Men's Golf

Duke Wins the 2017 ACC Men's Golf Championship

Blue Devils pull away to a 12-stroke team title; Virginia's Jimmy Stanger wins a four-man playoff to become just third Cavalier ACC Individual Medalist.


CLINTON, S.C. – Duke shot a 14-under 850 over two days to claim the 2017 ACC Men’s Golf Championship, held Friday and Saturday at Musgrove Mill Golf Club. 

The Blue Devils posted rounds of 277, 285, and 288 to win the eighth title in program history and first since 2013. 

“We’re in a building where we see a ton of ACC titles by the women’s program and our guys are a little motivated by that, we’re not going to lie,” said coach Jamie Green, who won his second league championship as coach of the Blue Devils. “We’re in a great league, and any one of these teams is good enough to win this thing any week, so for us  to be able to come in and have our guys play as well as they did it just means the world.” 

All five Duke golfers contributed to the victory, with each finishing in the top 14 individually. Alex Smalley led the way with a 4-under 212 to finish tied for fifth. Jake Shuman shot 214 to finish tied for eighth, Alexander Matlari and Matt Oshrine tied for 10th at 215, and Chandler Eat was 14th at 216. 

Clemson placed second in the team race at 2-under 862, followed by Wake Forest (867), Florida State (868), NC State (873), Virginia (874), Georgia Tech (883), North Carolina (883), Virginia Tech (893), Notre Dame (900), Louisville (905), and Boston College (921). 

Virginia’s Jimmy Stanger became the third golfer in program history to win the ACC individual title, joining Ben Rusch in 2012 and Pete Arend in 1955. The senior birdied his final hole in regulation to join the clubhouse leaders at 5-under. In a four-way playoff with Clemson’s Bryson Nimmer, North Carolina’s Ben Griffin, and Wake Forest’s Paul McBride, he tallied another birdie to claim the title. 

“It’s a dream come true for sure,” said Stanger. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked to class – especially these last few months – just dreaming of having a putt to win the ACC Championship and then making that putt. It obviously didn’t happen in regulation, but for it to happen like that, be able to fist pump it, and see the whole team right there, it’s a dream come true for sure and something I’ll say my prayers for tonight.”