Jani Saari Class: Senior Hometown: Greenville, S.C. High School: J.L. Mann Weight: 150 Birthdate: 10/14/1976 Experience: 2VL

Overview: Outstanding performer in the clutch, his score has counted in all eight of his career NCAA national tournament rounds and 15 of his 17 NCAA rounds including regional play...has a career stroke average of 74.25, but his NCAA average at the national tournament is 73.50, 11th best n Clemson history and just one spot below John Engler…continued his outstanding play in NCAA play at the East Regional with a 212 score, four-under par, good enough for 27th position for the event…has finished in top 41 in the nation at the NCAAs each of the last two years, quite an accomplishent for a number-five player...only Tiger who can make the claim of top 45 NCAA finishes each of the last two years…played the last two rounds of the 2000 national tournament at four-under-par to finish even par for the event...was four under at the NCAA East regional this year, meaning he is eight under for his last five NCAA Tournament rounds…finished the 1999-00 season ranked 110th in the nation according to the Sagarin rankings...has been a member of four top 10 Clemson teams, including his red-shirt season...came out of nowhere as a sophomore to finish 23rd at the NCAAs (1999), he had played in just two tournaments in his career prior to his performance at Hazeltine...Clemson's number-three finisher at each of the last two NCAA national tournaments...score has counted towards Clemson's team score in 39 of 52 career rounds at Clemsoon….has played just 52 career rounds of golf at Clemson, but 17 have been in NCAA Tournament play....has a chance to join a small list of Clemson golfers who have played on three NCAA Tournament teams that finished in the top 10 in the nation at the national tournament…received his degree from Clemson on May 11, 2001 in business administration.

2000-01: Highlight of his year was four-under 212 at the NCAA East regional…he finished 27th overall, second best finish this year by Saari…he had three rounds at par or better, only time this year he has done that…went over a month without being in the lineup prior to his NCAA East Regional performance…posted a 74.6 stroke average for two events in the fall of 2000, he has improved that in the spring with 74.25 figure...played the Ping Preview at Duke and the Ridges in the fall...had a pair of 69s to open the Ridges, he was in the individual top 10 entering the last round, but finished with a 79....two of his five rounds in the fall were in the 60s...has five career rounds in the 60s, three came this year, including his most recent round, a 69 at the NCAA East regional.

1999-00: Clemson's number-five player most of the year, he played in eight of the 12 events...had best finish at the Jerry Pate when he was 14th, the best finish of his Clemson career...shot -2, including a career best 68 in the second round...that was the only under-par tournament of his Clemson career entering this year, and it was a key to Clemson winning the tournament...also helped Tigers to fourth-place finish at the Golf World with three-over-par 219...was not as effective in the spring, but did have a 19th-place finish at the ACC Championship, helping Clemson to the team championship...his score counted two of the three days in Clemson's victory at the NCAA East Regional...continued strong finish at the NCAA nationals at Auburn with a 288 finish, even par...finished 41st at the nationals, he was four-under-par for the last two rounds combined...his third round 69 was his first round in the 60s for the entire spring.

1998-99: Played in the Schenkel March 27-28 and Clemson won the tournament..had a second round 72 that helped the Tigers to the victory...eight of his 10 rounds counted toward Clemson's team score in 1998-99...a key to Clemson qualifying for the nationals that year, his par on the tough 18th hole at the Rhode Island Country Club was important in Clemson's victory over Mississippi State in the NCAA East Regional playoff for the last spot...red-shirted the 1996-97 season, he did not play in any tournaments in 1997-98....made ACC academic honor roll for the 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-00 academic years ...qualified for the US Amateur at Pebble Peach in 1999, he did not advance to the match play portion...had a 143 at Holston Hills in Knoxville to qualify for the national portion.

In High School: Conference player of the year for three seasons at J.L. Mann High School in Greenville...named to the all-state team for two seasons...J.L. Mann won the AAA State Championship his freshman season...finished second at the Southern Cross in 1994 and 1995...his team won the title in 1994 thanks in part to his fine play...team MVP for three years under coach Red Cook...Personal Notes: Born October 14,1976 in Helsinki, Finland...family moved to Greenville for his sophomore year of High School ...Jani had to go back to Finland in 1995 to serve 240 days of service in the Finnish Military...he trained in air defense...never played golf until the 7th grade...father works for Fluor Daniel and is an electrical engineer...majoring in business administration.

Larry Penley on Jani Saari:
"Jani has played a lot of good golf for us in big tournaments. He shot some rounds under par at the NCAA tournament last year. He was one of the guys who helped us make the cut and finish in the top 10. He will play a lot this spring. I think it will come down to Jani and Duncan for the fifth spot.

"He is a good competitor and works really hard. When his ball striking is on, he is an excellent course manager and short game player. He chips, pitches, and putts the ball extremely well. His irons are inconsistent at times and that holds him back. But I know he is working on it and I expect that we will see a lot of good golf from him in this spring."

Saari Round by Round, 1998-99

Saari Tournament by Tournament, 1999-00

Saari Tournament by Tournament, Fall 2000

Saari Career Stats

2001 Stats in PDF Format
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