AIKEN, SC – Sophomore McClure Thompson shot a final-round 75 on Tuesday (March 10) to lead the Francis Marion University quintet at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate Tournament hosted by USC Aiken.

The 54-hole event was played on the 6,617-yard, par 70 Palmetto Golf Club course.

Francis Marion registered a 306 team score on the final day to finish 13th in the team standings with an 898 total.

Nationally ranked (#22) Clemson University captured the team title by 14 strokes over the University of Virginia (827).  The Tigers' 813 score tied the tournament record for 54 holes.  The Top-5 also included Furman University (852), University of Memphis (856), and Army West Point (866).

Junior John Burghardt was Francis Marion's top finisher.  After shooting a 76 on Tuesday, he tied for 36th position with a 54-hole total of 222. FMU freshman Casper Kennedy shot a final-round 76 to tie for 50th place at 225, while sophomore Grainger Howle (230) tied for 64th after an 82 on Tuesday.  Howle is a product of Darlington High School.  Thompson, a native of Little River, S,.C., and junior Jacob Morris (final round 79) tied for 69th position at 232.

Clemson's Jacob Bridgeman (198) carded a final-round 65 to earn medalist honors by four strokes over teammate Turk Pettit (202). 

Francis Marion will compete in the ECU Intercollegiate at Brook Valley tournament to be held Monday and Tuesday (March 16-17) in Greenville, N.C.