Clemson Stands in Second Place Entering Final Round at United States Collegiate

April 10, 2007

Clemson, SC – Tanner Ervin fired a two-over par 74 on Tuesday and is tied for the individual lead after two rounds of the United States Collegiate golf tournament at the Lakeside Course at the Country Club of Georgia. Ervin, combined with solid play from Kyle Stanley and Ben Martin, have helped Clemson to a second-place standing out of 15 teams after two rounds with a team score of 17-over-par 593.

Clemson was tied for the lead after the first round with host school Georgia Tech. The Tigers defeated the Yellow Jackets by five shots on Tuesday, but Georgia was six shots lower than Clemson and the Bulldogs have moved into the lead by two shots over the Tigers. Georgia has a 591 team score entering Wednesday’s final round compared to Clemson’s 593.

The par three holes were difficult for the entire field and that was the case for Clemson on Tuesday. Clemson players had four double bogeys and three triple bogeys on Tuesday, a combined 14 over par. Clemson played the sixth and 17th holes combined at 11 over par. Clemson was just a combined two over par on the other 16 holes combined in shooting a 13 over par team score on Tuesday.

Ervin had a 74 in the second round and is tied for the individual lead with Webb Simpson of Wake Forest at even par 144. Ervin, who started the second round with an eagle on the first hole, had a four-shot lead entering the last three holes on Tuesday, but made a bogey on the 16th hole and a triple bogey six on the par three 17th. The windy weather affected everyone’s play on Tuesday and no player in the field is under par entering the final round. No one shot under par on Tuesday.

Sam Saunders is second best among the Tigers through two rounds, as he stands in 12th place. He had a 78 on Tuesday, including birdies on two of the last three holes. He had a double bogey on the par three third and the par three 17th.

Ben Martin, who struggled in the first round with a 79, improved to 75 in the second round. He started the round with a birdie on the first hole and played the last 10 holes at one over par.

Kyle Stanley, Clemson’s top player over the course of the season entering the tournament, also showed improvement on Tuesday. He had a 78 in the first round and improved to 74 in the second round, including a birdie on the 18th hole.

David May had an up and down round in the windy conditions. He was five over par for the first four holes, then played the next six in two under par. He then was six over for the last eight holes. He stands at 154 after two rounds and in 46th place.