Clemson Third after First Round of ACC Championship

Clemson, S.C.—Playing his first round for the Clemson team since Feb. 20, Doc Redman fired a five-under par 67 on Friday to lead Larry Penley’s Tigers to a third place standing and just three shots off the lead after the first round of the ACC Men’s Golf Championship at The Old North State Club in New London, NC. The 12-team field continues play in the 54-hole league championship on Saturday. Clemson’s tee times will be between 10 a.m. and 10:48 a.m. on Saturday from the first tee.

Fifth ranked Georgia Tech leads the tournament after shooting a 12-under par 276 on Friday. The Yellow Jackets have a one shot lead over Notre Dame (277) and a three shot lead over Clemson (279). Wake Forest is fourth at 281, seven-under-par, and Florida State is fifth at 282.

Clemson’s 279 round on Friday is the second best by a Clemson team in the opening round at the Old North State Club since 1998. Clemson shot 15-under-par 273 in the opening round the last time the ACC Tournament was held at the Old North State Club in 2016. Clemson went on to win that tournament by 11 shots.

Redman missed the previous three Clemson tournaments while playing in three PGA Events, including the Masters. He was extended invitations to those events after winning the United States Amateur last August.

Redman got off to a slow start Friday morning and was even par through five holes, but he played the last 13 holes at five under. He finished the round with seven birdies and two bogies. Only Luke Schniederjans of Georgia Tech had more birdies on Friday than Redman with eight.

Redman is two shots off the individual lead of 65 held by Danny Wallace of Virginia and Schniederjans.

Supporting Redman was All-ACC junior Bryson Nimmer, who had an opening round 69 thanks to four birdies and a bogey. Nimmer continued his outstanding play at the ACC Tournament. He finished fourth in 2016 as a freshman and lost in a playoff to finish tied for second last year. He played on Clemson’s 2016 ACC Championship team and his father, Tony Nimmer, played on Clemson’s first ACC championship team in 1982.

Freshman Kyle Cottam had a two-under-par 70 thanks to three birdies and a bogey. It was his ninth under par round of the year. Classmate Turk Pettit, who entered the tournament as Clemson’s stroke average leader at 70.29, got off to a rough start with bogeys on his first three holes. But he settled down to finish with a one over par 73. Freshman Colby Patton finished at two over par 74

A key to Clemson’s performance was the team’s play on par four holes. The Tigers were seven under par as a team on par four holes, best in the field by four shots. But Clemson was just two under on the par fives, tied for last in the 12 team field.

Live streaming of the tournament will be available on Saturday (April 21) from 2-4 p.m. Final round action is set for Sunday from 1-3:30 p.m. Mac McDonald will handle the play-by-play, with Head Golf Professional at Pinewood Country Club Brandon Turner serving as analyst

Live scoring is available on golfstat.com.