Clemson, S.C. — Jacob Bridgeman won his second tournament of the year and Colby Patton tied for the round of the day with a 67, leading Larry Penley and the Clemson golf team to the championship of the 15-team Palmetto Intercollegiate at the Palmetto Club in Aiken, S.C.
The victory was the 80th of Penley’s career, just two short of the ACC record of 82 wins by former Wake Forest coach Jesse Haddock. It marked the fifth time in the last eight appearances and the 10th time overall, Penley’s Tigers have won the Palmetto Intercollegiate.
Clemson won the tournament with a team score of 19-under-par 821, seven shots ahead of second place UNC-Wilmington.
Bridgeman won the tournament for the second consecutive year after rounds of 64-67-68 for a 54-hole total of 199. He shot a 198 last year when he won at the same course. Bridgeman has now won three of his last four tournaments dating to last year, as he won the Camp Creek Seminole to open the season. The 2020 Palmetto was the final tournament of last season before COVID shut down the Clemson season.
Bridgeman is the first Tiger to win the same tournament in consecutive years since Charles Warren won the ACC Tournament in the springs of 1997 and 1998. Bridgeman won by two shots over Keller Harper of Furman. The two players were actually tied at 10-under-par with one hole to play, but Bridgeman made a birdie on 18, his 14th birdie of the tournament, and Harper made a bogey on the first hole, his last hole of the day.
Patton fired a three-under 67 to record the best round by a Clemson player on Tuesday, and tied for the best round among the 75 players in the field on the par 70 course that played to 6,617 yards. There were only six rounds in the 60s on Tuesday.
Patton played the round with his father, former Clemson All-American Chris Patton, in attendance. Chris won the 1990 Palmetto Invitational, but the tournament was held at a different course (Santee National). Colby’s 67 included an eagle and four birdies. It was his best round of the year and second best of his career. He finished in a tie for 20th place.
Two other Tigers had top 12 finishes for the 54 holes. Kyle Cottam had rounds of 69-68-71 to finish in a tie for 10th with a 208 score, while William Nottingham was tied for 12th at 209. Nottingham’s opening round 64 was the second best of his career. Zack Gordon, in the lineup in place of Turk Pettit, who was going through qualifying for the MacKenzie Tour, finished in 26th place with a 215 score.
Penley’s Tigers will be back in action next Monday and Tuesday at the Valspar Invitational in Palm City, Florida.
Clemson at Palmetto Intercollegiate
March 8-9, 2021
Palmetto Club, Aiken, SC
Team Results
- Clemson 821, 2. UNC Wilmington 828, 3. USC-Aiken 831, 4. Furman 833, 5. Virginia Commonwealth 840, 6. College of Charleston 848, 7. Charleston Southern 867, 8. Presbyterian 874, 9. Temple 876, 10. Wofford 877, 11. Winthrop 878, 12. High Point 880, 13. Francis Marion 883, 14. Samford 885, 15. Army 916.
Clemson Players
- Jacob Bridgeman 64-67-68/199,10. Kyle Cottam 69-68-71/208, 12. William Nottingham 64-70-75/209, 20. Colby Patton 77-69-67/213, 26. Zack Gordon 71-68-76/215.
