April 20, 2007

• 2007 ACC Men's Golf Championship Site

NEW LONDON, N.C. - Clemson University fired a three-under-par 285 to grab the lead after the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Golf Championship played at the Old North State Club at Uwharrrie Point. The Tigers hold a slim one-stroke lead over Duke which carded a two-under 286 while Georgia Tech and North Carolina are just one stroke back in a tie for third place at one-under 287.

Clemson's Kyle Stanley and Virginia Tech's Ryan Sypniewski both fired four-under 68 to tie for the individual lead. A trio of players is tied for third place at three-under 69 - Duke's Michael Schachner, Georgia Tech's Roberto Castro and North Carolina's Martin Ureta. Tar Heel David Holzwoth is alone in sixth place at two-under 70 while five players are tied for seventh place at one-under 71 - Virginia Tech's Nick MacDonald, Boston College's Bob Reed, Duke's Clark Klaasen, Wake Forest's Brendan Gielow and Maryland's Chris Gold.

"The course played very well today," said Clemson head coach Larry Penley. "It will be tight all week. The weather looks like it will be good and we hope to have some good scores."

It's a close race as seven teams are within 10 strokes. Virginia Tech is fifth in the team standings at one-over 289. Virginia and Wake Forest are tied for sixth at five-over 293 while NC State is eighth at seven-over 295, Florida State is ninth at 10-over 298, Maryland is 10th at 12-over 300 and Boston College is 11th at 22-over 310.

The teams and coaches wore Duke blue ribbons in memory of the late Duke head coach Rod Myers, who passed away on March 30, 2007. They also wore black wrist bands in observance of the tragic events that took place at Virginia Tech earlier in the week.

The 54-hole event continues through Sunday at the Old North State Club which features a par 72, 7,102-yard layout. Tee times begin at 8:30 a.m. each morning and the public is invited to come out and watch some of the best teams in college golf.