Clemson Women Second after 18 at ACC Championship

New London, NC—Sydney Legacy shot a three-under-par 69 and Alice Hewson added a two-under 70 to lead Clemson to a 286 team score and a second-place standing after the first round of the ACC Women’s Championship at the Grandover Country Club East Course in Greensboro, NC. The 12 teams will play the second round on the par 72 course on Sunday and the championship will conclude on Monday.

The 286, two-under-par score, was Clemson’s best at the ACC Championship. The Tigers trail fifth-ranked Duke by just four shots after the first round. The Blue Devils had a six-under-par 282 for the round. Clemson had the team lead by a shot at one point late in the round

“We played very solid today,” said Head Coach Kelley Hester. “We had a good game plan and stuck to it. We were patient throughout. We knew the back nine (our first side) was the best side to start an we took advantage of it. We knew we might lose a couple on the second side, but we stayed with it and had the right outlook.”

Legacy, who averaged 71.3 for her last 10 rounds entering the ACC Championship, stands in second-place individually after recording her 69 on Saturday. Leona McGuire, the seventh-ranked player in the nation, has the individual lead with a 67. Legacy played the par five holes at four–under par on Saturday, best in the field of 60 golfers. Her six birdies for the round were tied for the best.

Legacy’s 69 was the first round in the 60s by a Clemson women’s golfer at the ACC Tournament.

Hewson had a 70, as she finished strong with a three-under-par 33 on the front nine, her second round of the day.   Clemson’s career leader in stroke average and holder of 39 Clemson records had four birdies and two bogeys on the day. Hewson stands in third place, just behind Maguire and Legacy after one round.

Kennedy Swann is a third Clemson player in the top 10 after an opening round 72. The sophomore from Austin, Texas had four birdies and four bogeys.

Ana Paula Valdes and Marisa Messana both had rounds of three-over-par 75. Valdes had an eagle on the 435-yard par five 13th hole to highlight her round. Messana, the first Clemson women’s golfer to play in four ACC Tournaments, played the back nine in even par 36. They are tied for 23rd.

Clemson will begin play on Sunday from the first tee at 9:50 a.m.

Team Scores

1. Duke 282, 2. Clemson 286, 3. Florida State 291, 4. Miami (FL) 296, 5. Wake Forest 297, 6. Virginia Tech and Notre Dame, 8. Virginia, 9. Louisville 302, 10. NC State 303, 11. North Carolina 306, 12. Boston College 313.