Golf Third After First Round of Toyota Men’s Collegiate

March 7, 2003

Las Vegas, NV-Matt Hendrix and D.J. Trahan both fired opening round 69s to lead Clemson to a 284 team score and a third-place ranking after the first round of the Toyota Collegiate Golf Championship. The event is being played at the Southern Highlands Country Club, a par 72 course that is over 7300 yards in length.

Texas has the team lead at 281, just three strokes ahead of the Tigers. UNLV is second at 282. Clemson is tied with Arizona State at 284, while ACC foe NC State is just one shot back at 285. TCU is sixth at 286, while Georgia is seventh at 288. The top seven teams are just seven strokes apart. Georgia Tech is eighth at 289 and is the only other ACC team in the field. Defending National Champion Minnesota is last of the 15 teams at 306.

Hendrix had a consistent round with three birdies and no bogeys in his 18-hole performance. It was the fifth round in the 60s this year for Hendrix, who entered this tournament with a solid 72.06 stroke average.

Trahan’s 69 included six birdies. It was his seventh round in the 60s this year and his 12th round under par. Trahan now has 67 career rounds under par, just one off John Engler’s career record of 68. Trahan is now 17-under-par for his 18 rounds of golf this year for the Tigers. Both Hendrix and Trahan are tied for fourth in the individual race after one round.

Jack Ferguson was a third Tiger at par or better as the sophomore shot an even par 72 and is tied for 27th. It was Ferguson’s fifth round at par this year, high figure on the Clemson team.

Gregg Jones shot a 74 for the Tigers, while senior Ben Duncan had a 78. Kevin Kisner of Georgia and a native of Aiken, SC, has the individual lead at 65. Jason Moon of NC State fired a 66 and is second, while Rusty Kennedy of Texas shot a 68 to round out the top three individuals.

The action continues Saturday and Sunday with 18 holes scheduled each day.