Tigers Third after 36 Holes at Nike Collegiate

Clemson, S.C.—Jacob Bridgeman, Kyle Cottam and Colby Patton all shot three-under par 68s on Monday to lead 15^th ranked Clemson to an eight-under-par 276 team score and a third-place standing after 36 holes at the Nike Collegiate at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club near Portland, Oregon.

Ninth-ranked Oklahoma holds a commanding 15-shot lead at 31-under-par 537.    Wake Forest, ranked fourth in the nation, is at 552, two shots ahead of the Tigers.  Oklahoma State is in fourth at 558 and Vanderbilt is fifth at 560.  Georgia is sixth at 562 and Duke, the only other ACC team in the field, is seventh at 563.

The 15-team field includes eight of the top 21 teams in the nation in the latest Collegiate Golf Coaches poll.

Clemson has played the par three holes at five-under par, best in the field after two rounds on the par 71 course that is 6,997 yards long.  Clemson’s 12-under par on the par five holes is second best.

Bridgeman’s 68 included four birdies on the last seven holes, a big reason he shot 32 on the back nine, tied for the best by a Tiger golfer this week.   Bridgeman is in a tie for 10^th place at five under par 137.   Cottam is one of the players tied with Bridgeman after his second round 68.  The native of Tennessee had five birdies and a double bogey in scoring his three-under-par score.  The double bogey on the sixth hole was his only blemish of the day.

Patton was the most improved Tiger on Monday.  After an opening round 77, Patton shot 68 thanks to five birdies and two  bogeys.  He had a streak of three straight birdies on holes 11,12, and 13.  His 145 total after two rounds is good enough for 43^rd.

William Nottingham had a 72 on Monday after a team best 68 in the first round.   The senior stands at two-under par 140, good enough for 24^th in the field of 75 players.

Turk Pettit, Clemson’s top player entering the tournament after a second place finish at the Maui Jim Collegiate in Arizona two weeks ago, had his second straight 72.  His 144 total is good enough for 41^st place.

The tournament concludes on Tuesday.   Scores are available on golfstat.com.