Soccer

NO.4 CLEMSON GOLF BEATS NO.2 FSU IN PLAYOFF FOR ACC CHAMPIONSHIP!

2021-04-26 15:12:53
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By Trevor Groves

ATLANTA, GA - What an exciting way to finish an incredible tournament! The ACC Men's Golf Tournament featured 5 of the nation's top 11 teams in No.2 FSU, No.4 Clemson, No.5 Wake Forest, No.9 NC State and No.11 UNC. The Tigers and Seminoles met in the match play Championship Round on Monday after Clemson beat No.9 NC State and FSU beat No.11 UNC in the Semifinal round on Sunday. The Tigers and Noles had met in 4 tournaments this season, with each finishing ahead of the other twice, and the Tigers held a combined 16-stroke advantage in those meetings.

At one point in the afternoon, the Noles were ahead in 4 pairings and tied in the 5th, but the Championship Round fittingly went right down to the wire, with the Tigers and Noles each having won 2 pairings. So it all came down to Junior Gaffney native Zack Gordon for the Tigers, and he was locked in a tie after 18 holes, so they went to sudden-death playoff play with the ACC Trophy on the line! After remaining tied through the 20th hole, Gordon sank a 25-foot putt to clinch the win and give Clemson its first ACC Title since 2016.

After claiming the crown in the nation's best golf conference, the Tigers have their sights set on their first national title since 2003, but regardless of how the season ends, Larry Penley will go out on top, finishing his legendary career as ACC Champion.

Video footage of Gordon's championship-winning putt and post-match interviews with Penley, Gordon and Bridgeman are below!

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 10^th 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 11^th 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 16^th and 17^th 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 12^th with a 40-foot birdie putt and the 15^th with a par to tie the match. Bridgeman then won the match on the 18^th 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 12^th 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 18^th 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 21^st 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 83^rd 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

MORE CLEMSON GOLF, SOFTBALL, BASEBALL, SOCCER AND FOOTBALL COVERAGE HERE

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