Clemson NCAA Golf Update

June 1, 2000

Opelika, Ala.–Jonathan Byrd recorded a three-under par 69 and Lucas Glover made a nine stroke improvement over his first day to lead Clemson to a 287 team score in the second day of the NCAA men’s golf tournament at Grand National Golf Course in Opelika, AL.

Clemson stood in a tie for 12th place out of the 30 teams in the field as of 3:30 PM (Eastern). Clemson must be in the top 15 by the end of play on Thursday to advance to Friday’s third round. There were still 24 teams out on the course at 3:30 PM.

“We didn’t play very well today,” said Head Coach Larry Penley. “We made enough birdies to score 8-10 under par, but we made too many bogeys, too many mistakes.

“Jonathan Byrd played well today. He showed us senior leadership, he played like an All-American. Lucas Glover made enough birdies (6) to have a low score, but he made too many mistakes on other holes and ended with a 71. That is a good score, but it could have been lower.

“We must stop driving the ball into fairway bunkers. We have done that 8-10 times so far, and I bet we haven’t made a par on those holes yet. You can’t drive the ball in those bunkers on this golf course. We have to change the way we are playing some of those holes. “I was pleased that we were more aggressive today. You have to be on this course because there are going to be some low scores.

“At this moment (2:30 PM Eastern time) I just hope we make the cut. It will be close. The cut after the first day would have been +2. If you double that it would be +4. I hope that is the case. If we can make the cut we certainly have a -15 round in us. We are going to need some help.”

Byrd shot 35 on the front nine and 34 on the back in recording his 69 on Thursday, the 61st round under par of his career and his 30th career round in the 60s. Byrd tied Chris Patton’s record for rounds in the 60s in his career. He already has the record for rounds under par in a career.

Byrd made many spectacular shots on Thursday. He hit a 155-yard iron shot from the rough to within four inches of the cup on the fourth hole for a birdie. His top shot might have come in making par on the par three eighth home. His tee-shot went right of the green into the marsh. But, he hacked it out to within seven feet of the pin and made the putt. That spurred him on to a birdie on nine, a 12-foot putt.

Byrd, the senior from Columbia, then birdied 12, 13 and 14 to go three under par. He played steady golf down the stretch, making pars on 15-18. He had to get up and down after hitting his second shot off the back of the green near the grandstand.

“I drove the ball much better today,” said Byrd who had six bogeys in the first round, but just two on Thursday. “The birdie on the fourth hole got me going because I was in trouble, 155 yards from the hole on a par five in three. Then I made birdie. The par on eight was also big.”

Glover had four birdies on the front side, but was just one under par to show for it. He had a double bogey on the sixth hole and that cost him a superb opening nine. He played the back side in even par, eight strokes better than yesterday when he had a 44.

John Engler shot his second straight 39 on the front side, then improved to his second straight 34 on the back. The native of Augusta, GA was four over standing on the 11th tee, but he birdied four of the next six holes. He finished with a bogey on the 18th when he drove the ball in a fairway bunker, a bunker that sits in the middle of the fairway.

D.J. Trahan was even par through 16, then finished bogey, bogey. The highlight of his round came on the par 4, 342-yard 16th hole. The freshman drove the green, his ball landing within 15 feet of the pin. He made a two-putt birdie.

Jani Saari scored a 75 on Thursday and his score did not count towards the team score. He had a 38 on the front and 37 on the back, including a birdie on the 17th hole.

Through two rounds, Byrd is Clemson’s low scorer with a 143. Trahan is second at 145, while Engler stands at 146. Saari is at 148 and Glover at 151. He went from 80 on Wednesday to 71 on Thursday.