CUTrevor
2021-04-26 08:12:11
The nation's toughest conference tournament, which featured 5 teams ranked in the nation's top 11, has narrowed down to the championship round, which features a matchup between two of the nation's top 4 teams in the Tigers and Noles! The two teams have faced each other in 4 tournaments this season, with each team finishing ahead twice. The Tigers were a combined 16 strokes better than the Noles in those 4 tournaments. Last ACC Championship for the Tigers was 2016. This is the final season for Clemson Legend Larry Penley. You can watch live play all morning and afternoon on ACCNX, and I'll have live updates right here! |
CUTrevor
2021-04-26 08:29:06
Match is tied so far after the first hole. Tigers just had a beautiful 20-foot birdie putt sit right on the lip of the cup, Caddyshack style, but it didn't fall.
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CUTrevor
2021-04-26 08:42:16
Tigers have a one-stroke lead through the first 4 holes. There are 5 players from each team going head-to-head, so there will be a total of 90 holes played today. 3 of the pairings have yet to tee off.
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CUTrevor
2021-04-26 09:08:18
All 5 pairings are on the course now, and the Noles lead by one stroke through 13 holes.
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CUTrevor
2021-04-26 09:45:53
Noles are now up 2 strokes through 24 holes. 4 of the 5 pairings are tied, but Pettit is behind 2 through 5 holes.
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CUTrevor
2021-04-26 09:54:16
Pettit is now down 3 strokes through 6 holes with all 4 other pairings tied.
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CUTrevor
2021-04-26 11:00:43
Not looking good for the Tigers! They are behind 9 strokes through 54 of the 90 holes. Of the 5 pairings, only Gordon leads by one stroke. The other 4 Tigers are behind.
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CUTrevor
2021-04-26 13:04:34
It's coming down to the wire! The Tigers have won 2 matches, and the Noles have won 2, and the last match is tied through 19 holes! Junior Zack Gordon from Gaffney is carrying the torch for the Tigers. |
CUTrevor
2021-04-26 13:09:26
Still tied through 20 holes!
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CUTrevor
2021-04-26 13:17:50
TIGERS WIN CHAMPIONSHIP!!! Gordon sank a 25-foot putt on the 21st hole to win his playoff and clinch the team title! First ACC Championship for the Tigers since 2016, and it comes in Penley's final season! After claiming the crown in the nation's best golf conference, the Tigers will have their sights set on the NCAA and their first national title since 2003. Whether they win it all or not, Penley will go out on top, finishing his legendary career as ACC Champion! I'll have video footage of the winning putt and post-match interviews shortly! |
CUTrevor
2021-04-26 15:29:28
Atlanta, Ga.—Zack Gordon made a 20-foot birdie putt on the
third playoff hole to defeat Grayson Porter and give fourth ranked Clemson a
3-2 victory over second-ranked Florida State in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Match Play Championship on Monday. It
was the 10th ACC title for head coach Larry Penley, who is retiring
at the conclusion of this season. Gordon’s 21-hole victory was the climax of an incredible
comeback for the Tigers, who never had the overall lead in the match until
Gordon’s putt. His birdie came on the 216-yard par three
third hole and it was the only birdie of the tournament on that hole by any
Clemson player. Clemson players had played the hole 25 times
without a birdie in stroke play and match play until Gordon’s putt. “Coach (Jordan) Byrd and I read the putt to be about two
balls outside the hole and it broke just as we thought,” said Gordon who was
Clemson’s number-five player in the lineup this week. Porter had a 18-foot putt from above the hole
to attempt to tie the match, but the putt missed by inches and Clemson had its
11th ACC Championship in program history. A look to the breakdown of each match reveals that Clemson
had the lead after just 17 of the 88 holes that were played over the five
matches. Gordon had the lead after just
four of the 21 holes he played against Porter.
The two players tied 18 of their 21 holes. Florida State took a 2-0 lead by winning the number-three
match and the number-one match. Brad
Roberts made four birdies on the front nine and went on to defeat Clemson’s
Turk Pettit, 6 & 5. Colby Patton had a 1-up lead over Frederik Kjettrup through six holes, but the Florida State
player then won three of the next four
holes. Kjettrup had a three-up lead
with three holes to play. Patton, who
won the clinching match against NC State on Sunday, then won the 16th
and 17th holes. But, when the
players tied on 18, Kjettrup had the victory. That meant Clemson had to win the last three matches on the course to win the
Championship. Jon Pak, the number-one
player in the nation according to all college golf rankings, had a 2-up lead on
Clemson’s Jacob Bridgeman after 11 holes.
But, Bridgeman won the 12th with a 40-foot birdie putt and
the 15th with a par to tie the match. Bridgeman then won the match on the 18th
hole with a par, as Pak three-putted from 50 feet. It was the only time Bridgeman had the lead
in the match. Kyle Cottam was 1-down after nine holes, but then won three
of the next six holes to take a 2-up lead.
He closed out the match with a par on 17. That win tied the overall score at 2-2,
setting up the winner by Gordon. “Florida State had all the momentum over the first nine
holes,” said Clemson coach Larry Penley.
“They made a lot of long putts and Jon Pak made a chipin from well off
the green on nine against Jacob that was just a great shot. “The 12th hole was big for us to get the momentum
back. Jacob made a 40-foot birdie to win
the hole and Kyle Cottam also won when Vincent Norrman missed a short putt. “I really thought we were going to win this tournament in
regulation when it appeared Zack was going to win the 18th
hole. But, he three-putted and Porter
made a great up and down to tie the hole.
Zack went from goat to hero with the birdie on his 21st
hole. “Even after we were down 2-0, I thought we had a shot with
the matches that were still out on the course.
Zack was either even, or up one, or down one all day and I just felt
Kyle would win his match. And Jacob is
a great player going against a great player.” This was Penley’s 83rd overall win, more than any
coach in ACC history. “This is very
special, I wasn’t sure I was going to get to 10 ACC championships. This was a lesson in hanging in there. We were never up (as a team) until Zack made the last putt. Our guys just fought all day. “ Clemson now awaits its NCAA Regional bid on May 5. The assignments will be announced that day on
the Golf Channel. The Tigers are in
great position to be a number-one seed at one of the six sites. Results 2021 ACC
Men’s Golf Championship Clemson 3, Florida
State 2 April 26, 2021 Capital City
Crabapple Course, Atlanta, Ga. 1.
Frederik Kjettrup (FSU) d. Colby Patton
(Clem) 1-up 2.
Zack Gordon (Clem) d. Grayson Porter (FSU), 21
holes 3.
Brad Roberts (FSU) d. Turk Pettit (Clem) 6&5 4.
Jacob Bridgeman (Clem) d. Jon Pak (FSU) 1 up 5.
Kyle Cottam (Clem) d. Vincent Norrman (FSU) 2 & 1 |