CLEMSON, S.C. — Zack Gordon shot a four-under-par 68 on Friday to lead Clemson at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate in Alpharetta, Ga. Clemson shot a team score of one-over par 289 leading to a 10th place ranking out of 15 teams after the first round. The tournament continues with 18 holes on Saturday and Sunday at the Golf Club of Georgia’s Lakeside Course.
Defending National Champion Pepperdine and Texas A&M are tied for the lead at 13-under-par. The field includes eight top 20 teams and there are 20 top 100 players competing.
Clemson had 20 birdies to rank second in the field, but the Tigers had four double-bogeys.
Gordon had seven birdies on the day, tied for the second most in the field of 75 players from around the nation.
Gordon had five birdies on the front nine, including the seventh, eighth and ninth holes. The native of Gaffney, S.C. stands in fifth place after the first round.
Gordon was the only Tiger under par in the first round. Super Senior Kyle Cottam had a one-over-par 73 in opening round and stands in a tie for 36th place. He had four birdies on the day, but had a wild ride on the back nine, where he had three birdies, three bogeys and a double.
Freshmen Andrew Swanson and Kian Rose both had rounds of two-over-par 74. Each freshman had competed as an individual in previous tournaments, but this was their first appearance in the Clemson team lineup. Swanson had an even-par 36 on the front nine, then had three bogeys and a birdie on the back nine. Rose had a double bogey on the ninth hole, then played the back-nine at even-par.
Jacob Bridgeman had a three-over par 75 in the first round. He finished strong with a 36 on the back nine.
