Clemson Women Open Spring Season in New Orleans

Clemson, S.C.—Ana Paula Valdes and Alice Hewson will lead Clemson into competition at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate Feb. 18-20 at English Turn Golf and Country Club in New Orleans, Louisiana. It will be the season opening tournament for Kelley Hester’s Tigers, who had their first top 20 finish last year.

Clemson finished sixth of 17 teams at the Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate last year as Valdes and Hewson both had top 25 finishes.   This year’s field also has 17 teams and includes programs from each of the Power Five Conferences. The tournament also will give Hester an indication of how Clemson ranks in the ACC as the event will have four league squads, Clemson, North Carolina, NC State and Miami (FL).

The 17 teams will play 18 holes per day on the par 72 course from Sunday, February 18 to Tuesday, February 20.

Hewson had the top stroke average among Clemson golfers in the fall with a 71.09 average. She had three top 10 finishes in her four tournaments and had six under-par rounds.   Hewson has been an All-ACC player each of her first two years at Clemson and was an All-American last year when she had a record 72.39 stroke average.

Valdes is a sophomore who had a 72.09 stroke average in the fall. She had five under-par rounds in the fall, including a 68 and 67 at the Schooner Classic when she finished fourth with a 207 score and helped Clemson to a second place finish against a national field at the tournament held at the University of Oklahoma.

Veterans Sydney Legacy and Marisa Messana also will be in the Clemson lineup. Legacy only played one event in the fall as she recovered from shoulder surgery, but the native of Lexington, S.C. has played in 17 tournaments and has a 75.62 career average. Messana, an academic All-American who graduated in December, is a veteran of 33 tournaments and 96 rounds as a Clemson Tiger.

Callista Rice, a freshman from Mars Hill, NC, will make her debut for the Tigers in this tournament.

Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate

English Turn Golf & Country Club

New Orleans, Louisiana

Par 72, 6239 Yards

Format: 17 teams play 18 holes per day, Feb. 18-20

Clemson Lineup:   Ana Paula Valdes (Soph., Morelia, Mexico, 72.09), Sydney Legacy (Sr., Lexington, S.C., 75.00); Callista Rice (Fr., Mars Hill, NC, First Tournament), Alice Hewson (Jr., Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, 71.09), Marisa Messana (Gr., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla, 76.40).

Competing Teams:   Clemson, Tulane, Oklahoma State, Southern California, Michigan State, Florida, Denver, Houston, North Carolina, Miami (FL), NC State, SMU, Oregon, LSU, UCF, Kansas, South Alabama.

Clemson Coach: Kelley Hester (Georgia, 1996) 2nd year