Clemson Steals the Title by One Stroke at 2016 Kāʻanapali Classic

In a surprise finish, Clemson clenches the 2016 Kāʻanapali Classic – Collegiate Invitational with a team 826 (-26), one stroke ahead of Georgia. Doc Redman of Clemson fired a 64 (-7) on Sunday with a 3-day total 198 (-15) and claimed the individual trophy.

It all came down to the infamous final two holes of the Royal Kāʻanapali Course, two holes where many a tournament is won or lost. With the wind picking up later in the round, the last few holes gave both teams some challenges but Clemson was able to par as a team, whereas Georgia was +2 on the combined final holes.

Doc Redman, a freshman from Raleigh, N.C. is one of two freshman on the Clemson team that competed at Kāʻanapali. With one tournament win in his pocket from the Jack Rabbit tournament in Nebraska earlier this year, Redman was looking to add to his resume in Hawaiʻi. In Nebraska, Redman broke the school record for the earliest career victory after just two college career matches. With six birdies and one eagle on the uphill par 5 6th hole, Redman had just one blemish on the 18th hole today. Redman secured the win at 66-68-64/198 (-15) by two shots over LSU’s Sam Burns. Redman is the first Clemson freshman to win two tournaments in the same year since Jimmy White in 1974-75.

Prior to college, Redman won the 2016 North Carolina 4A State Championship, and the regional in 2016 and was ranked 8th overall in the Golfweek Junior Boys Ranking as of August 2016. Burns is currently ranked 83rd in the NCAA ranking and is sure to rise after this weekend’s impressive results.

Clemson posted an all-time team record 264 (-20) today to overtake the 10-stroke lead Georgia had going into the final round. Redman’s teammates Bryson Nimmer posted a 65 (-6) on Sunday, Carson Young a 67 (-4) and Austin Langdale a 68 (-3) to help secure the team win. Young finished at T12, Nimmer at T19 and Langdale at T50 over the weekend.

Georgia’s senior captain Greyson Sigg began the day T1 with Kansas senior Chase Hanna and got off to a great start with three birdies and an eagle on the front nine. Sigg played solid on the back nine but was not able to convert any birdie opportunities and struggled to make par on the final hole to finish the day at 68 (-3). With a 54-hole total of 69-64-68/201 (-12), he finished in 3rd place for the tournament. Sigg won three events in 2015 at The Carmel Cup, the Southern Intercollegiate Championships and the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional. Sigg placed T21 (+2) last year in the 2015 Kāʻanapali Classic.

Georgia freshman Spencer Ralston shot 3-under par today giving him a (-9) for the tournament at T8 with LSU’s Brandon Pierce. Ralston got off to a good start with a birdie on his second hole, followed by two eagles on the par 5 6th hole and the par 4 11th hole where he chipped in for the eagle. Ralston claimed 16 individual high school tournament victories from Gainesville High (GA) and lead his team in 2013 to a record-earning undefeated season in state history.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed in the outcome,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “We did not finish well today and that really cost us. It’s a tough pill to swallow right now, especially with it being so close, but we’ll learn from this and move forward. When we get back at it in the spring, we’ll have this experience as a reminder that every single shot matters.”

Sam Burns, a sophomore at LSU, shot an impressive 62 (-9) today with seven birdies and an eagle on the par 5 9th hole. Burns shot 68-70-62 to finish the tournament at 201 in 2nd place (-13) and tied his all time record low round of (-9) today. Burns is currently ranked 7th in the NCAA standings and earned top-10 finishes in all of his matches for the 2016 fall season with a T1 in the David Toms Intercollegiate event in October 2016. He was ranked the No. 1-ranked junior golf recruit in the US for the H.S. Class of 2015. Burns played in this year’s US Open and earned 17 career top-10 finishes as a member of the American Junior Golf Association.

The third annual 54-hole, individual and team stroke-play tournament is the largest collegiate field event of the season and featured golfers from 24 schools across the nation: Ball State, Boise, Bowling Green, California-Santa Barbara, California State–Fullerton, California State-Northridge, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia State, Gonzaga, Hawaiʻi-Hilo, Hawaiʻi-Mānoa (host), Houston, Kansas, Long Beach State, Louisiana State, Loyola Marymount, Minnesota, North Carolina-Wilmington, North Florida, Oklahoma, Sacramento State, South Carolina and Texas-San Antonio.

Sam Burns of LSU putts for birdie on number ten during the final round of the 3rd annual Kaanapali Classic collegiate invitational. Kaanapali Royal Course Lahaina, Hawaii November 5th, 2016/ Photo by Aric Becker

Doc Redman of Clemson is congratulated on the individual title by his coach during the final round of the 3rd annual Kaanapali Classic collegiate invitational. Kaanapali Royal Course Lahaina, Hawaii November 5th, 2016/ Photo by Aric Becker

Greyson Sigg hits his approach shot on number ten during the final round of the 3rd annual Kaanapali Classic collegiate invitational. Kaanapali Royal Course Lahaina, Hawaii November 5th, 2016/ Photo by Aric Becker

Doc Redman of Clemson chips in for eagle on number six during the final round of the 3rd annual Kaanapali Classic collegiate invitational. Kaanapali Royal Course Lahaina, Hawaii November 5th, 2016/ Photo by Aric Becker