Clemson, S.C.—Bryson Nimmer fired a two-under-par 70 on Tuesday and won co-medalist honors at the Puerto Rico Classic at the Rio Mar Country Club River Course in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Nimmer’s six-under-par 210 54-hole score helped the Clemson team to a sixth-place finish in the 15-team event that opened Clemson’s spring season.
Nimmer, who had a tournament best second round 66, was declared co-medalist along with Benjamin Shipp of NC State and Marcus Byrd of Middle Tennessee State. It was quite a comeback for Nimmer, who had an opening round 74 and was in 38th place after the first round.
Earlier this year, Nimmer won the Carpet Classic in Dalton, Georgia and the Maui Jim Collegiate in Scottsdale, Arizona. His three victories are now tied for the most in an academic year in Clemson golf history. D.J. Trahan won the Carpet Classic, the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate and the NCAA East Regional in 2001-02.
Nimmer has been invited to the Puerto Rico Open on the PGA Tour this weekend and he will compete in that event as an amateur. It will be his first professional tournament.
Nimmer’s final round 70 included six birdies. He finished the 54 holes with 15 birdies, just one short of the best total in the 75-player field. His two-under par score on Tuesday was his 12th under-par round of the young season.
Freshman Zack Gordon also had a top 10 finish at the Puerto Rico Classic, as his four-under-par 212 total was good enough for seventh place. Gordon had rounds of 70-71-71, giving him three under-par rounds for the event. He had just three under-par rounds for the year entering the tournament. It was his first career top 10.
Kyle Cottam was Clemson’s third best player of the tournament with a 218 score, good enough for 30th place. The sophomore from Knoxville, Tenn had rounds of 73-72-73. Colby Patton was Clemson’s third best player on Tuesday with an even-par 72 and he finished tied for 50th with a 223 total. Turk Pettit finished with a 242 total.
Clemson finished with a team total of 863, one-under-par on the par 72 course. Georgia Tech and Georgia were co-champions with 848 scores, while Oklahoma was third at 852. NC State was fourth at 856 and host school Purdue was fifth at 859.
There was also an individual tournament in conjunction with the team event. Thirteen players from schools in the tournament played a separate tournament at the Ocean Course at Rio Mar Country Club. Clemson’s Jacob Bridgeman was a co-medalist of that tournament with a 209 score, four-under-par. He had rounds of 69-69-71. Clemson’s William Nottingham was fourth at 220 after scores of 74-76-70.
Clemson’s next tournament will be March 11-12 at the Palmetto Intercollegiate in Aiken, SC.
Puerto Rico ClassicFeb. 17-19, 2019Rio Mar River Course, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Team Results1. Georgia Tech and Georgia, 848; 3. Oklahoma 852, 4. NC State 856, 5. Purdue 859; 6. Clemson 863; 7. Iowa 871; 8. Marquette 874; 9. Ohio State 876; 10. UNC Greensboro 878; 11. Middle Tennessee State and Alabama 879; 13. Virginia Tech 882; 14. East Carolina and Maryland 883.
Clemson PlayersT1. Bryson Nimmer 74-66-70/210; T7 Zack Gordon 70-71-71/ 212; T30. Kyle Cottam 73-72-73/218; T50. Colby Patton 72-79-72/223; 75. Turk Pettit 77-84-81/242.
Puerto Rico Classic Individual TournamentFeb. 17-19, 2019Rio Mar Ocean Course, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Clemson competitorsT1. Jacob Bridgeman 69-69-71; 4. William Nottingham 74-76-70/220
