Clegg Fires Career-Low Round, Leads Field At The Jerry Pate

Monday, November 9

Vestavia Hills, Ala. (Old Overton Country Club)

All Day

Mississippi State

Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate

Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics

Clegg Fires Career-Low Round, Leads Field At The Jerry Pate

November 09, 2020 | Men's Golf

Full Results

By: Adrian Spears, Communications Student Assistant

VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. – Ford Clegg paced Mississippi State with a career-best 63 in the second round of the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate on Monday. The sophomore is tied for the tournament lead, and the Bulldogs remain in sixth place after carding a 4-under 276.

State collected 16 birdies on day two with Clegg shooting eight. Clegg's 7-under round is tied for the second-lowest round in program history and just one stroke off Alex Rocha's 62 in the 1999-2000 season. The 63 was the best round by a Bulldog since Peng Pichaikool fired the same score in the 2017 Lone Star Invitational.

"I was pleased with our response today after a tough finish to yesterday's round, head Coach Dusty Smith said. "As a team I thought our ball striking was really good in some windy conditions. I felt like we did a nice job controlling our golf ball. Ford played a special round and continues to show how much confidence and self-belief he has in himself. Benjamin played a solid bogey free round and gave our team a huge round."

Sophomore Ben Nelson tied his career-low round of 68 shooting two birdies and finished the round tied for 20th.

Senior Garrett Johnson shot two birdies to collect a 73 for the day to tie for 43rd. Freshmen Loïc Ettlin and Hunter Logan both shot two birdies to finish tied for 52nd. Ettlin finished at 2-over 72 while Logan finished at 4-over 74.

"Physically I feel like we are in a good spot," Smith said. "We need to make sure we have continued focus on the little things because they add up to big things especially in team golf. Tomorrow will be exciting and our last opportunity to compete as a team this Fall. We need to come out with the same attitude we have had all week and choose confidence because that is our choice."

The Bulldogs will tee of the final round of the season on Tuesday at 8:50 a.m. CT. Clegg currently sits at 11-under 129 and will have a shot at the program record for the best 54-hole total tomorrow. An even-par round would leave him tied for second in school history, while finishing 1-under would match the school record. Rocha shot a 198 at the 2000 Gator Invitational.

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