the season with a 74.0 stroke average. Five of his six rounds were at 75 or better.