Tigers Third After First Round of Augusta State Invitational

April 1, 2006

Augusta, GA – Brian Duncan led five Clemson golfers who shot par or better on Saturday, leading Clemson to a four-under-par 284 team total and a third place standing among 15 teams after one round of the Adminstaff Augusta State Invitational. The 54-hole event that will be played over two days is being contested on the Champions Retreat Golf Club course near Augusta, GA.

Teams started the second round on Saturday afternoon, but it will be completed on Sunday, along with the final round.

Clemson trails first round leader Coastal Carolina by three shots. Minnesota is in second place at 283, one shot better than the Tigers. The 15-team field is national in scope, including teams from UCLA, Washington, Minnesota and Notre Dame. Clemson’s four-under par score was the best team score versus par since the first round of the year when Clemson had a four-under par 280 at the Jerry Pate Intercollegiate back in October. It was just the third round this year in which Clemson has shot under par as a team. This was also the first team round all year in which all five Clemson players shot par or better and all five stand in the top 18 individually.

Duncan’s round of 69 was his best all season and he stands in second place overall, just one shot behind Josh Persons of Minnesota. He had a 37 on the front nine that included a double bogey seven on the ninth hole. But, the senior from Greenville who is ranked in the top 25 in the nation individually, had four birdies on the back nine to shoot at 32 and conclude the 18-hole score with a 69.

Duncan got support from sophomore Tanner Ervin. The native of Mount Pleasant was coming off a 17th place finish at his home course at Bulls Bay Golf Club in the Hootie @ Bulls Bay Intercollegiate. He had nine hole scores of 38-22 on the Champions Retreat Course. It was his fourth under-par round of the year.

Stephen Poole, Vince Hatfield and Martin Catalioto all shot even-par rounds of 72. Poole had third birdies on the back to key his round, while Hatfield had a wild ride with two double bogeys and an eagle. Catalioto, playing in his first tournament of the spring, had four birdies on the back when he shot 35.

Clemson had had problems finishing of late, but Clemson’s five players had a combined 15 birdies and an eagle on the back nine and shot 10-under as a group.

Freshman Luke Hopkins is a sixth Clemson player taking part in the tournament. He is playing as an individual and he also scored a solid even par 72.