Clemson Fifth after First Round of ACC Tournament

Clemson, S.C.—Sydney Legacy shot an even-par 72, including an eagle on the final hole Friday to lead Clemson to a 298 team score and a tie for fifth place after the first round of the ACC Women’s Golf Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.  J.T. Horton’s Tigers are tied for fifth with North Carolina, but stand just four shots out of second after the first round of the 54-hole event at the par 72 course.

Legacy’s even-par score of 72 puts her in a tie for seventh with Anna Redding of Virginia.  Legacy was one of just eight players in the 60 player, 12-team field to shoot par or better.  The sophomore shot one-under-par 36 on the back nine, thanks to the eagle, her first of the year and just the third by a Clemson golfer this year.  Legacy hit her second shot on the 486-yard 18^th hole to within four feet, then made the putt for eagle.

Marisa Messana was the second best Tiger on Friday with a one-over-par 73.   Messana continued her fine play at the home of the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Invitational.  She shot a three-over-par 219 last year to lead Clemson golfers, so she has a 73 average for her four career rounds.  The native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. had two birdies and three bogeys and is tied for ninth after the first round.

Clemson played the last three holes in four-under-par as a team to jump from ninth to fifth in the standings after 18 holes.  One of the reasons was a birdie by Lauren Stephenson on the 18^th hole.  She hit her second shot to within 12 feet of the pin, then two-putted for the birdie.  Her opening round 76 is tied for 27^th.    She had an unusual round in that she had three double bogey’s, but no bogeys and two birdies.

Alice Hewson, tied for first on the Clemson team in stroke average entering the ACC Tournament, had an opening round 77, while junior Jessica Hoang had an 80.

Clemson will begin play in the second round on Saturday morning at 9:40 a.m.  The last Tiger will start at 10:20 a.m.   Scoring is available on golfstat.com.

ACC Tournament

Team Scoring:  1. Virginia 283, 2.  Wake Forest and Duke 294, 4.  NC State 297, 5.  Clemson and North Carolina 298, 7.  Florida State 299, 8.  Miami 301, 9.  Boston College 304, 10.  Notre Dame 310, 11.  Louisville 311, 12.  Virginia Tech 320.