Clemson, S.C.—Kelley Hester’s Clemson women’s golf team heads back on the road Oct. 12-14 to compete in the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invite at the UNC Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill, N.C. The 18-team event features eight top 30 teams, including Clemson, who is ranked 30th in the nation in the latest Golfweek rankings. The field will play 18 holes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to complete the 54-hole, three-day tournament.
The field includes second-ranked Vanderbilt, seventh-ranked Virginia, ninth-ranked Arkansas, 10th ranked Duke, 11th ranked Wake Forest, 13th ranked Furman and 25th ranked Michigan State. Louisville, North Carolina and NC State are the other ACC schools in the national field that will play on the par 72 course that is 6,379 yards in length.
Clemson has two of the top 60 players in the nation according to the latest Golfstat individual rankings. Alice Hewson ranks 42nd thanks to a 69.67 stroke average. The senior All-American saw her first action of the 2018-19 season at the Schooner Fall Classic, where she finished in a tie for 14th with a four-under par 209. The United Kingdom native will play in her 100th career round on Friday, becoming only the third to do so in program history.
Ivy Shepherd has a 70.40 stroke average so far this year and ranks No. 57 in the nation in the latest Golfstat rankings. The freshman from Peachtree City, Ga. finished ninth in the season opener at the Mason Rudolph Championship. She is leading the team in birdies (23), par three scoring (2.83) and par five scoring (4.7).
Freshmen Alexandra Swayne and Lindsay May also will be in the Clemson lineup. Swayne has a 72.80 stroke average so far this year. Four of her six rounds have counted towards the Clemson team score. May has a 76.00 stroke average, including a career low round of 74 at the Schooner Fall Classic.
Ana Paula Valdes is the only junior in the Clemson lineup. She is playing in her 26th career tournament and has a 72.40 stroke average for the season, including a season best 68 at the Schooner Fall Classic.
Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel InviteCourse: UNC Finley Golf Couse (Chapel Hill, N.C.) Par 72, 6,379 yardsDates of Competition: Friday, October 12 – Sunday, Oct. 14Tee Times: Shotgun start 11 a.m. Eastern time on FridayLive scoring: http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=teamPlayer&tid=16712
Field (18): Arkansas (9), Charlotte, Clemson (30), Duke (10), Furman (13), Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State (25), NC State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Rollins College, South Carolina, Tulane, UNC-Wilmington, Vanderbilt (2), Virginia (7), Wake Forest (11).
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Clemson Lineup: Ivy Shepherd (Fr., 70.40) Alice Hewson (Sr., 69.67); Alexandra Swayne (Fr., 72.80); Ana Paula Valdes (Jr., 72.40; Lindsay May (Fr., 76.00)
