Clemson, S.C.—Veterans Bryson Nimmer and William Nottingham both had even-par rounds of 72 on Friday, as the Clemson men’s golf team opened its 2018-19 season with a 290 team score, good enough for a fifth-place standing after the first round of the Carpet Capital Collegiate at The Farm in Dalton, Georgia. The Tigers are fifth out of 15 teams in the national field that includes nine schools from the ACC and the SEC.
Tennessee has the first round lead after shooting a team score of eight-under-par 280. Georgia Tech is second at 281, while Alabama and Kennessaw State are tied for third at 288. The Tigers are fifth at 290, three shots ahead of Auburn and four shots ahead of Virginia and South Carolina.
The Tigers had 22 birdies as a team, second in the field behind Georgia Tech’s 23. But Larry Penley’s team had five double bogeys, the prime reason Clemson is 10 shots out of the lead.
Nimmer, a senior from Bluffton, SC who is third in Clemson history in career stroke average, had six birdies, tied for third in the field of 81 golfers, but he also had four bogeys and a double in his first round of the season in shooting an even par 72. Nottingham, a junior who holds the Clemson record for the lowest 18 hole score with a 62 two years ago, played the last four holes one-under and finished with four birdies and four bogeys.
Freshmen Jacob Bridgeman and Zack Gordon played their first career rounds and had solid performances with one-over-par scores of 73. Bridgeman got off to a rough start and was three-over-par for his first three holes as a Tiger, but shot a 34 on the back nine to finish with his 73. Gordon had five birdies on his card on the way to his 73.
Sophomore Kyle Cottam had the top hole of the day among Clemson players with an eagle three on the 498-yard 12th hole. He had it to three-under-par through 14 holes, but had a pair of double bogeys coming in, including the final hole, and also shot a 73 to tie for 28th place.
Senior Coleman Self is playing the event as an individual and carded a 76. He had a pair of triple bogeys that ruined his round. He was two-under-par on the other 16 holes.
The tournament continues on Saturday with 18 more holes. Live scoring is available on Golfstat.
Clemson at Carpet Capital Collegiate
September 7, 2018
The Farm, Par 72, 7178 Yards
Results after first of three rounds
Clemson Individuals: 22. Bryson Nimmer 72, 22. William Nottingham 72, 28. Jacob Bridgeman 73, 28. Kyle Cottam 73, 28. Zack Gordon 73.
Individual in field: 49. Coleman Self 76.
Team Scores: 1. Tennessee, 280, 2. Georgia Tech 281, 3. Alabama and Kennesaw State 288, 5. Clemson 290, 6. Alabama 293, 7. Virginia and South Carolina 294, 9. Chattanooga 295, 10. LSU 296, 11. Florida, California, North Florida, and Colorado State 301, 15. Dalton State 303.
