Clemson Opens Season at Carpet Classic

Clemson, S.C.—Clemson opens the 2016-17 men’s golf season on Friday, Sept. 9 at the Carpet Classic in Dalton, Georgia.   It marks the 25^th consecutive year Clemson has played in the event at The Farm, a par 72 layout that was designed by Tom Fasio in 1988.

Clemson is ranked 13^th in the Golf Coaches Association preseason ranking, one of seven top 25 teams in the 14-team field.   Florida is the highest ranked team at No. 6, while LSU is seventh and Auburn is 11^th.  Other ACC teams in the field include Georgia Tech and Virginia.

Larry Penley will bring just one senior to the tournament as he opens his 34^th season as Clemson head coach.    His lineup will be led by senior Carson Young and sophomore Bryson Nimmer, a pair of All-ACC players from Clemson’s ACC Championship team of 2016.     The Tigers are without returning All-ACC senior Austin Langdale, who is recovering from a summer shoulder injury.

Two freshmen will be in Clemson’s lineup.  William Nottingham, one of the top amateurs in Tennessee last year, and Doc Redman, the high school state champion of North Carolina who reached the second round of match play at the U.S. Amateur last month, will hold the No. three and four positions in the lineup, respectively.  Junior Josh Fickes won qualifying for the fifth spot. Red-shirt freshman  Jonathan Rector will play as an individual.

The tournament will run September 9-11 and live scoring will be available on golfstat.com.

Tournament:   2016 Carpet Classic

Site:   The Farm Dalton, Georgia

Course Information:  Tom Fasio design 1988.  Par 72, 7108 yards

Address:  The Farm, 187 South Goosehill Road, Rocky Face, Georgia 30740

Tournament Format:  54 holes, 18 holes per day September 9-11

Tournament Field (Rank):  Florida (6), LSU (7), Auburn (11), Clemson (13), Alabama (16), South Carolina (17), Virginia (21), Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Chattanooga, Dalton State, Kennessaw State, Memphis, North Florida

Live Scoring:   Golfstat.com

Clemson Lineup:  Carson Young (Sr., Pendleton, S.C., 73.39), Bryson Nimmer (So. Beaufort, S.C. 73.50), Doc Redman (Fr., Raleigh, NC, 1^st event), William Nottingham (Fr., Tenn, 1^st event), Josh Fickes (Jr., , 73.78)

Clemson Tournament History:   Clemson’s 28^th appearance, 25^th in a row.  Won the tournament in 1992, 1995, 1997 and 2002.  Finished second in 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, and 2015.

Clemson Head Coach:  Larry Penley, 34^th year, 33 NCAA Appearances