Stanley Wins Aloha Purdue Collegiate

Nov. 23, 2006

Clemson, SC — Clemson freshman Kyle Stanley won the Aloha Purdue Collegiate Invitational on Thanksgiving Day with one-hole playoff victory over Drew Weaver of Virginia Tech. Stanley finished with a three-under-par 207 score to become the first Clemson freshman golfer in seven seasons to win a tournament. The event concluded the fall schedule for Larry Penley’s Tigers.

Stanley’s 207 score helped the Tigers to a fifth-place finish in the nine team tournament played at the Kiahuna Golf Club in Kauai, Hawaii. The event was 54-hole affair played over two days, an event won by the University of Texas with an 847 team score.

Michigan was second at 853, while host school Purdue was third at 856. Virginia Tech finished fourth with an 857 score and Clemson was fifth just two shots back. Pepperdine was sixth at 863, and number-one ranked Alabama was seventh at 871. The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame finished eighth at 874, while Rice was ninth at 898.

Stanley had rounds of 71-67-69 on the par 70 course that is 6885 yards in length. Stanley finished the event with 13 birdies to tie for second in the tournament behind Josh Sandman of Notre Dame, who had 14.

Stanley and Weaver were tied after 54 holes at 207. The two players went to the par four, 407-yard first hole. Stanley hit his drive in the middle of the fairway, then hit a sand wedge eight feet from the hole and made the putt for the tournament winning birdie.

Stanley became the first Clemson freshman to win a tournament since the 1999-00 academic year when current PGA Tour professional D.J. Trahan won the Las Vegas Invitational. Overall, Stanley is just the sixth Clemson freshman in history to win a tournament, joining Trahan, Lucas Glover, Jonathan Byrd, Chris Patton and Jimmy White. All of those previous wins came in the spring so, Stanley is the first Tiger to win a fall tournament as a freshman and is thus the earliest tournament champion in Clemson history.

Supporting Stanley was classmate Sam Saunders. The freshman had consistent rounds of 72-72-71 for a 215 total that ranked 14th. Sophomore David May had a 219 total for the event, including and outstanding 68 in the second round on Wednesday. Phillip Mollica and Tanner Ervin both had 222 totals and finished in a tie for 31st.

Clemson at Aloha Purdue Collegiate November 22-23, 2006 Kahuna Golf Club – Kauai, Hawaii

Kyle Stanley 71 67 69 207 -3 First Sam Saunders 72 72 71 215 +5 14th David May 76 68 75 219 +9 23rd Phillip Mollica 73 75 74 222 +12 31st Tanner Ervin 76 73 73 222 +12 31st Clemson 292 280 287 859 +19 5th