Kā‘anapali Classic features five different athletic conferences in top five after first round
Clemson is one shot ahead of Oklahoma
October 28, 2022
(MAUI, Hawai‘i) – Sunny skies and low winds enabled Clemson to go low during round one of the eighth annual Kā‘anapali Classic Collegiate Invitational. The Tigers’ 17-under 267 leads two-time tournament winner Oklahoma (2015, 2019) and East Tennessee St. by one and two shots, respectively. The North Florida Ospreys (-11) are in fourth place. The defending champion Kansas Jayhawks and Ole Miss Rebels (-9) are tied for fifth.
Clemson head coach Jordan Byrd and tournament co-leader Andrew Swanson on No. 15 tee
“We really wanted to cap off our fall season with a strong finish,” said Tigers’ head coach Jordan Byrd, the brother of former Clemson All-American and five-time PGA TOUR winner, Jonathan. “Today was a tremendous team effort. We seek to build upon this success over the weekend.”
Clemson sophomore Andrew Swanson led the way, taking advantage of favorable scoring conditions with seven birdies in his opening round of 7-under 64. The No. 1 AJGA-ranked player in South Carolina out of high school in 2021, Swanson is remarkably one of the only players in the world to have made two hole-in-ones on the same par-four hole.
Tied atop the individual leaderboard is Sooners’ sophomore Drew Goodman. Renowned for carding a 59 as a true freshman, Goodman’s stellar scoring ability was on full display at Royal Kā‘anapali, highlighted by two eagles on the front nine. Notably, both Nick Gabrelcik (North Florida) and Paul Louis Gachet (CSUN) also recorded a pair of eagles during round one.
Denver’s Carson Griggs (T6) stripes his drive on No. 10 towards Lana‘i
13 players are within three shots of the individual co-leaders.
Oklahoma’s trip to the Aloha State is the Sooners first since their 2019 Kā‘anapali Classic victory, which set a then school-record at 47-under (805) in a 54-hole event. The 2021 NCAA Championship runner-up program arrived in Maui after a hard-fought second-place finish in last week’s Big 12 Match Play Tournament.
Host University of Hawai‘i’s even-par finish was attributed to consistent play across the board. Atsuya Oishi led the Rainbow Warriors with a 3-under 68 (T16). Teammates Blaze Akana and Isaiah Kanno shot 71 to finish T48. Akana enjoyed an exhilarating hole-in-one during yesterday’s practice round on the second hole, an uphill 190-yard par 3.
Liberty’s Josh Ryan watches his birdie putt drop on No. 5
“After hosting the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions and LPGA’s best for decades, it is gratifying to watch the sport’s best amateurs walk in the footsteps of legends who have competed at Kā‘anapali,” said Karl Reul, general manager at Kā‘anapali Golf Courses.
Round two begins on Saturday at 8:00 a.m. HDT. Fans can attend for free, with walking spectators encouraged.
Team Leaderboard
| Place | School | To Par | Rd. 1 |
| 1 | Clemson | -17 | 267 |
| T2 | Oklahoma | -16 | 268 |
| 3 | East Tennessee St. | -15 | 269 |
| 4 | North Florida | -11 | 273 |
| T5 | Ole Miss | -9 | 275 |
| T5 | Kansas | -9 | 275 |
| T7 | Georgia | -6 | 278 |
| T7 | UC Irvine | -6 | 278 |
| 9 | Colorado | -5 | 279 |
| T10 | Boise St. | -4 | 280 |
| T10 | Liberty | -4 | 280 |
| T12 | Hawai‘i | E | 284 |
| T12 | Louisiana | E | 284 |
| 14 | Denver | +1 | 285 |
| T15 | Wyoming | +4 | 288 |
| T15 | Connecticut | +4 | 288 |
| 17 | CSU – Northridge | +5 | 289 |
| 18 | Mount St. Mary’s | +6 | 290 |
| 19 | Gonzaga | +9 | 293 |
| 20 | Air Force | +14 | 298 |
Top Individuals
| Place | Player | School | To Par | Rd. 1 |
| T1 | Andrew Swanson | Clemson | -7 | 64 |
| T1 | Drew Goodman | Oklahoma | -7 | 64 |
| T3 | Nick Gabrelcik | North Florida | -6 | 65 |
| T3 | Max Charles | Boise St. | -6 | 65 |
| T3 | Josh Ryan | Liberty | -6 | 65 |
| T6 | Carson Griggs | Denver | -5 | 66 |
| T6 | Tommy Dallahan | Connecticut | -5 | 66 |
| T6 | Patton Samuels | Ole Miss | -5 | 66 |
| T6 | Stephen Campbell Jr. | Oklahoma | -5 | 66 |
| T6 | Matty Dodd-Berry | East Tennessee St. | -5 | 66 |
TOURNAMENT INFO
Dates: Friday, Oct. 28 – Sunday, Oct. 30
Location: Royal Kā‘anapali, Lahaina, Maui
Course Yardage (Par): 6,900 (71)
Format: 54 holes; 18 holes each day; 5-count-4
Tee Times: 8:00 a.m. HDT shotgun each day
Live Scoring: Golfstat
Host: University of Hawai‘i
Defending Team Champion: University of Kansas
Defending Individual Champion: Brandon Berry, Loyola University Maryland
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About Kā’anapali Golf Courses
Built on 300 acres of land once home to Hawaiian royalty, Kā‘anapali Golf Courses present golfers with pristine conditions and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and West Maui Mountains.
Opened in 1962 and designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the par-71, 6,700-yard Royal Kā‘anapali Course features wide fairways and undulating greens which make it both distinctive and demanding. The tournament-tested layout played host to the Champions Tour Kā‘anapali Classic for 14 years, Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf, the Canada Cup and LPGA Kemper Open, welcoming Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Jan Stephenson, Betsy King and other legends.
Complementing the Royal Kā‘anapali Course is the modernized Kā‘anapali Kai Course, which hosted Golf Channel’s “Big Break Kā‘anapali” in 2008. Extensively renovated in 2005, the 6,400-yard, par-70 layout boasts an array of strategically placed bunkers, contoured fairways and resurfaced greens.
More information: www.kaanapaligolfcourses.com and 808-661-3691.
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 750-plus locations, including 725-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses around the globe. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. With properties located in 45-plus states and 30-plus countries, Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, Peter Burwash International, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, Casa Verde Golf and ICON Management. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com or connect with Troon on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Troon Chronicles, Press Room, or subscribe to Troon Magazine.
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