Clemson Opens Spring Season In Puerto Rico

Feb. 20, 2001

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CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson will take a lineup of three seniors, a sophomore and a freshman to Rio Mar Country Club in San Juan, Puerto Rico this weekend. The Tigers will compete in the San Juan Shootout from Sunday, Feb. 25th through Tuesday, February 27th. It will be the opening of the spring competition for Larry Penley’s Tigers.

Clemson, ranked second in MasterCard and third by the Golfweek/Sagarin Poll, won one tournament and finished in the top five in all six of its events in the fall. That included a fourth-place finish at the Rolex Match Play in Estero, FL on November 10-12, Clemson’s most recent competition. Clemson’s top performance of the fall was a championship at the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate, Clemson’s fourth consecutive victory at that event that features 12 of the top teams in the nation.

Clemson features seniors Lucas Glover, John Engler and Jani Saari in its lineup for Puerto Rico. Glover and Engler both had exactly 1198 strokes in 17 rounds for a 70.47 average in the fall. Both had 10 rounds under par and both had three top 10 finishes. Glover had nine rounds in the 60s to just five for Engler, the only difference between the two statistically. Glover’s top finish was a second-place at the Jerry Pate, while Engler’s was a third place at the Pate and had a third place at the Savane All-American Tournament. Glover’s 201 score at the Jerry Pate was the lowest on record for 54 holes by a Clemson golfer.

Saari, whose score has counted in seven of his eight career rounds at the NCAA national tournament, had a 74.60 average for five rounds in the fall. D.J. Trahan will also be in the lineup. The talented sophomore had an eighth-place finish at the Ping Preview in the fall, but had a 73.36 stroke average for his five tournaments, fourth best on the team.

Freshman Gregg Jones had a strong 72.44 stroke average for nine rounds in the fall. Not included in those stats was a 2-0-1 record at the Rolex Match Play, the only Tiger to go undefeated at that event.