Clemson, S.C.—Veteran Ana Paula Valdes and freshman Ivy Shepherd both had three-under-par rounds of 69 on Friday, as the Clemson women’s golf team opened its 2018-19 season with a 283 team score, good enough for a third-place standing after the first round of the Mason Rudolph Championship at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tennessee. The Tigers are third out of 15 teams in the national field that includes four teams that played in the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
Vanderbilt has the first round lead after shooting a team score of 10-under-par 278. Arizona State is second at 279. The Tigers are third with a 283, one shot ahead of Auburn and five shots ahead of Wake Forest.
The Tigers had 23 birdies as a team, first in the field with hosts Vanderbilt in second with 22.
“Really proud of our young group,” said Head Coach Kelley Hester. “They were solid all day, then we had a slight rain delay with a few holes to play and they finished the round even stronger. Ana Paula has been a great leader for our young group and that really helped us get off to a good start.”
Valdes a junior from Morelia, Mexico who is second in Clemson history in career scoring average, had six birdies, tied for third in the field of 78 golfers, but she also had three bogeys in her first round of the season in shooting a three-under-par 69. Shepherd, a freshman from Peachtree City, Ga. who made her debut for the Tigers with played the four holes three-under and finished with six birdies and three bogeys.
Freshman Alexandra Swayne also played her first career round and had solid performance with one-under-par scores of 71. Swayne had a slow start finishing the front nine three-over, but went birdie, birdie, par, birdie, birdie on her first five hole on the back nine to finish the round at 71.
Freshmen Lindsay May and Gracyn Burgess also made their Clemson debut today in the opening round of the Mason Rudolph Championship. May shot two-over-par 74, while Burgess finished with a four-over-par 76.
The tournament continues on Saturday with 18 more holes. Live scoring is available on Golfstat.
Mason Rudolph ChampionshipSeptember 21, 2018Vanderbilt Legends Club, Par 72
Results after first of three rounds
Clemson Individuals: 5. Ana Paula Valdes 69, 5. Ivy Shepherd 69, 18. Alexandra Swayne 71, 38. Lindsay May 74, 50. Gracyn Burgess 76.
Team Scores: 1. Vanderbilt, 278, 2. Arizona State 279, 3. Clemson 283, 4. Auburn 284, 5. Wake Forest 288, 6. Louisville 289, 7. North Carolina 290, 8. Houston 295, 9. Michigan State and LSU 294, 11. Missouri 295, 12 Charlotte 296, 13. Chattanooga 299, 14. Mercer 301, 15. Middle Tennessee 303
