Clemson Golfers Back On Course Friday

Oct. 4, 2001

Clemson, SC – Clemson’s golf team, fresh off a victory at the Ping/Golfweek Preview in Columbus, OH last weekend, will be back on the course this weekend at the three-day 54-hole Carpet Capital Classic in Dalton, GA. The event, which begins on Friday, will be played at The Farm, a par 72 course that is 6906 in length.

Clemson finished second among 15 teams at this event last year. Lucas Glover and John Engler, who are both on the PGA Tour this weekend in Virginia, led the Tigers last year with scores of 216 and 218, respectively. D.J. Trahan and Gregg Jones are the only Tigers in this weekend’s field who played last year in Clemson’s lineup. Trahan shot a 219 and finished 13th, while Jones shot 223 and was 28th.

In addition to Trahan and Jones, Larry Penley’s team will include Tripp James, the team’s only senior who is making his second career appearance, sophomore Matt Hendrix and freshman Martin Catalioto. It will be the third career tournament for Hendrix and just the second for Catalioto.

Clemson won the prestigious Ping/Preview last weekend in dramatic fashion. Trahan was in the last group on the course and the Tigers were tied with Wake Forest at +11. Trahan needed to birdie the 18th hole, a 440-yard par four. He cut the corner on the dog leg left hole and drove his ball into a bunker that was just 40 yards from the green. He hit his second shot 18 feet from the pin, then made the putt to give Clemson the one-shot victory.

Clemson has had success at this event in history. Three times (1992-93, 1995-96 and 1997-98) Clemson has won the Carpet Capital Classic. Clemson has finished second twice (each of the last two years) and third twice, in its 12 previous appearances.