CLEMSON, S.C. — Zack Gordon and Kyle Cottam remain in the top 10 individually and Clemson is in fourth place as a team after two rounds of the Nexus Collegiate at the Albany Golf Club in Nassau, Bahamas. The event, the first of the spring for the Clemson team, is being held at the same course that plays host to the Tiger Woods Hero Challenge each December.
The weather conditions on Tuesday were much more difficult than any of the 19 PGA stars faced at the Hero Challenge this past December. Winds hit upwards of 25 mph on the course that has very few trees, and the scores reflected the conditions. The average score for the 56 players on Tuesday was 80.9 and no player shot even par or better. Only 20 of the 56 players broke 80. For the first two rounds all 18 holes have played over par, including the par four 18th hole that has played to an average of 4.80.
Through 36 holes, host school Auburn has the team lead at 605, 29-over-par. Ohio State is second at 608, North Florida is third at 618 and Clemson is fourth at 620.
Gordon and Cottam remained in the top 10 despite shooting scores of 78 and 80, respectively. Gordon shot a six-over-par 78 on Tuesday and is in sixth place with a 151 total for the first 36 holes. He has played the par five holes in one-under-par for the first two rounds, one of four players under-par on the par five holes for the first two rounds.
Cottam finished strong, playing the final seven holes at one-under-par. He made birdie on the 18th hole for the second straight day, the only player to do that. There have been just six birdies in the 112 rounds played so far. Cottam had a 72 in the first round, the top round of the tournament so far by a Clemson golfer and he stands in eighth place individually at 152.
Kian Rose had the top round by a Clemson golfer on Tuesday with a five-over-par 77. The freshman shot an even-par 36 on the front, then had a 41 on the back. With six bogeys and a birdie, he was the only Clemson golfer who did not have a double bogey on Tuesday. His 20 pars so far in the tournament are also best among Clemson golfers. He improved 14 places to 17th in the individual race on Tuesday.
Jacob Bridgeman, Clemson’s No. 2 ranked golfer of all-time in terms of stroke average, had an 11-over par 83 on Tuesday, another example at how difficult the course played in the second round. Carter Pendley also had an 83. Freshman Sean Curran is playing the tournament as an individual and had an 81.
The final round in the nine-team tournament will be played Wednesday. Live scoring is available on golfstat.com
