Tech Finishes Third at U.S. Collegiate Golf
April 7, 2009
ATLANTA -
Ben Martin added a 73 for Clemson, which posted a team total of 4-under-par 284 and erased a 13-stroke deficit entering the final round, the biggest rally in Clemson golf history. The Tigers finished three rounds with a 12-over-par total of 876, two shots ahead of sixth-ranked Stanford, the second-round leader, which shot 299 Tuesday and finished at 14-over 878.
"It really feels good winning on this golf course with this field," said Clemson coach Larry Penley, whose Tigers had not won a tournament since they captured the first USCC in 2006 and entered the final round Tuesday in sixth place. "It should carry some momentum into the post-season. We just needed to win a tournament."
The Tigers were the only team to break par Tuesday, while 8th-ranked Georgia Tech matched it with a total of 288. The Yellow Jackets finished third at 17-over-par 881, followed by No. 1 Georgia at 19-over 883. No. 13 Alabama and Texas A&M tied for fifth at 22-over 886.
Alabama's Bud Cauley and UCLA's Erik Flores tied for medalist honors after each carded 1-over-par 73s Tuesday, each finishing 54 holes at 4-under-par 212. Stanford's David Chung also shot a 73 Tuesday and finished two strokes back at 2-under 214. Tech's John-Tyler Griffin, with a 2-under-par 70 Tuesday, tied for fourth place with Stanford's Steve Ziegler (75 Tuesday) at even-par 216.
"Obviously, it feels good," said Flores. "It's the best field all year, and they obviously hold such a good event and the membership here has been so awesome. There are so many positives I'm going to take away from this."
Only 11 of the 78 players on the course broke par Tuesday as the 15 teams, competing for one of college golf's top regular season titles, faced temperatures in the mid 40's and wind gusts exceeding 25 miles per hour, plus some snow flurries at times, at The Golf Club of Georgia's Lakeside Course (7,017 yards, par 72).
"It's definitely not something we see in Southern California, but I grew up in Lake Tahoe," said Flores. "At least when it's snowing, you can see where the wind is going."
Cauley and Flores each gave away strokes on the final two holes. Cauley came to the par-3 17th at 2-under-par, but double-bogeyed the hole and bogeyed the 18th. Flores, who shot 65 Sunday to set a tournament record and played in the same group as Cauley Tuesday, double-bogeyed the last after putting his second shot in a sand divot and his third in the pond fronting the green. Chung, who shot a 66 on Monday, bogeyed 16 and 17 coming home.
"It's just one of those things," Flores said of his finish at 18. "It stinks and it's a rule I'd like to see them change. It's just disappointing to be in perfect position and to be penalized like that. I'd have taken 150 from a good lie."
The U.S. Collegiate Championship field featured nine of the nation's top-10 ranked teams including No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Oklahoma State and No. 3 Southern California.
Georgia Tech, the host school, posted its best finish in four tries at the U.S. Collegiate, having finished fourth last year and in a tie for fourth the first two years.
Griffin's tie for fourth was his second top-10 showing this year, while All-American Chesson Hadley, who carded an even-par 72 Tuesday and finished at 4-over 220, tied for 11th place for his best tournament performance of the year. Senior David Dragoo, with a 75 Tuesday and a 54-hole score of 222, tied for 19th for his fourth top-20 performance this year.
All-American Cameron Tringale, the nation's No. 2-ranked player, shot 75 Tuesday and tied for 41st at 224. Freshman Minghao Wang had a 71 for the Jackets Tuesday and tied for 44th.
TEAM STANDINGS
Clemson -283 -309 -284 --876
Stanford University -289 -290 -299 --878
Georgia Tech -291 -302 -288 --881
Georgia -295 -292 -296 --883
Alabama, U. of -291 -301 -294 --886
Texas A&M University -296 -287 -303 --886
UCLA -284 -305 -298 --887
Washington -287 -298 -302 --887
Southern California -285 -308 -295 --888
Oklahoma State -289 -305 -301 --895
South Carolina -291 -303 -303 --897
East Tennessee St. -306 -303 -297 --906
Florida, U of -296 -314 -299 --909
Indiana University -303 -297 -310 --910
Florida State -302 -309 -304 --915
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Erik Flores, UCLA - 65 - 74 - 73 -- 212
Bud Cauley, Alabama, U. of - 70 - 69 - 73 -- 212
David Chung, Stanford University - 75 - 66 - 73 -- 214
John Tyler Griffin, Georgia Tech - 72 - 74 - 70 -- 216
Steve Ziegler, Stanford University - 70 - 71 - 75 -- 216
Brian Harman, Georgia - 75 - 71 - 71 -- 217
Brooks Koepka, Florida State - 70 - 74 - 74 -- 218
Geoff Shaw, Texas A&M University - 73 - 73 - 72 -- 218
Rhys Enoch, East Tennessee St. - 75 - 73 - 71 -- 219
Kyle Stanley, Clemson - 69 - 79 - 71 -- 219
Jorge Campillo, Indiana University - 76 - 73 - 71 -- 220
Adam Mitchell, Georgia - 74 - 71 - 75 -- 220
Chesson Hadley, Georgia Tech - 73 - 75 - 72 -- 220
Ben Martin, Clemson - 73 - 74 - 73 -- 220
David May, Clemson - 67 - 75 - 78 -- 220
Matthew Giles, Southern California - 67 - 77 - 76 -- 220
GEORGIA TECH SCORES
T4 John Tyler Griffin (2) 72 74 70 216
T11 Chesson Hadley (3) 73 75 72 220
T19 David Dragoo (5) 73 74 75 222
T41 Cameron Tringale (1) 73 79 75 227
T44 Minghao Wang (4) 76 81 71 228
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