Clemson won the Jack Nicklaus Match Play Invitational. The winning team included Turk Pettit, Zach, Gordon, William Nottingham, Kyle Cottam, Colby Patton. and Jacob Bridgeman Coach Larry Penley, Assistant coach Jordan Byrd. (Clemson photo)

The Clemson Tiger golf team claimed its second straight victory and its first solo title in the Jack Nicklaus Match Play Invitational at Muirfield Village in Dublin Ohio.

The Tigers beat Duke 3.5 to 2.5 for the win.

Clemson earned their place in the final after defeating Ohio State in the first round of the tournament.

Kyle Cottam wrapped up the win for the Tigers when he halved his final match against Duke’s Qi wen Wong.

With victories from Colby Patton, Turk Pettit and Zack Gordon already on the board, Cottam only needed a tie to give the Tigers the victory.

“It was a great match,” said Clemson coach Larry Penley. “It came down to a 30 foot putt by Zach Gordon on the 17th hole to win his match and a par on 17 by Kyle Cottam to clinch a tie in his match,” said the coach.

Last year the Tigers shared the tournament title with Georgia Tech when the final round was washed out by rain earlier in the event.

Clemson sophomore Zach Gordon help the Tigers win at Muirfield by being a part of three match wins. (GolfClub File photo)

The 17th hole was pivotal in the finals matches. In addition to Gordon winning his match on the hole Colby Patton got the Tigers started with a win over the Blue Devils Evan Katz.

Duke’s Chandler Eaton topped Clemson’s Jacob Bridgeman 3&2. Adrian Pendaries won his match with William Nottingham by the same score.

Trailing 2 match wins to 1 win Gordon and Turk Pettit won their matches to put the Tigers in the lead. Pettit defeated Quinn Riley 3&1 to put the Tigers in position to win if Cottam could win or tie his match.

The junior from Knoxville finally broke into the lead on the 17th hole. Cottam closed out the win by finishing in a tie with Wong.

“It was a great experience to play on this great course and to get experience playing match play competition,” said Penley.

The first round format included alternate shot and best ball matches against the Buckeyes. Bridgeman and Patton teamed up to get one of the Tigers wins.

Gordon and Pettit contributed two wins versus Ohio State. The Tiger golfers won an alternate shot match and also claimed a win in a Best Ball match.

The Tigers will return to action on October 18th when the travel to Alpharetta, Georgia to play in the Golf Club of Georgia Intercollegiate.