Clemson Second After First Round at the Carpet Capital Collegiate

Sept. 15, 2006

Dalton, GA – The Clemson golf team shot a 10-under par 278 in the first round of the Carpet Capital Collegiate, which is being held at The Farm Golf Club again this season. The Tigers trail Alabama by just two strokes, as the Crimson Tide posted a 276 total on day one of the 54-hole tournament. N.C. State (-3) and Georgia State (-2) were the only other teams to shoot under par in the 18-team field.

Vince Hatfield, the team’s top returning stroke average player from a year ago, shot a six-under 66 on Friday to lead Clemson. It marked the best round as a Tiger for the sophomore from Greenwood, SC. His round included a solid one-under front nine score, but he turned it on down the stretch to shoot five-under on the back nine. That total included three birdies and an eagle over a five-hole stretch.

Kyle Stanley, a heralded freshman competing in his first collegiate event, fired a four-under 68 for the Tigers on Friday. Stanley, a product out of the state of Washington, had a clean round with just one bogey on the day. He had three birdies on the back nine to finish strong for Clemson.

Phillip Mollica, another sophomore, was a third Tiger to shoot under par in the opening round of the tournament. The Anderson, SC native was three-over par after 11 holes, but carded two birdies and an eagle in the final seven holes to finish with a one-under par 71 score. The 71 equaled his career-best effort as a Tiger.

David May was the other scorer for Clemson on Friday with a one-over par 73. The Tigers’ fifth player, Ben Martin, shot a 74 and did not count towards Clemson’s overall team score. His back-and-forth round included four birdies, but also four bogeys and a double bogey on the par four 10th hole.

The Tigers return to action for the second round on Saturday.