Marisa Messana

Overview:   First four-year starter in Clemson women’s golf history….has played more tournaments (40) and more rounds (115) than any other Clemson women’s golfer entering 2018-19 season…second ranked in career birdies (216)…among the most decorated student-athletes from an academic standpoint in Clemson history….only female athlete in school history to win Elite 90 Award from the NCAA postseason event…honor is presented each year to athlete with highest GPA among participants at NCAA National tournament in each sport…Messana won the honor at the 2017 NCAA Women’s Golf National Championship in Illinois…inducted into Clemson Athletics Academic Hall of Fame in April 2018…had a career 4.0 GPA, she graduated in seven semesters…named to Clemson’s All-Academic Team at 2018 CLEMMY Awards…recipient of Solid Orange Athlete Award, which is given to a male and female student-athlete who best demonstrates leadership, athletic performance, community service, academic excellence and sportsmanship….honored by the ACC with an ACC Postgraduate scholarship in 2018…four-time member of the ACC All-Academic golf team…first four-time selection from Clemson to All-American Scholars team chosen by Women’s Golf Coaches Association…also four-time Academic All-ACC… finished with 45 rounds at 75 or better, nine under-par rounds and 12 rounds at par or better…starter for four years, she played on three NCAA Tournament teams, including 2017 team that finished 20^th in the nation….on course, will always be remembered for a final round 73 at 2017 NCAA Athens Regional….that was best round among the Clemson players in the final round, the round that clinched Clemson’s first trip to the NCAA National Tournament… she had helped program come full circle as her freshman year Clemson did not get into the regional… first Clemson golfer with a pair of top 25 finishes at the ACC Tournament, she was 21st as a freshman and 19th as a sophomore…in her career played six rounds at the Sedgefield Country Club in ACC Tournaments and was just 10-over-par for those six rounds at the site of a PGA Tour event… her score counted in 76 of 108 team rounds in her four years…first Clemson women’s golfer to qualify for the US Amateur while a Clemson student….at 2015 US Amateur finished 55th out of 156 players with a 148 score after consecutive rounds of 74 on the par 72 Portland Golf Club course in stroke play…was involved in playoff with 15 other women for 10 spots in the match play, but did not advance…shot 71 in her qualifier in July…she finished birdie-birdie to force a playoff that she won to get into the national tournament…had a career best 68 in the second round of the Schooner Classic in fall of 2016… has made a hole-in-one three time…Clemson’s first Strength All-American as named by the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

2017-18:   In her fourth year as a starter, she finished season with a 76.93 stroke average for 11 tournaments and 29 rounds…had season best 70 in her second round of the year at the Mason Rudolph…best round of the spring was at the Clemson Invitational where she had a second round 71…contributor to team win at the Houston Dickson where she had an even par 72 in the rain shortened event to tie for 14^th…. finished 39th at Betsy Rawls, tied for second among Clemson golfers at the event at the University of Texas…had opening round 75 when she helped Clemson to third-place finish at the ACC Tournament, the Tigers best finish in history at the conference event…had solid second round 74 at NCAA Regional in Tallahassee…finished the year with 17 counting scores in 29 rounds and had 55 birdies to rank fifth on the team….one of just five Division I women’s golfers named a Strength All-American by the NSCA in 2018.

2016-17: Finished 50th at NCAA Athens Regional, but she was Clemson’s best player in the final round with a one-over-par 73…had two birdies and three bogeys and 13 important pars in tough conditions in carding the 73…scored 4.0 on the par four holes that day to match her career grade point average in the classroom……had 68 birdies to rank fourth on the team…that included a team best six at the NCAA National Tournament…finished fourth among Tigers at the NCAA national Tournament, but was Clemson’s best player over the final 36 holes with scores of 76-77…made a birdie on the final hole of the third round that allowed Clemson to tie Florida State for 20th place and make Clemson a top 20 program for the first time…was Clemson’s top player in the second round of the 2017 NCAA National Tournament with a 76, she was tied for second best with a 77 in the final round…she was Clemson’s best player in just two rounds all year, but both were in NCAA Tournaments…hit the fairway with her drives 72 percent of the time…averaged 31.14 putts per round…had season best 10 birdies in the Schooner Classic to open the season…had nine at the UCF Challenge and also had an eagle…had top finish of the year at the Greenville Regional where she was 26th…best finish of the spring was 39th at the ACC Tournament….had opening rounds of 74-74 to help Clemson to tie for second entering the final round….had career best 68 at the Schooner Classic in her second round of the year, she finished with 219 and 28th place.

2015-16:  Played in eight of the 10 tournaments and had a 76.08 stroke average…had one round in the 60s, three under-par rounds and another at par…12 of her 24 rounds were at 75 or better…her score counted in 17 of 21 team rounds…had 44 birdies to rank third on the team…had 3.42 average on par threes, 4.23 on par fours and 5.04 on par five holes…had 75.25 stroke average in the final round, tied for third on the team…her score counted in 14 of 18 rounds…had best round of the day four times and was Clemson’s best player at two tournaments…her drives reached the fairway 74.4 percent of the time…averaged 30.58 putts per round, best on the team among the starters…played in three of the four tournaments in the fall…had 76.56 stroke average in the fall… had her best rounds of the fall at the Cougar Classic where she finished 74-74 over the last two days…helped Clemson to a fifth-place finish at the national tournament…Messana and Alice Hewson were only Tigers to shoot two-over or better in each of the last two rounds… shot fall best 228 at Lady Paladin Invitational and finished 39th… played as individual at Yale and finished 36th…played in five of the six events in the spring…her best finish was at ACC Tournament with 19th, she also had a top 25 at the Sugar Bowl where she was 25th with a 220 score…had second round 71…best round of the spring came in final round at Briar’s Creek where she had a three-under 69…that performance helped Clemson to a third-place team finish…her 69 tied for the low final round by a Clemson women’s golfer in 2015-16.

2014-15:  Starter as a freshman, she played in all nine tournaments and all 27 rounds…had 76.33 stroke average, third best on the team….had 76.07 average in the spring, second on the team…finished first or second among Clemson golfers in all five spring events and in six of the nine events for the year…top Clemson golfer at the ACC Tournament with a 219 score, she finished in 21st place…her +3 score for 54 holes was the best by a Clemson golfer in 2014-15…had a 69 at the Schooner Fall Classic, the second lowest round of the year by a Clemson golfer…had two of the three under-par rounds by Clemson women’s golfers in 2014-15, the 69 at Schooner Fall Classic and a 71 at the ACC Tournament…also had an even par 72 at the Sugar Bowl…11 of her 27 rounds were at 75 or better…Clemson’s best golfer at the Sugar Bowl in February and the ACC Tournament in April in the final tournament of the year…had a 5.08 stroke average on par five holes, best on the team…led the team in birdies with 53…her score counted in 24 of the 27 rounds…averaged team best 29.74 putts per round…had best round of the day eight times, second on the team.

Prior to Clemson: Ranked as the #38 player in the nation by Golfweek for the Class of 2014…1st Place Team Division 1A High School Varsity Golf State Championship in 2008, 2009, and 2013… Patriot Award (Role Model Teammate) in 2010, 2011, and 2011…first-team All-County her freshman and sophomore year in both local newspapers… Carol Mann (low stroke average award, 71.3)…Medalist at the Doherty Jones Amateur Championship 2014… placed in the top five in 11 of her 17 tournaments in 2013, including four wins… finished sixth at the AJGA TaylorMade- Adidas Golf Junior. ..home courses are  Lago Mar CC and Fort Lauderdale Country Club.

Marisa Messana Personality Profile

Who is your favorite Professional Golfer: Jason Day

Favorite Athlete Outside of Golf: Michael Jordan

Favorite Course I have Played: Augusta National

Toughest Course  I have played: Pinehurst # 2

All time low round: 66 at Walker Course

My best shot ever: Holed a birdie putt on the 17th and 18th holes to qualify for the 2015 US Amateur

Best part of my game: Wedge Play

I need to improve on: ball striking

My best club is a: putter

My dream foursome is myself and: Darla Moore, Jason Day and Joshua Medcalf

Who has had the most influence on your athletic career: Mom and Dad

What is your favorite hobby: Anything active

When I finish my playing career I would like to: help build corporate identities and expand brand awareness

Hole in one shots:

1) 2008 Plantation Preserve, #2, 180 yards, 8 iron

2) 2013 Jacaranda Golf Club, #8, 120 yards, pw

3)  2017 Pinehurst #2, # 9 hole, 160 yards, 5 iron

Marisa Messana Tournament by Tournament, 2014-15

   Date          Tournament                  1-2-3              Par        Tot      Fin

9/14-16     Cougar Classic              76-73-75         +8      224       53

9/19—21   Mason Rudolph             81-80-78       +23      239       69

10/4-6       Schooner Classic          76-77-69       +12      222       70

10/17-19   Puerto Rico Classic       81-74-77       +16      222       49

2/22-24     Allstate Sugar Bowl       72-82-81       +19      235       44

3/6-8         Sun Trust Gator             76-78-76       +20      230       34

4/3-5         Rebel Intercollegiate     73-78-74         +9      225       37

4/17-18     ACC Tournament           74-71-74         +3      219       21

Marisa Messana Tournament by Tournament, 2015-16

   Date          Tournament                  1-2-3              Par        Tot      Fin

9/13-15     Cougar Classic              83-74-74       +15      231       70

9/20-22     Lady Paladin                77-76-75       +12      228       39

10/9-11     !Yale Intercollegiate      77-76-77       +17      230       36

2/21-23     Allstate Sugar Bowl       74-71-75         +4      220       25

3/21-22     Briar’s Creek                80-72-69         +5      221       32

4/1-3         Clemson Invitational      71-82-76       +13      229       56

4/15-17     ACC Tournament           73-75-75         +7      223       19

5/5-7         NCAA Regional             80-83-81       +28      244       72

!played as individual

Marisa Messana Tournament by Tournament, 2016-17

   Date          Tournament                  1-2-3              Par        Tot      Fin

9/24-25     Schooner Classic          73-68-78         +6      219       28

10/2-4       Cougar Classic              75-78-74       +11      227       88

10/17-18   Greenville Regional       78-77-78       +17      233       26

10/28-30   Landfall Tradition          79-73-82       +18      234       75

2/5-7         #UCF Challenge            75-75-70         +4      220       45

2/19-20     Allstate Sugar Bowl       73-79-76       +12      228       49

3/11-12     Sun Trust Gator             83-84-76       +33      243       75

3/24-26     #LSU Classic                74-79-WD         +9      153      WD

3/31-2       Clemson Invitational      77-75-74       +10      226       56

4/13-15     ACC Tournament           74-74-80       +12      228       39

5/8-10       NCAA Regional             79-75-73       +11      227       50

5/19-22     NCAA National              92-78-77       +31      247     119

Marisa Messana Tournament by Tournament, 2017-18

   Date          Tournament                  1-2-3              Par        Tot      Fin

9/15-17     Mason Rudolph             DQ-70-78         +4      148       DQ

9/23-25     Schooner Classic          75-76-78       +16      229       68

10/9-10     Betsy Rawls                  74-76-78       +12      228       39

10/27-28   Landfall Tradition          80-79            +15      159       89

2/18-20     Allstate Sugar Bowl       74-80-80       +18      234       65

2/27          Houston Dickson           72                     E        72       14

3/10-11     Sun Trust Gator             78-77-78       +23      233       58

3/23-25     Clemson Invitational      80-71-75       +10      226       57

4/6-7         Bryan National              76-76-92       +28      244       82

4/21-23     ACC Tournament           75-78-80       +17      233       49

5/7-9         NCAA Regional             75-74-76         +9      225       59

Career Stats Summary

   Year        Trn     Rd    Stk 60s      75-   Par        -Par       Avg      10        BR         BT

2014-15   9     27 2061    1       11     1            2   76.33        0        69         219

2015-16   8     24 1826    1       12     1            3   76.08        0        69         220

2016-17 12     35 2685    1       15     0            2   76.71        0        68         219

   2017-18 11     29 2231    0       10     1            2   76.93        0        70         225

Totals      40   115 8803    3       48     3            9   76.55        0        68         219