CLEMSON, S.C. — Clemson will be one of 10 top 20 teams in a 15-team field at the Colonial Collegiate at famed Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 4-5. The field is considered the best in Division I college golf during the fall segment of the schedule.
Clemson is ranked seventh in the nation according to the latest Golfweek and Golf Coaches Polls, one of seven top 10 teams in the field according to the Coaches Polls.
This year’s field includes the following ranked teams according to the latest Golf Coaches Poll: Oklahoma State (1), Oklahoma (2), Pepperdine (3), Texas (4), Clemson (7), Texas Tech (9), Vanderbilt (10), Georgia (13), Wake Forest (17), Florida (20). The field also includes Baylor, Oregon, San Diego State, TCU and Southern California.
This will be Clemson’s second tournament of the year. Jordan Byrd’s team opened with a strong second-place finish at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate in Scottsdale, Ariz. That performance improved Clemson from 11th in the preseason poll to seventh this week.
Clemson shot 43-under-par in the first tournament, lowest team score vs. par in Clemson history. All 15 individual rounds were at par or better on the par 70 course.
Clemson was scheduled to play in the Scenic City Intercollegiate in Chattanooga, Tenn. Sept. 20-21, but that event was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Clemson will use the same veteran lineup it used in finishing second in the season opener. Kyle Cottam and Jacob Bridgeman will lead the Tigers lineup. Cottam finished fifth at the Maui Jim with a 196 score for 54 holes, tied for the second best in Clemson history. His 65.33 scoring average is second best in the nation.
Bridgeman finished ninth with an 11-under par 199 at the Maui Jim. His performance included a second round 62, tied for the low individual round in Clemson history. His 66.33 average is third in the nation and his 70.70 career average is second best in school history.
Carter Pendley, a junior who has played in just six career tournaments, finished 17th at the Maui Jim and is Clemson’s third best player in terms of stroke average so far at 67.33.
Colby Patton and Zack Gordon are two seniors who will round out the Clemson lineup. Patton is a “Super Senior” who was six-under 204 in the season opening tournament. He will play his 100th career round when he tees it up in the second round on Monday. Gordon had a five-under-par 205 to finish 24th in the opener.
The 15 teams will play 36 holes on Monday, October 4 and 18 on Tuesday, October 5. Address for the course for Clemson fans in the area who wish to attend is Colonial Country Club, 3735 Country Club Circle, Fort Worth, Texas, 76109.
