It has been a busy couple of weeks for Clemson golf without playing in a tournament,

First, the 2003 National Championship team got back together and were honored during the last regular season football game in Death Valley,

A few weeks later the bi-annual Tiger Golf Gathering brought past members of all Clemson golf teams back to Greenville for two days of golf and a fund raising social that continues to help support both the mens and women’s golf program.

Former Tigers Dillard Pruitt, Julian Taylor and Norman Chapman from the first Clemson ACC championship team joined with other Tigers like current and past PGA Tour players Doc Redman, Charles Warren, Jonathan Byrd and Kevin Johnson for two days of golf and fellowship.

“”It gives our players a way to come back and stay invested in the team,” said Clemson golf coach Jordan Byrd. “They get to see their teammates and see Coach Penley and it gives them an opportunity to give something back to the program,” he said,

The Gathering was developed by past players Charles Warren, Lucas Glover, Ben Duncan and Jonathan Byrd with additional help over the years from many of the players who helped make the Tiger program a consistent winner and NCAA Tournament participant,

The event helped make major contributions to the golf program. The development and construction of the Larry Penley Junior Golf Facility was a direct result of the funds raised by the golf gathering.

Proceeds from the two golf tournaments and the special auction has been shared with the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation. The SCJGF helps to run the golf tournaments during the “Gathering”,

“The South Carolina Golf Association has always been great to us. We have had a bunch of players they have developed in our state. It gives us a way to give back. I think when Charles and Lucas and Jonathan started this event the SCGA was very dear to them because of what the SCGA meant to them growing up,” he said,

Glover, playing in the Hero World Challenge missed the event this year, but the amateurs got the opportunity to play in the Tiger Am with many of the Tour players the Clemson golf program has produced.

Over the years the Gathering has gone from aspiring PGA Tour players to full time members of a professional Tour and a few more are on their way. Jacob Bridgeman to name one who graduates from the Korn-Ferry Tour to the PGA Tour starting in January.

“Jacob is our next golfer to have full time status on the PGA Tour. He had an amazing year last year on the Korn-Ferry Tour, Carson Young, in his first year on Tour maintained his status as did Ben Martin” said Byrd.

Several Tigers will be playing for PGA Tour status in a week at the final stage of the Korn-Ferry Q School in Florida.

Clemson’s former US Amateur Champion Doc Redman, a PGA Tour veteran, is in the field as is first time finalist Bryson Nimmer.

Nimmer who won four tournament as a Tiger was the medalist in Savannah at the second stage of Q School.

The 2019 Clemson grad shot an amazing 10-under par in the final round to go from being on the bubble to assuring he will have at least eight starts guaranteed on the Korn-Ferry Tour.

Nimmer could earn a spot on the PGA Tour with a very good finish in the Final Stage this month.

“This is and has been a great event. It is fun for the guys to just come and hang out,” said Byrd,

The team of Jonathan Byrd, Robert Kramer, Chip Barker and Chris Peters finished in front of the group including Jacob Bridgeman and Jordan Byrd, Bill Spiers, Mike Spiers and Rodney Williams to win the Tiger An played at the Greenville Country Club’s Chanticleer course.

Information about the Tiger Golf Gathering is available at https://www.tigergolfgathering.com/