Clemson Ranked Ninth in Preseason Golf World Coaches Poll

Aug. 31, 2007

NEW YORK, NY — Clemson is ranked ninth in the preseason Golf World College Coaches’ Polls. The publication also lists Clemson sophomore Kyle Stanley as the fourth best player in the nation.

The content, which is part of Golf World’s annual College Preview issue, can be viewed online at www.golfworld.com.

Clemson is ranked ninth in the nation in the preseason for 2007-08, the 25th season for Head Coach Luke Hopkins, who red-shirted last season. Hopkins won the South Carolina Amateur championship this past summer and he will be a sophomore on this year’s Clemson team.

The Tigers open the season September 4 in the Topy Cup in Japan.

Stanford, the defending NCAA champion, is the top selection in the Golf World/Nike Golf Division I Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Cardinal received 19 first-place votes and will return three of the five starters from last year’s team that won seven titles overall.

Alabama is second in the poll and returns all five of their starters from last year’s squad that had been ranked at the top of the polls for much of the year. Georgia, Florida and UCLA round out the top-five.

Jamie Lovemark, a sophomore from Southern California, is number one on Golf World’s list of the “Top 50 Male Players to Watch.” The rest of the top ten includes: No. 2 Billy Horschel (Florida); No. 3 Webb Simpson (Wake Forest); No. 4 Kyle Stanley (Clemson); No. 5 Rickie Fowler (Oklahoma St.); No. 6 Michael Thompson (Alabama); No. 7 Brian Harman (Georgia); No. 8 Rob Grube (Stanford); No. 9 Cameron Tringale (Georgia Tech); No. 10 Derek Fathauer (Louisville).

Stanley had a 70.87 stroke average last year, best in the ACC and second best in Clemson history. He finished in the top three at the ACC, NCAA East Regional and NCAA National championships last year, just the second Clemson golfer in history to record at top three finish at those three events in the same year. Charles Warren was the only other Tiger to accomplish that feat.

Others receiving votes: Minnesota, 129; BYU, 115; Tulsa, 107; North Carolina, 94; Auburn, 57; Texas Tech, 31; Michigan State, 21; Washington, 12; East Carolina, 11; Northwestern, 11; Vanderbilt, 11; TCU, 9; Mississippi, 5; Central Florida, 5; Chattanooga, 4; Virginia Tech, 3; New Mexico, 2; Pepperdine, 2; Southeastern Louisiana, 2; Penn State, 1; UC-Irvine, 1.