CLEMSON, S.C. — Coming off its first tournament victory of the season, Clemson returns to the course Sunday to compete in the three-day 54-hole Linger Longer Invitational at the Jack Nicklaus designed Great Waters Course at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Ga.
Clemson won the Wake Forest Invitational at famed Pinehurst #2 in its last outing on March 7-8. The Tigers won the event by 16 shots in first-year head coach Jordan Byrd’s first career victory. Zack Gordon and Colby Patton were co-medalists, marking the first time since 1987 two Clemson players were co-medalists of the same tournament.
The 12 teams in the field will play 18 holes per day Sunday through Tuesday on the par 72 course that measures 7,436 yards, the longest course Clemson has played so far this year.
The field includes Clemson and Virginia from the ACC, Georgia, Vanderbilt and Florida from the SEC. Two time National Champion Augusta is also in the field, along with defending Linger Longer champion Charlotte in the tournament that is co-hosted by Mercer and Kennesaw State. Toledo, UNC-Greensboro and South Florida round out the teams.
Clemson’s lineup will feature four seniors and a junior who is coming off a top 10 finish. Jacob Bridgeman returns to the lineup after missing the Wake Forest Invitational. He won the PGA Canada Tour qualifier while his teammates were winning at Pinehurst. Bridgeman ranks 13th in the latest PGA University rankings and leads the Tigers in stroke average so far this year at 72.07.
Gordon and Patton return to the lineup coming off their co-medalist performance. They both had 54-hole scores of 212 at Pinehurst #2 over two days. It was the first career win for Gordon and second for Patton. For the year, Gordon has a 72.22 stroke average and Patton is close behind at 72.27.
Kyle Cottam, who had a 68 in the final round at Pinehurst on March 8, and gave Clemson a fourth player with a top 10 at the Wake Forest Invitational, also returns to the lineup. The senior has a 72.44 stroke average and is tied for the team lead in rounds at par or better with nine.
Carter Pendley will be in the Clemson lineup as well and is coming off a seventh-place finish at Pinehurst, the first top 10 of his career. He had rounds of 71-70 over his last two days and was a key to Clemson’s victory.
