Clemson, S.C. – The Clemson women’s golf team will begin competition in the NCAA Columbus (Ohio) Regional at The Scarlet Course on Monday. Clemson is one of 18 teams in the field, and the top six after three days of stroke play (May 10-12) will advance to the NCAA Finals at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, May 21-26.
The Columbus Regional is one of four regional sites that include 18 teams each. LSU, Stanford and Louisville serve as hosts of the other three regionals.
Clemson is the number-eight seed in the regional that also includes number-one seed Duke and number-three seed Virginia from the ACC. This is the sixth time in seven opportunities that Clemson has earned a regional bid. Last year’s tournament was canceled due to COVID-19.
Clemson reached the NCAA Championship tournament in Kelley Hester’s first year as head coach, 2017. Clemson finished 20th that year. Hester is the only coach in NCAA Division I history to take four different schools to the national tournament and have at least one top 20 finish with each of the four.
Clemson, ranked 30th as a team by Golfstat and 31st by Golfweek, earned the NCAA bid and number-eight seed with four top four finishes out of its six tournaments this spring. (The ACC did not compete in men’s or women’s golf in the fall due to COVID-19). Clemson had a 52-24 record against the field in the six events combined. The Tigers are coming off a sixth-place finish at the ACC Tournament. Eight ACC teams were selected for the NCAA regional tournament.
Clemson is led by junior Ivy Shepherd, who has a 72.78 stroke average this year. She is ranked 49th in the nation by Golfstat and 52nd by Golfweek. The native of Peachtree City, Ga. has a pair of top 10 finishes this year, a sixth place at The Palmetto and a third place at The Clover Cup. She finished 16th at the ACC Tournament.
Savannah Grewal will be Clemson’s number-two player after recording a 73.50 stroke average this year. She is also a top 100 player nationally with a number-92 ranking by Golfweek. Grewal finished a career best third place at the Clemson Invitational in March with a 211 score. Her performance was highlighted by the first hole-in-one in Clemson women’s golf history. Her score has counted in all 18 rounds Clemson has played this year, the only Tiger who can make that claim.
Freshman Annabelle Pancake will be number-three in the Clemson lineup. The native of Zionsville, Indiana has a 74.94 stroke average for the year, but her average is 73.3 for her last four tournaments and 12 rounds. She finished sixth at the Florida State Matchup and ninth at the Clover Cup. Her final round 65 at the Clover Cup tied the Clemson single round record.
Alexandra Swayne will be number-four in the Clemson lineup. She has a 75.53 stroke average for the year that has included a ninth-place finish at The Palmetto and a 14th at the Clemson Invitational when she recorded a 219 for 54 holes, one shot off her career best for 54 holes.
Calista Rice is the only senior in the Clemson lineup. The native of Mars Hill, NC has played in three tournaments this year and has a 75.67 stroke average. She is a veteran of 17 tournaments as a Tiger.
Live scoring with tee times will be available on golfstat.com throughout the tournament.
Clemson In NCAA Columbus Regional
Dates of Play: May 10-12, 2021
Course: The Scarlet Course, (Par 72, 6,358 yards)
Address: 3605 Tremont Road, Columbus, OH 43211
Clemson Lineup: 1. Ivy Shepherd (Jr., Peachtree City, Ga.), 2. Savannah Grewal ( So, Ontario, Can.), 3. Annabelle Pancake (Fr., Zionsville, Ind.) 4. Alexandra Swayne (Jr, Maineville, Ohio, and Virgin Islands), 5. Calista Rice (Sr., Mars Hill, NC)
Tee Times and live stats: TBA on Golfstat.com
Teams (Seed) 1. Duke, 2. Arizona State, 3. Virginia, 4. Kent State, 5. Georgia, 6. Vanderbilt, 7. Michigan, 8. Clemson, 9. Oklahoma, 10. Kentucky, 11. Illinois, 12. New Mexico, 13. Nebraska, 14. Washington, 15. Coastal Carolina, 16. Campbell, 17. Youngstown State, 18. Evansville.
