RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – Three University of Alabama men’s golfers finished among the top-15 individuals to lead the Crimson Tide to a fourth-place finish at the Puerto Rico Classic. UA finished the three-day 54-hole tournament with a team score of 16-under par 848 (285-276-287).
Four individuals finished among the top-25 golfers. Thomas Ponder tied for ninth overall – his best finish of the season – with a 6-under par 210 (70-69-71), while Canon Claycomb (71-72-69) and Wilson Furr (70-68-74) tied for 13th overall with each collecting a 4-under par 212. Frankie Capan III placed 24th overall with a 2-under 214 (74-67-73) over the three-day tournament.
As a team, the Tide finished with 63 birdies across the three days of tournament play, second only to Oklahoma’s 64. Clacomb (18) and Ponder (15) finished first and second, respectively, among all players in total individual birdies.
The previous day, all five Alabama golfers finished Monday’s second round even or under par on the way to a season-best 18-hole team score of 12-under par 276 on day two of the Puerto Rico Classic. UA entered Tuesday’s final round in third place overall with a 36-hole total of 15-under 561 (285-276).
Both the 18-hole score on Monday and 36-hole total were season-best marks for the Crimson Tide.
Leading the way for Alabama was junior Wilson Furr, who carded a 4-under-par 68 on Saturday to move into a fifth-place tie overall with a two-day total of 6-under 138 (70-68)
Freshman Thomas Ponder carded a round of 3-under-par 69 after a 2-under 70 on Sunday to end the day in a tie for ninth overall at 5-under 139.
Sophomore Frankie Capan III was the third Alabama golfer to rank among the top-20 individuals after 36 holes, as he was in a tie at 16th position with a 3-under 141 (74-67) after firing the team’s low round of Monday with a 5-under 67.
Freshman Canon Claycomb and senior Jake DeZoort each shot even par 72 on the day to round out Alabama’s scores. Claycomb came into the final round in a tie for 32nd with a 1-under 143 (71-72), while DeZoort rounded out the Tide in 67th overall at 154 (82-72).
Alabama travels to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for the Cabo Collegiate on March 1-3.
