Clemson Fifth at Carpet Classic

Nov. 7, 2004

Clemson, SC – Brian Duncan fired a team best 71 and Stephen Poole registered just the third hole-in-one in Clemson golf history on Sunday, leading the Tigers to a fifth-place finish in the 18-team Carpet Capital Collegiate at The Farm in Dalton, GA. The Tigers had a team round of 294 on Sunday and finished with an 896 team score for the 54-hole event.

Georgia won the event at 879, while Wake Forest was second at 881. Georgia Tech was third at 883 and East Tennessee State was fourth at 895, just one shot better than the Tigers. Auburn was sixth at 898, while Duke was seventh at 899. TCU and New Mexico were tied for eighth at 900 and Florida was 10th at 901. South Carolina was 13th at 907 and NC State was 17th at 942 among other area schools.

Duncan, a native of Greenville, SC finished the tournament as Clemson’s top golfer with a three-day total of 221, good enough for 11th place at five-over-par. His final round 71 was the team’s only under-par individual round of the tournament, and he birdied the 18th hole to do that.

The par 72 course that is 7010 yards in distance proved to be a difficult challenge for the college golfers from around the nation. No one in the 90-player field broke par for the event. Rhys Davies of East Tennessee State won the event with a 217 score.

Poole’s hole in one on the par three eighth hole was certainly the highlight of the day for the Tigers. Poole, a junior from Spartanburg, SC, hit a four-iron on the 230-yard down hill hole. “I hit a four-iron to about three inches of the cup and it spun right into the hole,” said Poole. “It was a great feeling, especially to do it in a college tournament for Clemson.” Poole had scored one hole in one previously in a recreational practice round at Spartanburg Country Club in 2001.

Poole’s shot on Sunday was just the third hole in one in Clemson history in college tournament. The others both took place in 1999 just nine days apart. Michael Hoey, who went on to win the British Amateur Championship, had a hole in one at The Ridges in Johnson City, TN on the par three 16th hole on September 12, 1999. Then, on September 21, 1999, John Engler scored a hole in one on the par three 17th hole at the Ping Preview in Opelika, AL at the Grand National Golf Course.

Poole finished his day with a six-over-par 78 and was 55th in the individual race with a three-day total of 231. He had rounds of 80-73-78. Clemson’s second best golfer of the tournament and on Sunday was senior Jack Ferguson.

The native of Seneca had rounds of 72-80-72 in scoring an eight-over par 224 that was good enough for 22nd place. Classmate Brent Delahoussaye had a 227 for the tournament off rounds of 76-78-73 and finished 40th. Tanner Ervin, who was playing in his first tournament for Clemson shot a 240 for the three days and was 80th.

Clemson at Carpet Classic Dalton, GA November 5-7, 2004

Brian Duncan 78 72 71 221 +5 11th

Jack Ferguson 72 80 72 224 +8 22nd

Brent Delahoussaye 76 78 73 227 +11 40th

Stephen Poole 80 73 78 231 +15 55th

Tanner Ervin 77 76 87 240 +24 80th

Clemson 303 299 294 896 +32 5th