Clemson downs SMU to reach Semifinals of ACC Men's Golf Championship

Apr 28, 2025, 8:00 AM

Clemson, SC—Clemson defeated Southern Methodist 3-1 in the quarterfinals of the men’s ACC Golf Championship at The Club @ Olde Stone in Bowling Green, KY on Sunday morning. With the victory Clemson advanced to face #1 seed and 12th ranked Virginia Sunday afternoon in the semifinals.

Clemson won three of the four matches that finished and was leading 2-up with two holes to play when Clemson clinched the overall team match. In the three matches Clemson won, Tiger golfers trailed for just three holes.

William Sides defeated Clemson’s Andrew Swanson at the number-one position 3&2 in the first match to finish. Sides, the top player on the SMU team with a #70 national ranking, had a three-up lead through the first eight holes. The players then tied the next eight holes to give Sides the victory.

Clemson senior Kian Rose defeated SMU’s Zach Kingland by the same 3&2 score at the number-two match. Like Sides in the first match, Rose had a three-up lead through the first nine holes. He expanded it to four-up after 10. Kingsland then cut the lead to 2-up with three to play. But Rose won the seventh hole on the course, the 16th hole of the match, to win 3&2.

Freshman Rich Wills was Clemson’s top golfer in match play in the Barbara Nicklaus Cup in the fall with a 2-0-1 record and he continued his outstanding performance in match play with a 2-up win over SMU’s Andrew Petruzzelli. The golfers were tied through 11 holes, but Wills won the third and sixth holes on the course, the 12th and 15th holes of the match. Petruzzelli cut he margin to 1-up with one to play, then Wills won the ninth hole, the 18th hole of the match to win 2-up.

Thomas Higgins clinched the overall match with a 2-up victory over Enrique Dimayuga. Higgins went two-up through four holes, then Dimayuga came back to tie the match after eight holes. The golfers were either tied or one hole apart until the last hole when Higgins won to win 2-up.

Lucas Augustsson was well on his way to victory at the number-five match, leading two-up with two to play. Areen Aggarwal of SMU actually led by one-up through 13 holes, then Augustsson won the fifth, sixth and seventh holes to go two-up. But when Higgins gave Clemson the team victory, the match was suspended.

The victory gave Clemson a 3-0 all-time record in match play at the ACC Tournament. Clemson won two matches in 2021 to win the ACC Championship.

Clemson has played well in match play historically and this year. Earlier this year Clemson defeated Florida 3.5-2.5 at the Barbara Nicklaus Cup. Florida won the SEC Championship on Sunday.

Clemson vs. SMU Match, Sunday, morning April 27.
Clemson 3, SMU 1
#1 William Sides (SMU) d. Andrew Swanson (CLEM), 3 &2
#2 Kian Rose (Clem) d.. Zach Kingsland (SMU), 3&2
#3 Rich Wills (Clem) d. Andrew Petruzzrlli (SMU), 2-up
#4 Thomas Higgins (Clem) d. Enrique Dimayuga (SMU), 2-up
#5 Lucas Augustsson (Clem) vs. Areen Aggarwal (SMU), unfinished

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Clemson downs SMU to reach Semifinals of ACC Men's Golf Championship

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