Thomas Ponder, Canon Claycomb Lead Alabama in Opening Round of the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – Alabama golfers Thomas Ponder and Canon Claycomb finished the day among the top-10 individuals to lead the Crimson Tide during the opening round of the Olympia Fields Country Club/Fighting Illini Invitational (OFCC). As a team, UA is in a tie for 11^th overall after 18 holes of play with a team total of 10-over par 290.

Both Ponder and Claycomb are coming off an impressive showing at last week’s season opener in which they swept the top two spots (Claycomb finished first and Ponder finished second) at the Rod Myers Invitational. It was Ponder leading the way on Friday as he finished with a 2-under par 68, while Claycomb was a stroke back after carding a 1-under 69 on the par-70, 7,310-yard track.

The OFCC Invitational will continue this weekend with second round action coming on Saturday and the final round teeing up Sunday at the Olympia Fields Country Club North Course. The famed has served as host for two U.S. Opens (1928, 2003) and two PGA Championships (1925, 1961).

The Highlights

• Ponder collected his team-leading 20^th career round in the 60s and 36^th below par round with his 2-under 68
  

  • After recording two birdies and a double bogey over his first nine holes of the day, Ponder finished mistake-free on the back nine with two birdies and seven pars to result in his 2-under par total

• Claycomb carded his fourth consecutive below par round to begin the season with a 1-under 69

  • Starting on the 10^th hole, he bogeyed No. 12 but a birdie on No. 14 began a stretch of sinking four consecutive birdies to end the front nine at 3-under par
  • His back nine consisted of eight consecutive pars before a double on his 18^th hole of the day
  • It’s Claycomb’s third round in the 60s this season and 17^th of his career

• Simms Abney is in a tie of 61^st overall after shooting 6-over par 76 in his season debut
• Freshmen Nick Dunlap (77) and Jonathan Griz (83) round out the Crimson Tide golfers in 68^th and 77^th, respectively

The Field

• No. 15 Stanford leads the 15-team field after carding a 10-under par 270 to take a one-shot lead over tournament host and No. 11-ranked Illinois (-9, 271)
• No. 3 Florida (-3, 277) is in third followed…