Clemson Tied for Third after First Round in Furman Invitational

March 28, 2008

Clemson, SC – Kyle Stanley scored five birdies and shot an opening round 71 to lead Clemson at the Furman Invitational on Friday. Clemson shot a 293 score as team and the five-over-par total is good enough for a tie for third place in the 24-team event. This is Clemson’s first appearance in the Furman Invitational in 11 years.

UT Chattanooga has the lead after the first round with a one-under-par 287. South Carolina is second at 290 and the Tigers are third at 293 along with Vanderbilt. Action continues on Saturday. Clemson will tee off just after noon at the Furman University Course in Greenville. Stanley, who leads Clemson in stroke average for the year, had back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes, his 11th and 12th holes of the day. He had nine-hole scores of 35-36 and stands in a tie for third place after the first round.

Phillip Mollica, who has been Clemson’s top player in the spring, had a one-over par 73 on Friday. Mollica got off to a slow start with a 38 on the back side, his first nine holes of the day, but he finished with a birdie on the ninth and final hole to shoot a 35 on the front side. He is tied for 17th after the first round. Mollica has had four rounds in the 60s so far this spring to lead the Clemson team.

Sam Saunders had a two over par 74 on Friday. Saunders had a pair of double bogeys, but he also shot five-under-par on the four par five holes, including an eagle on the par five sixth hole. He had identical nine hole scores of 37-37.

Luke Hopkins got off to a slow start with four consecutive bogeys on holes 15-18, but finished strong with a two under par score over his last eight holes and shot a 75 on Friday. Ben Martin shot a 77 for his first round.

Senior Zack Siefert is playing as an individual this weekend and had an outstanding one-under-par 71 on Friday and is tied for third. He had an eagle on the second hole, his 11th round of the day. It is the first eagle of his Clemson career. He scored four under par on the par five holes on Friday.