Clemson, SC—Andrew Swanson shot a season best 66 and Thomas Higgins fired a bogey free 68 in the first round, to lead Clemson to the championship of the Battle at Briar’s Creek at John’s Island, SC on Tuesday afternoon. The tournament was the first event of the spring season for Clemson who won the tournament by two shots over Chattanooga.
Clemson finished with a 36-hole score of 575, while Chattanooga finished at 577. Augusta was third at 579 and Indiana was fourth at 5811. Elon was fifth at 582 and Kentucky was sixth at 583. The 14 team field included seven Power Five Conference Teams.
The 14 teams in the field played between 8 and 11 holes on Monday on the par 72 course that measures 7,175 yards before bad weather stopped play in the early afternoon. The teams finished the first round on Tuesday morning, then played the final round on Tuesday afternoon. The tournament was originally scheduled for 54 holes, 36 on Monday and 18 on Tuesday.
Clemson completed its first round on Tuesday morning with an eight-under-par score of 280, tied for the third best score vs. par by the team this year. Swanson’s 66 included five consecutive birdies (holes 17-3, played back nine first), the longest string of birdies by a Clemson golfer this year. Higgins’s 68 was bogey free, the first bogey free round by a Clemson golfer this year. Kian Rose added a one-under-par 71 in the first round.
Jonathan Nielsen, Clemson’s best golfer in the fall in terms of stroke average, was the non-counter in the first round, but he finished the afternoon with the team’s best score, a one-under par 71. He posted four birdies and three bogeys.
Swanson finished tied for second overall with a three-under-par 141 score thanks to rounds of 66 and 75, while Higgins was fourth at 142 after rounds of 68 and 74. It was Clemson’s first team victory of the year and the first time Clemson had two top four finishers in the individual race.
Rose had rounds of 71 and 76 in finishing tied for 25th. Nielsen finished 35th with a 149 score after rounds of 78 and 71, while Alberto Dominguez finished 39th with a 150 score after consecutive counting scores of 75.
Austin Scott played as an individual and finished 57th with a 154 total after rounds of 78 and 76. Scott made eight birdies in the tournament, second among Clemson golfers in the tournament and his 4.50 stroke average on par five holes was the best among Tigers.
