Stanley and Saunders Lead Tigers to 12-under Par Team Round

Oct. 8, 2007

Macon, GA-Kyle Stanley fired a five-under par 67 and Sam Saunders shot a career best 68 to lead Clemson to a 276 team round on Monday at the Brickyard Collegiate in Macon, GA. Clemson stands in second place with a 23-under-par score of 553, just two shots behind Georgia. Georgia Tech is third at 561 and South Carolina is fourth at 574.

Clemson has had back-to-back team rounds of 277 or better. It is the first time since the 2003 NCAA East Regional at Auburn that Clemson has had two rounds of 11-under par or better in the same tournament.

The Tigers four players who counted towards the team score had 17 birdies and just two bogeys over their last 13 holes. Clemson’s 276 score was its best as a team on a par 72 course since the 2005 ACC tournament when it had a 20-under par 268 for the day.

Stanley stands in third place at seven-under-par for the tournament heading into the final round on Tuesday. He trails Brian Harman of Georgia, like Stanley a former US Walker Cup player, by three shots. Harman shot a 66 on Monday, a round that included a four-under-par showing over his last four holes. That run moved the Bulldogs into first place for the first time all day.

Stanley was strong throughout the day with six birdies and just one bogey. His low round of the year included a 32 on the front and a 35 on the back.

Saunders had his most consistent round as a Clemson golfer with nine hole scores of 34-34. He did not have a bogey and registered two birdies on each side. His previous best was a 69 last year. Saunders stands in a tie for sixth place entering Tuesday’s final round with a 139 total, five-under par.

Ben Martin was Clemson’s third best golfer of the day with a three-under-par 69. Martin jumped from 61st to 32nd in the standings with his three-under par performance on Monday. The sophomore who earned All-ACC honors last year was two over par through five, but shot five-under-par over his next nine holes.

Senior Tanner Ervin, who was Clemson’s top golfer in the opening round with a 67, shot a 72 on Monday. He is tied for sixth at 139 with Saunders. Ervin started slowly and two two over par through eight. But he went three-under over his next seven holes. He finished with a disappointing bogey on the par five 18th hole. But, still his round was a big reason the Tigers trail by just two entering the final round. Luke Hopkins had a 69 in the opening round, but slumped to a 75 on Monday. He started slowly with a four over score through five holes.

Clemson senior Zach Siefert is playing the tournament as an individual. He had a second round 72 and stands in 15th place entering the final round of the individual race.

Results of the tournament can be followed on golfstat.com on Tuesday.