Pullman, Wash. —Savannah Grewal shot a school record nine-under-par 63 on Wednesday to lead Clemson to a record 270 third-round team score and a second-place finish at the NCAA Pullman Regional in Pullman, Wash. With the second-place finish, Clemson now advances to the NCAA National Championship tournament at Grayhawk Golf Course in Scottsdale, Arizona, held May 19-24.
Number-one-ranked Stanford won the regional with a score of 50-under-par 814. The Tigers were second at 831, and Southern California was third at 838. Baylor was the fourth qualifier at 841, and Texas Tech earned the fifth and final spot in the national championship tournament with an 845 score. It is the second time Clemson has qualified for the national tournament, the first since 2017.
Clemson had an 18-under-par 270 score on Wednesday, the best in Clemson history on a total score and score vs. par basis. The 270 was the best among the 12 teams in the field on Wednesday, including three shots better than number-one ranked Stanford.
Clemson showed remarkable improvement over the three days on the par 72 Palouse Ridge course. The Tigers shot 285 in the first round and stood in seventh place, but just three strokes off the five-team cutline. The team improved to a 276 score in the second round and jumped to third place. Wednesday’s 270 score moved Clemson ahead of Texas Tech and Southern California into the runner-up spot.
“We have been tracking in the right direction,” said Head Coach Kelley Hester, who led the Tigers to its first ACC Championship three weeks ago. “We just kept getting better and better each day this week. It was a scoreable course this week and today the weather was very good. We did a good job judging the wind.”
Grewal’s 63 included two eagles, six birdies and just one bogey. It broke the school record of 64 that had been set by teammate Chloe Holder in September at the Schooner Classic. That score was achieved on a par 70 course. Holder broke the school record for score vs. par by two shots.
Grewal shot a 30 on the front nine, tied for the best nine-hole score in Clemson history. Her front nine included an eagle on the fifth hole when she hit a second-shot five-iron to 25 feet, then made the putt. The highlight of her 33 on the back nine was an eagle on the par-5 17th hole when she hit a second-shot four-iron to within 10 feet. She then made that putt to go to nine under for the round. Her drive on the final hole was off the fairway, and…
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