Alabama
Watersound Invitational
Canon Claycomb Claims Medalist Honors to Lead Alabama to Runner-Up Finish at Watersound Invitational
2/22/2022 4:59:00 PM | Men's Golf
The junior claimed his first-ever individual tournament title, first medalist for Alabama since 2019
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – Alabama men's golfer Canon Claycomb claimed medalist honors at the Watersound Invitational Tuesday, finishing with a career-low 54-hole total of 14-under par 202 to win by eight strokes. As a team, the Crimson Tide closed the event in second overall with a total of 10-under par 854 (296-276-282).
Not only was it Claycomb's first career individual tournament title, but it also marked his first career top-5 finish and the first time he recorded three consecutive rounds in the 60s, finishing with rounds of 67-66-69 on the par 72, 7,202-yard Shark's Tooth Golf Course.
After opening the tournament in 10th overall after day one with a 10-over par team total, Alabama responded with a 12-under par second round followed by posting the lowest team score of Tuesday's final 18 holes, a 6-under-par 282. In fact, all five UA golfers shot even-par or better in the final round of play to secure the team's second-place spot, the best tournament finish of the season.
IT'S OFFICIAL????! Canon Claycomb claims his first collegiate medalist honor with a career-best score of 14-under-par 202 at the Watersound Invitational! The Crimson Tide finish as tournament runner-ups??#RollTide | #BamaGolf pic.twitter.com/m5bJ23swhJ
— Alabama Men's Golf (@AlabamaMGolf) February 22, 2022
Comments From Jay Seawell and Canon Claycomb
Coach Seawell On His Team's Performance:
"I'm very proud of our guys. I thought they really responded well all week. We had a great winter camp and the guys embraced what we are trying as a program. I think this is just a sign of the hard work they have put in. I thought really the last two weeks of preparation have been good and our guys have been playing some good golf. In this tournament, we had a chance to come and face some of the nation's best teams and we showed what we are capable of. This was a big step for this team from a confidence point of view. Especially after a bad back nine in the first round. That is something we can learn from. Had we kept our focus and composure throughout all three rounds, we could've won the team trophy. It's something we can learn from and I think we will. All in all, I am very excited for our program."
Coach Seawell On Canon Winning Medalist Honors:
"I am very happy for Canon. I think he's made a personal decision to refocus and rededicate himself to the game of golf. He's always been a hard worker and he's a terrific young man, but he really has put that as his primary focus the spring. He's been great and he's certainly capable of being a first team All-America caliber player. He will build off this win and it will only give him more confidence that what he is doing is working."
Canon Claycomb On Winning His First Career Collegiate Event
"It feels amazing. This has been a hurdle I've been trying to get over (winning first collegiate tournament). I've had some good events but haven't won at the college level before today, so this feels great. It was awesome. I felt like I didn't miss a shot this entire weekend. This win is not only good for me but great for our team. The guys knew I was playing well and I was in the lead but it was great to see our entire team step up and finish strong, especially on the back nine today. I think it made every one of us more focused and we were able to get some birdies down the stretch to earn a second-place finish. I couldn't be prouder of our team and the way the spring season has started."
The Highlights
- Claycomb led the event from wire-to-wire, posting three straight rounds in the 60s to finish eight strokes ahead of Georgia Tech's Ross Steelman (210)
- The Crimson Tide junior birdied the final two holes of Tuesday's final round to seal the victory and the first medalist honors for any golfer currently on the UA roster
- For the event, Claycomb led the field by going 11-under par on par 5 holes (4.08 stroke average) while his 17 birdies were the most by any golfer over the tournament's three days
- Sophomore JP Cave also had a solid event as he tied for 23rd overall with a 1-over par 217 (79-69-69)
- Cave fired the Tide's lowest round on the final day, which included an eagle on the par 5 17th hole, posting a second consecutive round of three-under-par 69 to move into a tie for 23rd on the individual leaderboard
- Cave has now recorded seven career rounds in the 60s
- Junior Thomas Ponder was one of three golfers to shoot even par on the day to finish tied for 36th with a three-day total of 4-over 220 (73-75-72)
- Graduate transfer Charlie Nikitas (77-72-72) and junior Dillon West (80-69-72) shot matching scores of 221 and tied for 39th overall
- Both West (+4) and Nikitas (+3) recovered from a rough start on the front nine to combine for seven birdies and no bogeys over the final nine holes
- Competing as an individual, Simms Abney carded a 5-over-par 77 final round, finishing at 9-over par 225 and in a tie for 52nd place
The Crimson Tide has moved into SECOND place!???? #RollTide | #BamaGolf pic.twitter.com/OQnyKEVetl
— Alabama Men's Golf (@AlabamaMGolf) February 22, 2022
The Field
- No. 17 Georgia Tech claimed the title with a 15-under par 849 (285-277-287), five strokes ahead of Alabama
- No. 15 Notre Dame (858), Virginia Tech (862) and No. 26 Clemson (864) rounded out the top five, respectively
- Only four of the 14 teams competing finished below par for the event
- Alabama (No. 33) was one of 12 teams in the 14-team field ranked among the nation's top 50, including No. 4 North Carolina, No. 6 Arkansas, No. 12 Wake Forest, No. 15 Notre Dame, No. 17 Georgia Tech, No. 26 Clemson, No. 32 Louisville, No. 34 NC State, No. 35 Florida State and No. 37 Virginia
- The 72-person individual field also included 18 of the nation's top 100 golfers, according to Golfstat.com
Next Up
- The Crimson Tide will be back in action next weekend, Feb. 27- March 1, at the Cabo Collegiate in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Get all the latest information on the team by following @AlabamaMGolf on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
Players Mentioned
