Former Tiger Jonathan Byrd Wins Buy.com Event

April 30, 2001

Clemson, SC – Former Clemson All-American Jonathan Byrd won the Buy.com tour’s Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs in Traveler’s Rest, SC on Sunday. Byrd, who graduated from Clemson last August and was playing in just his third career Buy.com event, shot a 66 on Sunday to win the event by one shot.

Byrd fired a 269 for his four days, registering rounds of 67-70-66-66 in recording an 18-under-par score. He defeated Brenden Pappas by one shot, while Sonny Skinner and third-round leader Matt Peterson finished at 16-under-par, two shots in back of Byrd.

Byrd entered the final round tied for sixth place, trailing Peterson by three shots. But, the native of Columbia played the first six holes on Sunday in four-under-par and took the lead with an eagle on the sixth hole. He shot a four-under-par 32 on the frontside at the Cliffs Valley Course.

A key to Byrd’s victory was the par four 10th hole. He hit his drive to the left into a fairway bunker. He hit his approach shot left of the green, but it got a great kick off a hill and rolled to within five feet of the hole. He made the birdie to move to 17-under-par.

Twice on the backside Byrd had three-putt bogeys on par threes, then followed those holes with birdies. He had birdies on 16 and 17 to clinch the victory.

“The eagle on the sixth hole was certainly important,” said Byrd, who remains the only four-time first-team All-ACC golfer in Clemson history. “I was trying to make birdies all day, you have to on this tour or you will be left in the dust.”

Byrd had an army of followers on Sunday, including the current Clemson golf team and former Tigers Chris Patton, Julian Taylor and Charles Warren. Warren served as an on-course commentator for The Golf Channel.

“It meant a lot to have so many friends following me today. I hadn’t met Chris Patton but a couple of times. To have him follow me and talk with me during the round shows you what a close family we have at Clemson.”

It was a true family day for Byrd. His father, a former football player at North Carolina, served as his caddie on Saturday and Sunday. His mother was also among the gallery.

Byrd won 90,000 for his victory and moved from 71st on the tour’s money list to fourth. He is now fully exempt for the rest of this year and next year if needed. He is the fourth different former Clemson golfer to win a buy.com event. Other winners have been Chris Patton, Kevin Johnson and Clarence Rose. Johnson, now on the PGA Tour, was a three-time winner on the buy.com tour.

Byrd is one of the most decorated athletes in Clemson history. A two-time IPTAY Athlete of the Year Award winner, he earned academic All-America and on the course All-America as a junior and senior. He is the only athlete in Clemson history earn those honors in the same year, twice. Rising senior football player Kyle Young can join him next year. Byrd is third on Clemson’s career stroke average list, trailing only John Engler and Lucas Glover, who were both in attendance to watch Byrd’s victory on Sunday.

Clemson Tigers Buy.com Tour Victories