Virginia Defeats Clemson 3-2 in ACC Tournament Semifinal

CLEMSON, S.C. — Bryan Lee defeated Clemson’s Lucas Augustsson in 21 holes to lead #1 seed Virginia to a 3-2 victory over Clemson in the semifinals of the match play championship of the Atlantic Coast Conference men’s golf tournament on Sunday afternoon. The event was held at The Club # Olde Stone in Bowling Green, KY.

Earlier on Sunday, Clemson defeated SMU in the quarterfinals of match play, 3-1. The Tigers had qualified for the match play championship with a tie for third with ninth-ranked Florida State during the stroke play qualifier.

Clemson entered the ACC tournament as the 12th highest ranked team in the conference, but beat eight teams ranked ahead of them during the weekend.

It was a remarkable effort for the Tigers Sunday aftrnoon. Clemson had been 0-5 vs. Virginia in stroke play events during the season. All five of the matches against Virginia went to at least the 16th hole, three reached the 18th and the deciding match went 21 holes.

Clemson took a 1-0 lead when senior Kian Rose defeated Paul Chang at the number-one match, 3&2. Rose never trailed in the match after winning the first hole with a birdie. He was one-up through 10, then won the 11th and 13th holes to go three-up. He won the match when Chang missed a three-foot par putt on the 16th hole.

Virginia tied the score at 1-1 when Josh Duangmanee defeated Clemson freshman Rich Wills 2&1. Wills had a 1-up lead through 10 holes, then the Virginia player won holes 11, 12 and 13. Duangmanee won the match by winning the 17th hole.

Thomas Higgins had the most noteworthy victory of the day, and perhaps the most noteworthy individual accomplishment of the season by a Clemson golfer. The junior defeated Virginia’s top player Ben James, 1-up. He made a 10-foot par putt on the 17th hole to keep a 1-up lead, then tied James on the 18th hole to win the match 1-up. James is the 13th ranked player in college golf and recently made the cut (finished 33rd) at the Valero Texas Open on the PGA Tour. He is a semifinalist for the Ben Hogan Award.

Deven Patel won the last four holes against Clemson’s Andrew Swanson at the number-four match on the schedule to win 1-up. Patel was three down with four to play, but made birdies on three of his final four holes to win the match.

Lucas Augustsson and Virginia’s Bryan Lee went into extra holes to decide the overall team match. The two players tied the first and second playoff holes, then Lee won the third extra hole, the 235 par 3 third hole on the course. Both players hit their drives into green side bunkers. Lee was able to hit his approach to within 5 feet of the pin and Augustsson hit his shot over the green. He later conceded the hole to Lee and Virginia was off to the championship match.

The loss ends Clemson’s season. NCAA golf programs need to have a .500 against all competition in tournaments and Clemson ends the season with a 72-74-3 record.