South Carolina, Clemson men’s golf teams ride strong seasons into NCAA tournament
With both teams led by one of the nation’s top college golfers, South Carolina and Clemson strive to bolster already solid seasons in the NCAA tournament that begins Monday.
The Gamecocks, ranked 24th in the Golfstat poll, head to the Norman, Oklahoma Regional with credentials that include three tournament victories. The Tigers, 23rd in the rankings, will compete in the Columbus, Ohio Regional with a goal of making their first season under coach Jordan Byrd even more successful.
The top gun on each team — Ryan Hall for the Gamecocks and Jacob Bridgeman for the Tigers — are among the best players in their respective program’s history.
But the team format — the best four scores from the five players — requires quality throughout. The coaches, Byrd and USC’s Bill McDonald, know their squads need to rebound from lackluster performances in conference tournaments.
Both USC and Clemson are seeded fourth in their regional, and the top five teams after 54 holes from each of six regionals advance to the national championships that begins May 27 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
“We just need to focus on what we can control,” said Byrd, who succeeded Hall-of-Famer Larry Penley.
Taking the same theme, McDonald stressed “looking what’s ahead, not what’s behind us.”
What’s ahead for the Gamecocks will be a lineup without No. 2 player Jack Wall, a junior who suffered a wrist injury in the first round of the SEC Championship. He will be replaced by freshman Gene Zeigler, who moved into the lineup for the remainder of the SEC and played in seven tournaments overall.
If Zeigler delivers like freshman Nathan Franks and sophomore Rafe Reynolds, newcomers to the lineup this season, he will soothe the wounds from Wall’s absence.
“Nathan went from the fringe to becoming a big part of our program,” McDonald said. “We needed guys to play key roles, and he and Rafe have done that. Evans (Lewis, a senior transfer) has been important, too.”
Hall provides solidity at the top. The senior from Knoxville, Tennessee has enjoyed a stellar season and McDonald compares him favorably to the best players in Carolina history.
“Very comparable to Matt (NeSmith, now on the PGA Tour),” the coach said. “Those two are the best since I’ve been here (15 seasons).”
The Norman Regional features No. 1 Oklahoma, highly ranked Texas and three other SEC teams.
“All the regionals are tough, but I think the course will set up well for us,” McDonald said. “We know we’ll have wind and we know the competition will be challenging, but we want to add to an already very good season.”
The field Clemson will face in Columbus is equally imposing, and that’s what Byrd prepared his team to face. The Tigers’ schedule has been ranked the sixth toughest nationally.
“A good test on a great golf course that will separate the field,” he said. “It’s a challenge, but it’s what you want. You want to determine the best five teams (to advance to the nationals).”
He inherited a veteran team with four seniors or graduate students in the lineup, and he’s looking for a strong finish in what he calls “my favorite time of the year. We’ve had a nice break to catch our breath, get together and practice, spend time together and enjoy each other, and prepare for what’s ahead.”
He needs help, of course, but Bridgeman is the nearest thing to a sure thing in college golf. The ACC player of the year, he ranks high in individual production and has finished in the top four — two wins — in his last five tournaments.
“He belongs in an elite group of golfers who have played at Clemson,” Byrd said. “Overall, this is where we want to be this time of the year, and I’m excited to see how we respond.”
Chip shots. South Carolina’s women’s team tied for second in the Tallahassee Regional and advanced to the national championship tournament that begins May 20 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Coach Kalen Anderson’s team made the nationals for the 10th time in the past 12 years. ... Competing in the Stillwater, Oklahoma Regional, Clemson’s women failed to advance. With the top four in each regional moving on, the Tigers skidded from third to seventh over the final 18 holes. ... Furman’s Anna Morgan (Spartanburg) will compete in the women’s nationals as an individual. ... Charles Shealy, the West Columbia golfing treasure who shoots his age almost every time he plays, celebrated his 99th birthday the other day by firing an 88 at Mid-Carolina Club. ... At DeBordieu Club near Georgetown, Logan Sowell (Bluffton), Avery Price (Georgetown), Bryson Nimmer (Okatie), Andrew Swanson (Bluffton) and Blaine Bunch (Savannah) advanced to U.S. Open Sectional qualifying. ... Stan Sill (Spartanburg) birdied the first playoff hole to edge Eddie Hargett (Blythewood) and win the South Carolina Senior Championship at Orangeburg CC.
