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Samuel Griffin
Men's golf team member Stephen Franken, a third-year studying business administration, warms up before practice at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course on Sept. 14, 2017. "We practice six days a week," Franken said.
NC State golf will take a swing at the 2018 ACC golf championship starting Friday. NC State’s men’s and women’s teams both currently hold the seventh seed in the director’s cup standings.
The men’s three-day event is held at the 7,102-yard, par-72 course of the Old North State Club in New London, North Carolina. NC State will join Louisville and Virginia in the early tee, which begins at 9 a.m. Friday.
Last year, NC State finished fifth in the men’s ACC championship as Duke took home the title. Historically, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons have been tops in the event, taking home a combined 18 titles.
NC State has steadily improved this season, finishing third in its most recent competition at the Stitch Intercollegiate last week. The Wolfpack sits at No. 36 in the Golfstat top 50.
Junior Justin Hood has been a key contributor this year, with a 73.25 stroke average in the regular season. He looks to continue his impressive performance into the postseason after his strong showing in the Stitch Intercollegiate.
Junior Stephen Franken has been essential to the Wolfpack’s success this year, shooting an average 70.44 over 27 rounds of competition. He is playing some of the best golf around, best in the ACC at No. 16 in the Top 50. The Pack will lean heavily on him as they look to edge the competition.
The women’s championship will follow one day behind the men’s, running from Saturday through Tuesday. The women will play at the 6,122-yard, par 72 Grandover Resort & Conference Center’s East Course in Greensboro.
The Wolfpack women sit at No. 32 in the most recent Golfstat rankings, and have similarly earned a seven seed in their respective tournament. They look to prevent the Duke women’s team from continuing its dominance, having won 20 titles over 30 years.
The women have been led by a trio of juniors this year. Naomi Ko, who has amassed five top-10 finishes in her career, finished second overall at the Bryan National Collegiate in the Pack’s last competition. Ko has four top-30 finishes this year and looks to continue her convincing play into the championship.
India Clyburn and Laura Kowohl have been solid performers as well this year. Kowohl has shot the least number of strokes on the team through 26 rounds at 1,930. Clyburn is not far behind at 1,941, and has added three top-30 finishes this spring alone.
Play for the women will start on Saturday at 9:50 a.m. on hole 10. There, the Pack will join the Florida State Seminoles and the Clemson Tigers.