Tigers Finish 9th at Hootie @ Bulls Bay

March 28, 2006

Clemson, SC- Brian Duncan shot a one over par 72 and finished in ninth place individually to lead Clemson to an ninth-place finish in the 15-team Hootie @ Bulls Bay Invitational on Tuesday. The Tigers shot a 300 as a team in the final round to finish the 54-hole event at 27 over par 879 on the par 71 course that is 7229 yards in length. The Tigers tied with Alabama.

Wake Forest won the event with its best performance of the year. The Demon Deacons were 10 under par as a team for the tournament in finishing first with an 842 team score. Scores were higher on Tuesday compared to the calm winds of Monday. Thirteen of the 15 teams shot worse on Tuesday compared to Monday and no team improved. Augusta State shot 26 strokes higher on Tuesday with a 295 score after a tournament best 269 on Monday.

The Tigers finished four places and 17 strokes better than they did last year at the event when Clemson was 12th as a team with a +44 team score.

Duncan was Clemson’s best player in the tournament for the second consecutive year, as he finished with a 215 total, his third career top 10 finish, his second in the last three tournaments. He was seventh at the Las Vegas Intercollegiate earlier this month. The native of Greenville, SC finished 20th with a 220 score at the inaugural event last year. Duncan had rounds of 72-71-72, but had a disappointing finish with a double bogey on his final hole. A par on the final hole have brought Duncan his second career top five finish.

Tanner Ervin was Clemson’s second best golfer for the event with a 217 score, four over par. He had rounds of 71-69 over the first two rounds and was in sixth place individually entering his final nine holes. But, Ervin, who was playing on his home course, shot a 39 on the front side, his final nine holes of the day to finish with a 77 score. He finished 17th individually, his second best finish of the year.

Stephen Poole fired a final round 74 to finish at 220 overall, good enough for 33rd position. Poole, who averaged 74.11 for the year entering this event, had a 73.67 average at Bulls Bay. He had consecutive bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes that hurt his round that included 15 pars.

Freshmen David May and Phillip Mollica rounded out the Clemson lineup at Bulls Bay. May had a final round 77 to finish at 227 for the 54 holes, 65th position. He scored his only birdie on Tuesday on the ninth hole, his final hole of the day.

Mollica shot an 88 in the final round that included a pair of triple bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes, his 16th and 17th holes of the day.

Clemson at Hootie @ Bulls Bay March 26-28, 2006 Bulls Bay Golf Club, Mount Pleasant, SC