Clemson, S.C.—Larry Penley’s Tiger golf team will play host to the fourth annual Clemson Invitational at the Cliffs at Keowee Falls in Sunset, S.C. this Friday through Sunday, April 5-7.
The 15-team field is the best in the short history of the event as four of the top 16 teams in the nation will compete for the championship on the par 72 course that will measure just over 7,000 yards long.
Duke, ranked fifth in the latest Golfweek poll, is the highest ranked team in the tournament. Georgia Tech, ranked eighth in the Coaches Association Poll and ninth by Golfweek, Georgia, ranked 11th by Golfweek, and Clemson, ranked 16th by Golfweek, also headline the field.
Fans will have an opportunity to see 11 of the top 100 players in the nation compete this weekend. Alex Smalley of Duke is the top rated player with a number-four ranking by Golfweek, while Trent Phillips of Georgia is 10th.
Clemson senior Bryson Nimmer is rated 12th by Golfweek and is certainly regarded as one of the top players in the nation. The native of Beaufort, S.C. has a 69.38 stroke average and has seven top 10 finishes this year, including a school record tying three victories. Nimmer has 13 rounds in the 60s and 16 under-par rounds.
Clemson won the first two Clemson Invitational tournaments in 2016 and 2017, but Boston College is the defending champion and they will return to this year’s tournament. Other teams in the field include Army, College of Charleston, UCONN, Elon, Furman, Louisiana Tech, UNC-Wilmington, Western Carolina, Wofford and Virginia.
Other players in the Clemson lineup will include freshman Jacob Bridgeman (71.46 stroke average), Kyle Cottam (72.60) , Colby Patton (74.,88) and Turk Pettit (72.72). Pettit was Clemson’s top player in last year’s tournament with a 214 score, good enough for second place.
Live scoring will be available at golfstat.com. Admission to the tournament is free of charge all three days. The address of the course is 770 South Cherry Laurel Way, Salem, SC 29676
