Clemson, S.C. — The championship match of the Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Golf Tournament was halted by darkness on Sunday night. Wake Forest was declared the conference champion by virtue of its number-one seed at the end of stroke play on Saturday.
All five matches between the Tigers and Demon Deacons had gone at least 14 holes when play was halted. Wake Forest, ranked as the number-three team in the nation by Spikemark, had a 1-0 lead by virtue of winning the only completed match. Clemson, the number-20 team in the nation by Spikemark, was ahead in two matches and Wake Forest was ahead in the other two matches still out on the course.
According to the ACC Women’s Golf Manual, “In the event match play is started, but cannot be completed, the highest remaining seed will be awarded the team championship.” Wake Forest was the number-one seed entering match play by virtue of its 841 team score in the strong play competition. Clemson was the number-two seed after its 848 team total in stroke play.
The only completed match was the number-four match where Wake Forest’s Macy Pate, the number 35 player in the nation, defeated Clemson’s Sydney Roberts 4+3.
In the number-one match, Wake Forest’s Rachel Kuehn, who was the medalist in the stroke play competition, had a 2-UP lead on Clemson’s Isabella Rawl through 15 holes. Rawl had finished in a tie for second in stroke play and had a 5-0 career record in match play at Clemson.
Wake Forest also had the lead at the number-two match where Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, the number-15 ranked player in the nation, also had a 2-UP lead through 15 holes against Clemson’s Chloe Holder.
Clemson held the lead when the team match was called at the number-three and number-five matches. Clemson’s Annabelle Pancake was 1-UP through 15 holes over Wake Forest’s Brooke Rivers, and Clemson’s Melena Barrientos was 3-UP through 14 holes against Wake Forest’s Mimi Rhodes.
With the cancellation due to darkness, Clemson retains its perfect 3-0 record in match play at the ACC Tournament. Clemson defeated Duke and Virginia to win the ACC title last year. Earlier on Sunday, Clemson best Virginia in the semifinals, 3-2.
Kelley Hester’s Tigers now away their NCAA Tournament bid and regional assignment in the coming days.
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