Tim Cowie
Tigers Fire 265, Second at Maui Jim Intercollegiate
Clemson, S.C.—Jacob Bridgeman shot a career best 65 and Turk Pettit added a 66 to lead 17 ranked Clemson to a 15-under-par 265 team score and second-place standing at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate at Mirabel Country Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. The 15-teams in the field will continue play on Saturday and Sunday at the 54-hole tournament on the par 70 course.
Host school Arizona State, ranked number-two in the nation, has the team lead at 18-under par 62, just three shots better than the Tigers. Clemson’s 265 score tied for the third best 18-hole score in Clemson history and was just three shots off the record 262 set last year at the Ka’anapali Classic in Hawaii. It was the best score by a Clemson team in the month of September and best in a tournament in the Western time zone.
Arizona is third at 12-under-par 268, while Kent State and 19 ranked Illinois are tied for fourth at 269. Tenth-ranked Pepperdine is sixth at 10-under-par, while 11 ranked Southern California is seventh at 272. Six of the 15 teams in the field are ranked in the top 20 in the nation by the Golf Coaches Association.
Bridgeman had a career best eight birdies in shooting his 64. He had a 31 on the back nine, his first nine of the day, thanks to birdies on 15, 17 and 18. He played the par four holes at five-under-par, second best in the field of 75 golfers, and his eight birdies ranked second in the field in the opening round. The sophomore is tied for third after the first round, two shots behind leaders John Gilkison of Kent State and Jerry Li of Illinois.
Pettit had five birdies and just one bogey in shooting his four-under-par 66 that ranks tied for 10 after the first round. It was a strong improvement for Pettit over last week’s opening tournament at the Carpet Classic where he finished 54 with a 231 total. It was his best round since firing a 65 at the Ka’anapali Classic last November.
William Nottingham added a 67 to Clemson’s team score thanks to five birdies and two bogeys. It was his third straight 67 at Mirabel Country Club as he shot that same score each of his last two rounds in last year’s tournament. He stands in a tie for 15 after the first round.
Colby Patton had a solid two-under-par 68. He had a 32 on the back nine, his first nine of the day, thanks to birdies on 12, 17 and 18. He is in a tie for 20 after the first round.
Kyle Cottam, who is playing the number-one position for Clemson this week after finishing third at the Carpet Classic, had an even-par 72, but his score did not count towards Clemson’s team score.
As a team, Clemson had 23 birdies, 59 pars and just eight bogeys. Larry Penley’s team was especially effective on the par four holes, as the Tigers played those holes at nine-under-par, second best in the field. The Tigers played the 17 and 18 holes at eight under par as a team as the four counting players all finished the back nine birdie-birdie.
Live scoring is available through the weekend at golfstat.com.