The Bounds File

Personal Information
Birthday	September 3
Hometown	Meridian, Miss.
Education	Mississippi State, 2013 (Bachelor's)
Playing Career	Meridian CC, 2007-09 Birmingham Southern, 2009-10 Mississippi State, 2011-12
Wife	Jessica
Children	Chisolm, Indiana, Ryder

Coaching History
2023-27	Troy - Head Coach
2019-23	West Virginia - Assistant Coach
2014-19	Rice - Assistant Coach
2012-13	Mississippi State - Student Assistant

Clay Bounds begins his fourth season as head coach of the Troy men's team in 2026-27 after leading the Trojans to the NCAA Championship for the first time in the program's Division I history in the spring of 2026.

The Trojans defeated No. 10 North Carolina and No. 23 Texas Tech to finish fourth at the NCAA Urbana Regional to earn their spot in the NCAA Championship.

Bounds led Troy to an at-large berth in the Regional thanks to a No. 51 national ranking and a pair of team victories for the first time since 2017. Troy's No. 9 seed in the Urbana Regional was the highest in program history.

Led by All-American Brantley Scott, the program’s first since 1993, Troy finished 29^th in the country last season, while Jake Springer joined Scott on the All-Sun Belt First Team.

Bounds became the first Troy coach to earn Sun Belt Men's Golf Coach of the Year honors in program history as the Trojans set a program record with a 286.79 stroke average and 0.24 score vs. par this season.

Last season, the Trojans had to rebuild their roster after three starters graduated from their NCAA Championship qualifying team.

After getting their feet wet in the fall, the Trojans turned the corner in the spring, turning in a pair of top-four finishes in addition to a strong event against a tough field at Mississippi State's Mossy Oak Collegiate. Of the 193 total rounds played, only 64 were played by players with significant experience returning.

The squad finished with 10 team rounds under-par and Pablo Gracia earned All-Sun Belt Third Team honors.

In his first season with the Trojans, Troy turned in a pair of second-place finishes as a team and made a run at match play at the Sun Belt Championship.

Led by Springer's near-under-par average for the year, Troy finished second at the Everett Buick GMC Classic in the fall and tied for second at the Daytona Beach Intercollegiate in the spring.

Additionally, Troy put together the 10th-best opening-round score in program history with a 283 at the USF Invitational in the fall, while Troy's 566 in the Border Olympics tied for the 10th-best 36-hole mark in program history, and his 851 at the Everett Buick GMC Classic ranked as the eighth-best 54-hole tally.

Springer led the Trojans with a 72.70 average for the year and accounted for eight of Troy's 42 rounds under par. Freshman Pablo Gracia led Troy with 10 rounds under par, while Scott paced Troy with five rounds in the 60s.

Bounds, took over the Troy program following four years at West Virginia as an assistant coach.

During his career, Bounds helped coach and mentor West Virginia's first-ever All-American Mark Goetz and PGA Tour Canada member and Tour winner Etienne Papineau.

The Mountaineers shot a 281 in the second round of the Big 12 Championship this past spring, the lowest round by a WVU squad in the event in program history. Mountaineer golfers combined for 56 rounds under par and 401 total birdies during the 2022-23 season.

In 2021-22, West Virginia won the Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate with a 28-under-par tally, the lowest 54-hole, under-par score in school history. The 271 in the final round at Vegas tied for the lowest round team total in school history and the 17-under-par tally in the final round was the lowest round in school history in relation to par. Goetz won the Lake Las Vegas Intercollegiate and Mountaineer Invitational for his second and third collegiate tournament wins, the most in school history. Max Green was co-champion of the East Carolina Intercollegiate, becoming the third different Mountaineer to win a collegiate tournament.

In Bounds' second season at WVU in 2020-21, Goetz became WVU's first-ever individual qualifier for the NCAA Regional Championship. He finished second, just missing a spot in the NCAA Golf Championship. After the season, he became the first WVU golfer to earn All-America honors. Goetz was the stroke-play medalist out of 312 golfers at the 121st U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club, shooting 8-under-par.

The Mountaineers finished the 2020-21 season on a strong note. For the third year in a row, West Virginia won the Mountaineer Invitational, with Goetz being the only golfer in the field to shoot under par (-12). WVU's four-day total at the Big 12 Championship tied WVU's best 72-hole total at the championship, including a 283 in the third round, one shot off its best round in a Big 12 event. Also in the spring, WVU shot a 10-under-par 278 at the Seminole Intercollegiate, the eighth-best round in school history and posted the lowest team score in the three years of competing at the Gators Invitational.

Although his first campaign as a member of WVU's coaching staff was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bounds helped the Mountaineers make strides in 2019-20. WVU opened the season in a big way, achieving the program's first-ever top-25 ranking. The Mountaineers also recorded a pair of victories, first at their home tournament – The Health Plan Mountaineer Invitational – in October and second in a head-to-head matchup against Connecticut in February to open the spring season.

Despite the shortened season, he also helped coach WVU to four program records throughout the year. Papineau earned the first record with a program-best 54-hole total of 203 at the Old Town Club Collegiate Invitational before Logan Perkins earned a new 18-hole record-low score at the Florida Gators Invitational. Perkins shot a 62 to finish second overall in the tournament. As a team, the Mountaineers recorded a new 54-hole low round and total versus par at the Ka'anapali Collegiate Classic with an 826 total for 26-under par.

Bounds arrived in Morgantown in the summer of 2019, having spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach at Rice. During his tenure with the Owls, Bounds helped guide the squad to team titles at the 2018 Ryman Hospitality Intercollegiate and the 2017 Jim West Intercollegiate, in addition to runner-up finishes at the 2018 Bob Sutton Invitational and 2016 Lone Star Invitational. The Owls jumped 60 spots in the Golfstat rankings, peaking at No. 86 in 2018 as they advanced to match play at the 2018 Conference USA Championships.

While at Rice, Bounds coached a trio of NCAA regional qualifiers in Jake Benson (2019), Mitchell Meissner (2018) and Mario Carmona (2018). Benson claimed medalist honors at the 2019 C-USA Championship, while Meissner was the 2016 Lone Star Invitational medalist.

Prior to his arrival in Houston, Bounds spent the 2012-13 season as a student assistant at Mississippi State, helping the Bulldogs to four tournament titles and a pair of runner-up finishes.

Bounds started his playing career at Meridian Community College, earning a trio of all-tournament honors as well as a designation on the MCC All-Academic Team. A two-time team captain and the 2008 Outstanding Freshman of the Year, he transferred to Birmingham Southern College before capping his playing career at Mississippi State. He played 15 rounds for the Bulldogs, qualifying for the 2012 SEC Championship.

A native of Meridian, Mississippi, Bounds earned a degree in accounting from Mississippi State. He and his wife, Jessica, have three children, Chisolm, Indiana and Ryder.

What They Are Saying About Clay Bounds

Sean Covich – West Virginia Men's Golf Head Coach
"I'm excited for Clay to get this opportunity. He built great relationships with our players, and I know he will do the same at Troy. Clay is very familiar with the state of Alabama and the southeast region, which will serve him well in recruiting. But more importantly, Troy is getting a great father, husband and friend that will mentor and develop champions on and off the golf course."

Justin Emil – Rice Men's Golf Head Coach
"I'm thrilled to see Coach Bounds get an opportunity to lead the Troy golf program. He has a strong ability to recruit top-notch student-athletes and develop them. He can build strong relationships with his players and help them reach their full potential. Clay is most importantly a man of great character and integrity, something those student-athletes will benefit from. Great hire by Troy Athletics."

Mark Goetz - West Virginia All-American & PGA Tour Canada Member
"I was very lucky to have Clay Bounds as a coach while I was at West Virginia. Clay brought knowledge about preparation, course management and college golf, which greatly helped our team and the program. Clay had one of the most positive attitudes and demeanors of anyone I have met on and off the golf course. West Virginia Golf will miss his presence. I wish Clay, his wife Jessica and his family absolutely nothing but the best. I am excited to see what the future holds for him at Troy University."

Etienne Papineau - PGA Tour Canada Member
"Clay is one of the most amazing individuals I've met in my life. He wants the best for his players and is always positive. Clay is always there for you no matter what, and as a player, it's great to have someone you can always rely on and go to. I am extremely happy for him and wish him, his wife, and his three boys the best of luck in their new chapter at Troy. He will do great, and they are lucky to have him."

Name	Title	Email Address	Phone (334-670-XXXX)	Twitter
Clay Bounds	Head Coach	boundsc@troy.edu
Lane Whitsell	Assistant Coach	lwhitsell@troy.edu

Troy University Athletics

2026-27 Golf (M) Coaching Staff

Coaching Staff