TULSA, Okla. – Texas A&M men’s coach J.T. Higgins had to deal with a nerve-wracking finish – remember Bronson Burgoon’s walk-off wedge shot? – before getting to enjoy his team’s NCAA title. None made him as nervous as he was Aug. 18, though.
That’s when Higgins threw out the first pitch at a Texas Rangers game as part of Aggies Night at the Ballpark at Arlington.
“In all honesty, I was more nervous going out to throw the first pitch,” Higgins said. “I have a lot more confidence in Bronson than in myself. It had been about 25 years since I’d thrown a pitch.”
Higgins had a “pretty mediocre” two-year baseball career at Eastern Oregon, where he also played basketball.
For the record, Higgins’ pitch was a little low. “But I call it a strike. It was over the plate,” Higgins said.
– Sean Martin Posted August 23
Rumors that Blayne Barber would in fact stay put at UCF and not follow Nick Clinard to Auburn are officially false. Barber officially became a Tiger this morning when he walked in to his first class this morning at Auburn. Barber was named the Conference USA Golfer and Freshman of the Year last year, and was selected to the Golf Coaches of America Association’s National All-Freshman Team. Barber ended the season ranked No. 21 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, and helped lead UCF to one of the school’s best ever finishes at Nationals.
Despite all the recent success, we will not see Barber in the line-up any time soon. New Auburn head coach Nick Clinard has confirmed that Barber will have to sit out a year.
– Asher Wildman Posted Aug. 17
If Georgia coach Chris Haack is looking for a shoulder to lean on – make that cry on – he may be hard pressed to find one, at least a healthy one.
That’s because two of his would-be starters, one of whom was a second-team All-America last season, will be nursing shoulder injuries.
Junior Hudson Swafford will definitely miss the entire fall campaign while the status of sophomore Will Kropp is currently up in the air.
Swafford, one of three returning Bulldog All-Americans, underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder Aug. 4 and will be out of action four to five months.
About the same time Swafford was on the operating table, Kropp was playing in the Western Amateur at Conway Farms Golf Club just outside of Chicago. Hitting a shot out of the deep rough on the 10th hole in the opening round, Kropp hurt his right shoulder. Although he finished the round, shooting 11-over-par 47 on the back side for an 87, Kropp was forced to withdraw.
“It wasn’t a lot of fun playing those last nine holes with pretty much one arm,” said Kropp, who missed most of all last summer while nursing a left shoulder injury.
Kropp saw an on-site trainer who felt it was a severe strain, but plans to have an MRI taken.
Swafford said his shoulder had been bothering him “on and off” for the past two years and really started hurting while playing in this year’s Porter Cup the last week of July.
“I just had to get it fixed and felt now was as good a time as any,” Swafford said. “I’ll be in a sling for a while and then start rehab. If everything goes well, I should be ready to go by the spring season.”
Depending on what happens with Kropp, it could be a tough fall for Haack and the Bulldogs. With the loss of Brian Harman and Adam Mitchell to graduation and with Patrick Reed transferring to Augusta State, the Bulldogs were counting heavily on both Swafford and Kropp, along with returning all-American juniors Russell Henley and Harris English.
“It’s certainly going to make for an interesting fall,” Haack said. “Hopefully, Will’s injury is not major and he’ll be back playing soon. We’ll just have to see what happens.”
– Ron Balicki Posted Aug. 14
Brittany Altomare had an experience last week that isn’t likely to be reproduced once she picks up a University of Virginia bag this fall.
Altomare, the No. 73-ranked player in the Golfweek/Titleist Junior Rankings, fired 1-under 216 (71-72-72) to win the Harder German Junior Masters in Heddeshiem, Germany. However, before she could proceed to the awards ceremony, she was whisked away by a hair and makeup team. As the Worcester (Mass.) Telegram reported, Altomare, of Shrewsbury, Mass., was then presented with the trophy atop an Olympic-esque podium and invited to a post-tournament farewell party. (Sounds like they know how to throw a tournament in Heddeshiem.)
Altomare told the Telegram it was her first such experience, even though the 18-year-old is no stranger to winning. She has three AJGA victories, and won the Westfield Junior PGA Championship in 2006. She fell to eventual-champion Jennifer Song in the Round of 16 at the Women’s Amateur Public Links in June.
– Julie Williams Posted Aug. 12
The University of Kentucky men’s team received some good news last week when the NCAA granted Ben Fuqua an additional year of eligibility because of medical issues.
Fuqua was considered a senior in 2008-09, but will be allowed to compete in this upcoming season because of previous medical issues. Fuqua redshirted his freshman season (2004-05), then played just four tournaments over the next two seasons.
He played in all 12 events for the Wildcats last season, posting a 73.47 season stroke average. Fuqua's season low round on the season was 65; he shot that score in consecutive rounds at the Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate for a school-record 54-hole total score of 198. Fuqua had two top-10 finishes on the year, along with finishing 20th or better in five tournaments.
He ended the season ranked No. 138 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
– Sean Martin Posted Aug. 4
We are closing in on the 2009-10 college golf season, and here at Golfweek, we’re excited to be a part of the first big tournament of the new season.
The Golfweek Men’s Conference Challenge will be played Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at Blue Top Ridge in Riverside, Iowa, with 15 teams from 15 different conferences participating.
Men’s participants will be Florida St. (ACC), Xavier (Atlantic 10), Baylor (Big 12), South Florida (Big East), Coastal Carolina (Big South), Iowa (Big Ten), Virginia Commonwealth (Colonial), Memphis (Conference USA), Illinois St. (Missouri Valley), California (Pac-10), Vanderbilt (SEC), Georgia Southern (Southern), Texas-Arlington (Southland), Middle Tennessee (Sun Belt) and New Mexico St. (Western Athletic).
The Women’s Conference Challenge, sponsored the communications company VTech, will be played a couple of weeks later at Primm Valley’s Desert Course in Primm, Nev.
Women’s participants are East Tennessee St. (Atlantic Sun), Oklahoma St. (Big 12), Portland St. (Big Sky), Coastal Carolina (Big South), Ohio St. (Big Ten), UC Irvine (Big West), Georgia St. (Colonial), Southern Methodist (Conference USA), Harvard (Ivy League), Ball St. (Mid-American), Drake (Missouri Valley), UNLV (Mountain West), Jacksonville St. (Ohio Valley), California (Pac-10), Chattanooga (Southern Conference), Oral Roberts (Summit League), Fresno St. (Western Athletic) and Pepperdine (West Coast).
You can follow all of the action right here at Golfweek.com.
– Lance Ringler Posted Aug. 3
The University of Iowa’s Bradley George made holes-in-one in consecutive days at the Iowa Amateur. In Tuesday’s second round, he used an 8-iron on the par-3 eighth hole at Sunnyside Country Club to make the first ace of his life. Twenty-four hours later, he holed a 6-iron on No. 13 in the final round.
George finished 17th at 4-over 220 (78-71-71).
Iowa State senior-to-be Ben Herrera shot a tournament-record 202 (64-68-70) to win by 10 shots over Walker Cup candidate Mike McCoy.
– Sean Martin Posted July 30
ORLANDO, Fla. – Central Florida’s Blayne Barber confirmed Tuesday that he will transfer to Auburn in the fall to continue to work with coach Nick Clinard.
Clinard left UCF in June to take the head coaching job with the Tigers.
“I’m still working through all the processes and I’m not sure if I’m going to have to sit out a year or not, but it’s official,” said Barber, who spoke to Golfweek at a U.S. Amateur qualifier at Rio Pinar Country Club. “I went to UCF for the coach and I have an opportunity to follow him. I just feel like for me, and where I want to be five to 10 years from now, being at Auburn with him is going to be the best fit.”
Barber led the Golden Knights to a T-10 finish at the NCAA Championship in May. He finished T-7 as an individual. Barber also posted an nine-shot victory at the Florida Amateur on June 28.
Editor’s note: For more on Blayne Barber, check back with golfweek.com/college on Friday.
– D.J. Piehowski Posted July 28
It’s been a pretty good July for a few college coaches on the playing side of the game.
On July 1, Illinois coach Mike Small captured the PGA of America’s Professional National Championship in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M. His one-shot victory not only earned him $75,000, but a spot in next month’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine Golf Club in Minnesota.
After advancing to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in Norman, Okla., Augusta State coach Josh Gregory qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship next month at Southern Hills Golf Club in Tulsa, Okla. Gregory tied for second in a qualifier at Capital City Club in Woodstock, Ga., with a 6-under-par 134 that featured an opening-round 64.
Also this week, San Diego coach Tim Mickelson, younger brother of PGA Tour star Phil Mickelson, showed he still has some game as he grabbed a share of the lead in the opening round of the prestigious Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, N.Y.
Mickelson made seven birdies, including five in his back-nine 30 for a 6-under 64. A quarterfinalist at the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and runner-up in the stroke play qualifying portion of last year’s U.S. Mid-Am, Mickelson guided the Toreros to a tie for 13th at the NCAA Championship in May, the school’s best finish ever.
Obviously these are among the coaches who can tell their players, do as I do – oh, yeah, and as I say!
– Ron Balicki Posted July 23
BEDMINSTER, N.J. – It has taken just over a month, but the search is officially over. A source confirmed to me that UCF has hired Tennessee men’s assistant coach Bryce Wallor to replace Nick Clinard as head coach.
This hiring process has seemed to drag on and on, but it looks like UCF has found its man. For the past five years, Bryce has been in Jim Kelson’s right hand man. The Vols have been ranked in the top 25 four of the last five years.
Wallor will inherit a young team that had a great 2008-09 season. The Knights won the Conference USA Championship and finished No. 15 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Wallor started his coaching career in 1999 at Davidson. The following year, Wallor was hired as UConn’s head men’s golf coach and stayed there from 2000-2002. He then returned to his alma mater, Rhode Island, as a volunteer assistant coach. The next year, he was named assistant coach at Tennessee and has been there for the last five years.
Next up for UCF will be to find a new women’s head coach now that Emilee Klein has left for San Diego State.
– Asher Wildman Posted July 22
BEDMINSTER, N.J. – For most of the summer UCF has been looking for a new head men’s golf coach. Well, they will need to start a search for a women’s coach, too.
A source close to the UCF program confirmed to me that Emilee Klein has accepted the women’s coaching position at San Diego State.
Last year was a tough one for Klein and the Knights. The team failed to make it out of regionals and finished with a 65-118-3 overall record.
Two years ago, UCF was ranked 51st in the country, and looked as though they were a team possibly on the rise. This past year, however, it seemed they took a step back.
For the last few weeks UCF has been leaving many curious as to who will replace Nick Clinard, who was hired at Auburn June 21. It has been over a month and no new head coach is calling Orlando home.
With Klein apparently gone now, how long will that process take to replace her?
– Asher Wildman Posted July 21
Rickie Fowler has announced he will play as a professional at the
Nationwide Tour’s Soboba Classic Oct. 1-4. It is the first event Fowler
has said he will play as a pro.
The event will be played at The Country Club at Soboba Springs in San
Jacinto, Calif., about 40 minutes from Fowler’s hometown of Murrieta.
The Soboba Classic is one of two events on this year’s Nationwide Tour
schedule with a $1 million purse (along with the Nationwide Tour
Championship).
Fowler, the No. 2 player in the Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Amateur Rankings, has said he will turn pro after the Walker Cup Sept. 12-13.
– Sean Martin
Posted July 20
Matt Hill continued his winning ways this past week with a seven-shot
victory in the Ontario Amateur Championship. Hill finished four rounds
at Craigowan Golf & Country Club at 14-under 270 (69-67-69-65).
The victory served as a nice tuneup for this week’s Canadian Open,
where Hill will be making his second PGA Tour start of the year. He
made the cut at Tiger Woods’ AT&T National.
Hill won eight times this past season at North Carolina State, including the NCAA Championship, and was Golfweek’s College Player of the Year.
Morgan Hoffmann, who finished No. 2 in the Golfweek/Sagarin
College Rankings behind Hill, also won this past week at the Arcola
Cup. Hoffmann shot consecutive 68s to beat former Duke player Michael
Quagliano in a playoff. Quagliano played in the ‘08 U.S. Open.
Hoffmann hit a pitching wedge to within inches of the hole on the first hole of sudden-death after the players tied a three-hole aggregate playoff.
– Sean Martin
Posted July 19
Despite much speculation the last couple of days that UCF may hire a head coach to fill its vacancy, I have heard that will not be the case. It looks like UCF will indeed hire an assistant coach with an announcement expected sometime Monday at the earliest.
Here are the three finalists I have heard are up for the job.
1. Georgia Tech’s Christian Newton 2. Clemson’s Jordan Byrd 3. Tennessee’s Bryce Wallor
This whole hiring process has been confusing to say the least. There were quite a few head coaches who did in fact apply for this job, and were not even considered for the opening. First, UCF had an initial list of assistant coaches. Later, we then heard rumors of Coastal Carolina’s Terrell or Augusta State’s Josh Gregory. Now it looks like UCF will stick to their initial plan of hiring an assistant coach.
Looks like the search is wrapping up right where it began, with an assistant coach soon becoming a head coach at a top-25 program.
– Asher Wildman Posted July 17 It’s been a good summer for members of the LSU golf team. Sang Yi has gone undefeated this summer, winning a pro event on the Gateway Tour’s DFW series, the Spirit of America Classic and a U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifier at the Golf Club at Frisco Lakes in Frisco, Texas. Yi’s LSU teammate, Josh Jones, was tied with Yi for the 54-hole lead before finishing T-3. Jones finished second to Yi at the U.S. APL qualifier.
LSU’s Andrew Loupe won the Louisiana Amateur and made match play at the North & South Amateur before beating defending champion Matt Savage, 5 and 4, and Michigan’s Lion Kim, 4 and 3, en route to the Round of 16.
Loupe is the subject of one of the best performances from a college team’s qualifying that I’ve ever heard of. Loupe shot 36 under par in eight qualifying rounds preceding the Gator Invitational; his next closest teammate was 38 shots back. Loupe shot 63 in the final of those eight rounds, and seven of the eight rounds were in the 60s (his other round was a 73).
– Sean Martin Posted July 10
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The last time I saw Candace Schepperle, she was in
tears at the NCAA Women’s East Regional after failing to qualify or
help Auburn quailfy for the NCAA Championship.
That’s why it was great to see soon-to-be Tigers senior laughing and
smiling after her first round at the Women’s Open. Schepperle shot
2-over 73 at Saucon Valley and was tied for 45th, the low amateur in
the clubhouse.
“I was devasted not to go (to the NCAA Championship),” Schepperle said
near the ninth-hole scoring trailier at Saucon Valley. “I couldn’t even
watch the nationals (on live scoring). I was just trying to forget it.”
Schepperle, who was the top-ranked player in the Golfweek/Sagarin
College Rankings for a portion of the spring season, has been plenty
busy since school wrapped up. She played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur
Public Links and LPGA’s State Farm Classic. And before today’s first
round, she got in a whopping eight practice rounds at Saucon Valley.
Wouldn’t be surprised to see her around on the weekend.
– Dan Mirocha
Posted July 9
The summer started with a buzz surrounding the head coaching jobs at some big name schools, and with most of those jobs being filled, this week brought a lot of movement at the assistant coach level.
Ryan Ressa, who had worked for O.D. Vincent at Duke and remained on the staff with Jamie Green when Vincent left to take administrative job at the University of Washington last winter, has been named the assistant coach at UCLA. Replacing Ressa will be Jon Whithaus, who was the head coach at Div. III Ohio Wesleyan. Whithaus was given the title of associate head coach.
Chris Yoder, who has spent his playing and assistant coaching days at Wake Forest, will be returning to his home state of Ohio to work for Donnie Darr at Ohio State.
Nick Clinard decided to bring along his assistant, Evan Osteen, from UCF to Auburn.
– Lance Ringler Posted July 8
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Recent Alabama grad Kathleen Ekey is making her debut as a professional at the U.S. Women’s Open. Along with Maria Jose Uribe, who just finished her sophomore year at UCLA, Ekey turned professional when registering on property earlier this week at Saucon Valley.
Last year, Uribe contended at the Open as an amateur, tying for 10th. This is her fourth Women’s Open.
Ekey missed the cut at as an amateur last year at Interlachen in her first Open appearance. She finished T-25 at the NCAA Women’s Championship in May while leading the Crimson Tide to an 11th-place finish.
In total, 28 amateurs are in the field at Saucon Valley. – Dan Mirocha Posted July 8
There is still a lot of uncertainty as to who the next coach at UCF will be. Today I heard a few names that are being considered “finalists.”
The first is Clemson assistant coach Jordan Byrd. I have heard a lot of assistants from across the country were interested in this job, and Byrd seems to be a good fit. UCF typically goes after young assistants who are looking to make a name for themselves, and Byrd is looking to do just that. Consider that he comes from the ACC, and an elite program like Clemson gives Byrd instant credibility.
The second name I hear being mentioned is Kentucky assistant coach David Trainor. The Wildcats have been up and down the last few years, but Trainor comes from another power conference, the SEC. It will be interesting to see if the UCF program does indeed go to an assistant despite all the head coaches I have heard are interested in the job.
Another name I have heard, and the one that causes the most head scratching, is Lynn Blevins. For the most part Blevins is known for his years at Florida as the "pre-Buddy" coach. He was in Gainesville from 1981-87 where he won an SEC Championship in ’85. In that same year he led the Gators to a third-place finish at the NCAA Championship. In ’92 he led the Iowa Hawkeyes to the Big 10 crown. Blevins currently coaches at Rogers St. University in Oklahoma.
Two top assistants and a head coach that has been at every level of the college golf world. If one of these three does get the head coaching job, it makes me believe it will be a very controversial hire with all the other candidates that have thrown their names in the hat.
– Asher Wildman Posted July 7
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Most entertaining site so for on Tuesday at the U.S. Women’s Open . . . Arizona State coach Melissa Luellen wearing a USGA caddie bib and a ear-to-ear smile while lugging recent Sun Devils grad Azahara Munoz’s large staff bag to the first tee.
“I survived the practice round yesterday,” Luellen said. “Hopefully I’ll make it out there today, too.”
Luellen joked that Munoz had dropped a brick in the bottom of her bag to ensure her coach got the best workout possible while making the trek around Saucon Valley.
The ASU skipper better get used to it. Something tells me she and Munoz will be here ‘til Sunday.
– Dan Mirocha Posted July 7
Arizona State’s James Byrne shot 68 Monday at Western Gailes in Scotland and leads after the first round of Local Final Qualifying for the British Open. The second round will be held Tuesday, with four players apiece qualifying from three sites.
Byrne has been having a strong summer in his natve country. In June, he won the Tennant Cup by seven strokes, then won the East of Scotland Amateur by eight after posting a 22-under 262 total (65-63-67-67). Byrne’s Arizona State teammate, Scott Pinckney, was runner-up; Pinckney, an American, is spending the summer with his teammate to play links golf.
Byrne also made the Round of 16 at the British Amateur and tied for fourth in the Scottish Open Amateur Stroke Play.
– Sean Martin Posted July 6
This coming year the Women’s “Preview” and NCAA Championship will be played at Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C. The dates for the tournament are Oct. 23-25. This year’s event will not be officially named a “Preview,” but instead the Landfall Tradition.
Below are the teams that have accepted their invites with their final Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings from last year.
Alabama (7) Arizona State (1) Auburn (8) Denver (12) Duke (10) Georgia (15) LSU (11) Michigan State (20) New Mexico (22) North Carolina (13) Oklahoma State (4) Pepperdine (14) Purdue (9) USC (3) UCLA (2) Virginia (6) Wake Forest (5) UNCW (67) – Asher Wildman Posted July 6
NCAA champion Matt Hill tied for 70th at the AT&T National with a 10-over 290 total (71-69-75-75) at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. Hill, a junior-to-be at North Carolina State, was Golfweek’s College Player of the Year this past season. Hill made birdies on Nos. 13-15 in the second round to make the cut with two shots to spare.
Hill struggled on No. 11, the same hole that gave Tiger Woods fits. Hill played it in 6 over, making double bogey on the par-4 in each of the first three rounds. Woods played the hole 5 over en route to victory.
It was a good week for Canadian amateurs, as well. Nick Taylor won the Sahalee Players Championship last week.
– Sean Martin Posted July 6
Pontus Widegren, a freshman-to-be at UCLA, tied for first in the stroke-play qualifying at the European Men’s Amateur Team Championship. The Swede shot consecutive 67s to tie British Amateur champ Matteo Manassero of Italy. Andrea Pavan, who plays for NCAA champion Texas A&M, finished one shot back. Pavan was also representing Italy.
Sweden’s David Lingmerth (University of Arkansas) tied for fifth at 7 under par. Germany’s Allen John (Georgia State), Norway’s Knut Borsheim (Arizona State), Spain’s Ignacio Elvira (Texas A&M) and England’s Charlie Ford (University of Tennessee) were other players who competed this past season for American colleges to finish in the top 20.
Scotland won the team title with a 5-2 victory over England in the final. Scotland also won the World Amateur Team Championship in October 2008.
– Sean Martin Posted July 6
It’s good to see Maria Hernandez playing in this week’s Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic. The 2009 NCAA Champion deserves the start. She’ll have University of Toledo men’s coach Jamie Mauntler on the bag this week. The pair met at a Purdue golf camp.
Hernandez, who turned professional shortly after NCAA’s, also qualified for next week’s U.S. Women’s Open.
– Beth Ann Baldry Posted June 30
Walker Cup candidates Mike Van Sickle and Zack Sucher will get a chance to test their games against the pros after receiving sponsor exemptions to the John Deere Classic.
Van Sickle (Marquette) and Sucher (UAB) finished their eligibility earlier this year, but are postponing their pro career in an attempt to represent the U.S. in the Walker Cup.
Other sponsor exemptions into this year’s Deere, which will be held July 9-12, went to Michigan State’s Jack Newman, the ‘08 U.S. Amateur Public Links champ, and Arizona State’s Philip Francis. Kyle Stanley, making his pro debut at this week’s Travelers Championship, also is in the field. – Sean Martin Posted June 26
Three of the guys being considered for the UCF men’s job are all good assistants with solid programs from across the country. Names I am hearing are Jason Payne from UGA, Christian Newton from Georgia Tech, and Chris Malloy from Florida State. I do not know who, if any have been contacted yet.
All three have solid backgrounds with top schools and would welcome the opportunity at a school like UCF. However, I still think there are some good head coaches that UCF might miss out on.
If I was forced to pick off this list above, I would go with Payne. He has had some head coaching experience, plus has been with Coach Haack the last two years (one of the best in the business.)
If this happens one could think that UCF stole a page from the Oklahoma playbook in hiring an assistant coach.
– Asher Wildman Posted June 25
It’s certainly been a slow process in getting new coaches in place. But finally, we have some packing the moving van.
Auburn would have to be given the best grade to date by inking Nick Clinard. Clinard had done a very good job in getting UCF into the national spotlight. Clinard, who has recruited well to Orlando, brought the Golden Knights’ program from the depths of college golf since he took over. In the past few seasons, Clinard’s teams have had high expectations and finally this year broke through and came very close to advancing to the match play portion of the NCAA Championship.
I am not sure many aspiring young coaches or even established head coaches might have realized what it would be like to coach at The Ohio State University (boy, I hate putting The in there). This place has everything you would want in an athletic department, everything you would want when it comes to facilities. But the one problem with Columbus is that it sits a little to far north. This should have been a job much of the coaching population would have wanted. However, with that being said, Donnie Darr is a good choice. Darr has Ohio roots and has played and coached in enough environments to make one think he will do well as a Buckeye.
Some of the top assistants in the women’s game were JoJo Robertson (Purdue), Jan Dowling (Duke) and Veronique Drouin (Georgia). I used were, because they are now all head coaches. Robertson is at Texas Tech, Dowling at Florida and Drouin at Oklahoma. All three should do well, but for different reasons. For the most part, Robertson has been extremely involved with Purdue golf and the successes there speak volumes. Robertson is more than ready to lead any program. I can’t put my finger on it exactly, but Dowling has that something that I think will put her on the right path to be a very good leader. She is a good listener and I think will walk before she runs and ultimately make the right moves. Drouin is well connected and is a fresh face to a Sooner program that needs a bolt of energy.
All of these three places could have gone with experienced head coaches, but there is more than one way to get the ball in the hole, right?
Sticking with Oklahoma, Georgia volunteer assistant and former assistant coach Ryan Hybl got the job. This selection is one that has the most people talking simply due to the fact of his coaching experience or lack of head coaching experience. Many felt Oklahoma was a place that could attract a big-name hire. However, this has a sort of Mike Small-feel to it, in my opinion. If Hybl can get things rolling in Norman the way Small has at Illinois, the critics will quiet.
And one thing to add, there is small talk that two of the nation’s better juniors from the 2010 class - Cory Whitsett and Talor Gooch - who have made verbal commitments elsewhere may end up at Oklahoma. Whitsett had made a verbal to Alabama and Gooch to Oklahoma State. – Lance Ringler Posted June 24
While at the NCAA Women’s Championship I polled coaches to see if they would like to be able to go on greens and in bunkers during competition. It’s one of those strange rules that women’s golf has that the men don’t - kind of like in college basketball where the women do not have a 10-second backcourt violation, but the men do. Strange, right?
Anyway, after asking the first nine coaches – all of them but one said, yes they would like to be able to do that – I decided there was no need to seek out the rest. I had my answer.
Maybe someone else had been conducting a survey as well. This upcoming season, women’s coaches will at last be allowed on the putting surface and in the bunkers. However, Division II and III have yet to decide if they will move in this direction. If they don’t, here’s an idea: Go back to playing 18 before the tournament starts or at a nearby course.
This is long overdue.
- Lance Ringler Posted June 23
As everyone knows by now, Nick Clinard has left UCF to become the new men’s head coach at Auburn.
“A search for a replacement will begin immediately. Given the strong shape of the program, I am certain that we will find someone who will continue to maintain UCF's status as one of the elite men's golf programs nationally,” said UCF Athletic Director Keith Tribble in a statement
As of right now no candidates have been named, but UCF hopes to get a new coach in place ASAP.
Here are a couple of guys I would consider calling if I were AD Tribble: 1. Brad Sparling – Why is this guy always overlooked? He was the assistant to Rod Myers at Duke and then the assistant to Jim Brown at Ohio State. If he could be the assistant to two coaches who have spent what seems like an eternity for the game he has to be a great coach. He is looking for a head gig, and I think UCF would be a good fit for him. 2. Scott Allen – When you think of a guy that is purely a “coach,” Scott is the guy. He’s not afraid to speak his mind, knows how to get behind his players and has Penn a respectable program. Imagine what he could do or get out of the talent UCF has. He would be a needed spark and not just a guy filling in shoes.
3. Andrew Tredway – A young up-and-comer who has over-achieved at Mercer. He works hard and has made average players play beyond their means. Now, imagine what he could do with above-average talent? Also, as a younger coach I can see him selling potential recruits on the campus and school. He’s a players coach and is always working.
These are just a few guys I would consider, but UCF needs a coach that can take over a good team. I don’t think the next coach should be one that wants to come in and establish a whole new look for the program. Clinard left behind a lot of talent, now all they need is a coach who can take them to that next level.
– Asher Wildman Posted June 22
FORMBY, England — College coaches salivating at the prospect of getting British Amateur champion Matteo Manassero into their programs should reach for the tissue box right now and wipe their mouths dry.
Matteo won’t be playing college golf in the future. He will finish high school and turn pro.
The 16-year-old has looked into the possibility of playing college golf. He talked to Texas A&M player Andre Pavan, also from Italy, about college golf, but says it isn’t for him.
“I will finish high school and then turn pro,” Manassero said.
Sorry college coaches. He’d have looked good playing in the NCAA Championship, but it isn’t going to happen.
– Alistair Tait Posted June 20
Several college players are in the field this week at the U.S. Open, so at some point you had to figure the folks at NBC would spend some time talking about college golf. After all, with the support of the majority of college coaches, the NCAA Committee made the drastic change to use match play to decides the national champion in an attempt to make the sport more attractive to the masses.
Maybe it worked. NBC’s announce team did mention it during the telecast today.
When showing Bronson Burgoon, NBC mentioned his shot on the final hole to help Texas A&M win the NCAA title.
Johhny Miller and Gary Koch also had this exchange.
Miller: “Gary, what did you think of the NCAA going to match play at the end?”
Koch: “Well, I was a little surprised, Johnny, to be perfectly honest with you when they made the change. One team that was in the lead after 54 holes was well ahead and they end up losing in the first round of the match play. Different. Very exciting and certainly easier to keep track of then the way it usually played, that’s for sure.”
Miller: “It doesn’t necessarily show who is the best team, though.”
Koch: “Well, it shows who can play match play best.”
Looks like these two have it figured out.
- Lance Ringler Posted June 20
The age limit at the Western Junior is 19 years old. That is why a junior-to-be in college can not only play in the event, but win.
Texas-Arlington’s Zack Fischer, 19, finished with a 3-under 281 to win the 2009 Western Junior. Fischer was a sophomore last season for the No. 53-ranked Mavericks and lost in a playoff at the Southland Conference Championship.
Fischer credits his college coach, Jay Reese, in helping him win the Western.
“I give all the credit to our coach, Jay Rees,” Fischer said. “He’s a great short game teacher. He’s helped me so much. Without him, I wouldn’t have won today.”
The victory will give Fischer an exemption into the Western Amateur Aug. 3-8 at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill.
- Lance Ringler Posted June 20
Texas Tech may have not had many good options, but it only takes one and they got a good one. Soon we will hear an announcement from Lubbock, that JoJo Robertson will be named the next women’s golf coach.
If you look at what she accomplished as a player at Oklahoma State and what she has been part of as a coach at Purdue, there may not have been a better young, female assistant coach in women’s college golf this past season.
In the NBA and NFL you often hear someone say: “That was the steal of the draft.”
That applies here for the off-season coaching moves. At least so far.
- Lance Ringler Posted June 19
Mark Hankins has been the hot name circling around many of these open coaching positions, and rightfully so. Hankins brought to life the Texas-Arlington program, then took Michigan State to the top of the Big Ten before moving back home to Iowa and guiding the Hawkeyes to the NCAA Championship in just their second season. Rest assured Hawkeye golf fans, Hankins will remain in Iowa City.
So who goes to Auburn? Who goes to Oklahoma?
Expect Auburn to soon announce UCF coach Nick Clinard as its new boss. For Oklahoma, Greg Sands and Ryan Hybl are the popular names. I think Sands may be the guy.
Stay tuned.
– Lance Ringler Posted June 19
This past season the men expanded from three regional sites to six. It provided a different flavor which seemed to be fine with everyone. Here are the regionals sites for the next two years:
2010: Capital City Club in Alpharetta, Ga. (Georgia Tech hosting); The Warren Golf Course in South Bend, Ind. (Notre Dame); Carlton Oaks Golf Course in San Diego, Calif. (San Diego St. University); The Traditions Club in College Station, Texas (Texas A&M); Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash. (Washington); Yale University Golf Course in New Haven, Conn. (Yale).
2011: Omni Tucson National Resort in Tucson, Ariz. (Arizona); Colorado National Golf Club in Erie, Colo. (Colorado); Golden Ocala Golf Club in Ocala, Fla. (Florida); Wolf Run Golf Club in Zionsville, Ind. (Indiana); Farms Golf Course in Rancho Sante Fe, Calif. (University of San Diego); Pete Dye River Course in Blacksburg, Va. (Virginia Tech)
– Lance Ringler Posted June 18
I have never watched paint dry and I can’t recall ever watching the grass grow, but what’s taken place early this summer with the coaching vacancies has to be similar.
To date there is 12 Division I jobs that need a head coach and July 1 is less than two weeks away. Why is July 1 so important? Well, that’s the first day coaches are allowed to call seniors-to-be.
Men’s jobs open: Auburn, Oklahoma, Houston, Creighton and Louisiana Tech.
Women’s jobs open: Oregon, Texas Tech, Charleston Southern, Oklahoma, Missouri-Kansas City, Washington State and San Diego State.
– Lance Ringler Posted June 17
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – David Erdy has come a long way in a year, a path that has led him to this year’s U.S. Open. He can serve as an inspiration to any junior player that has trouble cracking into national events.
Last year, Erdy had to receive a “local exemption” into the AJGA’s flagship event, the Rolex Tournament of Champions. Such spots are reserved for promising local players who don’t otherwise qualify for the event. Last year’s Rolex was at Victoria National in Newburgh, Ind., about 20 miles from Erdy’s hometown of Boonville, Ind.
Erdy shot 79-80 in the Rolex to miss the cut by four shots. Erdy, who just completed his freshman season at Indiana, was No. 289 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
– Sean Martin Posted June 17
FARMINGDALE, NY – Bronson Burgoon’s message was clear – he wants to make the U.S. Walker Cup team later this year.
“That’s why I’m not turning pro, “ said the recent Texas A&M graduate. “I hope Coach [Buddy Mariucci] knows that.”
Burgoon said he intends to play the Southern Amateur, U.S. Amateur and Western Amateur this summer.
A strong showing at the U.S. Open probably won’t hurt his cause either.
– Adam Schupak Posted June 15
Kevin Dougherty may not have the name recognition of Oklahoma State’s other recent (i.e. Fowler, Hoffmann, Tway and Uihlein), but he’s been on an impressive run in California.
Dougherty, one of two ‘09 recruits for the Cowboys (along with Indiana’s Brad Gehl), recently swept the Southern California and California high school titles.
Dougherty, from Fowler’s hometown of Murrieta, Calif., shot 66 June 3 at the SCGA Golf Course to win the California Interscholastic Federation/Southern California Golf Association Championship. He shot 70 June 10 at Poppy Hills to win the state title.
Dougherty, a senior at Vista Murrieta High School, beat Clovis West’s Michael Weaver in a playoff for both titles.
In March, Dougherty won an IJGT title at Temecula Creek Inn by six shots with rounds of 65-67.
Dougherty, No. 124 in the Golfweek/Titleist Junior Rankings, plays out of Bear Creek Country Club in Murrieta; on his IJGT profile, he lists PGA Tour player Tom Pernice Jr. as his instructor. Pernice is a Bear Creek member.
– Sean Martin Posted June 15
Jan Dowling was not the big-name hire many thought would come when the Florida women’s job opened up. The one-year assistant coach at Duke and two-year assistant coach at Kent State will now lead the Gators.
I have known Jan since her playing days at Kent State and she indeed is one of the bright, young faces in the game. It’s a very good hire and I have little doubt that Jan will do well in Gainesville.
However, if Buddy Alexander was no longer then men’s coach at Florida, would we see someone with similar experience to Dowling being named on the men’s side? I highly doubt it. Maybe that’s just the nature and the difference from the men’s side to the women. Maybe experience is over-rated. Maybe the market is more competitive on the men’s side.
Whatever it is we will most likely continue to see this in women’s golf. We saw it this past fall when Oklahoma State hired Annie Young, who had no coaching experience at all. And we certainly will see this in the future. History tends to repeat itself.
Give Jan Dowling credit. She applied for the job and got it. She was the only person Florida offered the job to and she really wanted to be there.
- Lance Ringler Posted June 15
Two more collegiate players – UC Santa Barbara’s Scott Lewis and Indiana’s David Erdy – will be making their way to the U.S. Open this week thanks to a pair of back problems.
Lewis was granted a pass to Bethpage when Dudley Hart was forced to withdraw because of a bad back and Erdy was given his spot today after Shingo Katayama suffered the same fate.
Lewis, a rising junior, played in four tournaments for the Gauchos in 2009; he was also the 2005 Nevada State 2A champion. Erdy, a rising sophomore, played in all 11 of Indiana’s events this year and was medalist at the Collegiate Match Play Qualifier. He had six top-25 finishes in his freshman year with the Hoosiers.
Katayama is the fourth player to withdraw from the U.S. Open, giving Erdy the opportunity to become the 16th amateur in the field, the most in more than a decade.
Allie White, who just finished her freshman season at North Carolina, will be switching schools. White, who finished her rookie year as a Golfweek honorable mention All-American, will play a little closer to her hometown of Lancaster, Ohio, as she competes for Ohio State this fall.
There is no doubt White will give the Buckeyes a boost. White played in all 11 tournaments for the Tar Heels and recorded eight top-20 finishes.
In a press release from Ohio State, White said: “I am thrilled to be a Buckeye. I have cheered for Ohio State since I was little and am excited to become a part of this team. Coach Hession has such enthusiasm for golf and the team is great to be around. I want to do my best and help build the program.”
White recently qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open to be played in mid-July.
– Lance Ringler Posted June 14
Everyone has been anxiously waiting to see what coaches will fill the vacancies at three major schools - Ohio State, Auburn and Oklahoma.
Ohio State appears to be the first by naming Donnie Darr the new head coach at Ohio State tomorrow. Darr will replace longtime Buckeye coach Jim Brown, who announced a year ago he would be retiring at the end of this past season.
Darr, who was an All-American golfer at Kent State in the mid-90s, has spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State. Darr has also served as an assistant at Kent State and Oklahoma and one season as the head coach at Akron.
This is a good choice for Ohio State, who also could have stayed in house with assistant coach Brad Sparling. Darr has strong roots in Ohio and was a dream job for him.
Where will Sparling land? He is certainly ready to be a head coach somewhere and should be able to get a look once the dominoes start falling very soon.
- Lance Ringler Posted June 12
The U.S. Open hopes of UC Santa Barbara rising junior Scott Lewis just got a little better.
Lewis suffered one of golf’s cruel fates Monday, losing in a 4-for-3 playoff at the U.S. Open sectional qualifier at Saticoy Country Club in Somis, Calif. He is now the first alternate.
Robert Karlsson withdrew from the Open on Friday, putting pro Andrew Svoboda into the field. Lewis could get into the Open field Sunday depending on who wins the PGA Tour’s St. Jude Classic this week.
There is a spot in the Open reserved for the winner of the St. Jude Classic, if the St. Jude is his second victory since the ‘08 U.S. Open and he is not already exempt to Bethpage.
Only a handful of players at the St. Jude fit that criteria, but 36-hole leader Brian Gay is one of those players. Lewis will get in the Open if the St. Jude winner does not fit that criteria.
Lewis played four events last year for the Gauchos, finishing 11th at the St. Mary’s Invitational and sixth at the Wyoming Desert Classic.
– Sean Martin Posted June 12
Alabama’s men’s and women’s golf teams were put on three years’ NCAA probation as part of a probe that found “impermissible benefits’’ awarded to 201 student-athletes in 16 sports at the school.
No golfers were named in the 15-page report as being among the 22 “willful and intentional’’ violators found to used their scholarships to obtain textbooks for other students. The school was ordered to pay a $43,900 fine as part of the penalties.
“We had one minor incident that was less than $2 and was corrected immediately. Men's golf will have no postseason ban or punishment whatsoever,” said Alabama men’s coach Jay Seawell.
The Alabama men’s team finished the 2008-09 season ranked 10th in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, while the women were ranked seventh.
– Golfweek staff Posted June 12
The ultimate goal for men’s college golf when making the switch to match play to decide its national champion was to make the sport more attractive to the masses – something the general public could identify with. Many coaches and more importantly, the NCAA Committee, felt match play could do this.
However, only the usual suspects were in Toledo covering the NCAA Championship. Sure, a run by Michigan atttracted some Detroit media, and I notice a few more Aggies and Razorbacks on the final day, but that’s about it. As far as I’m aware, there was no mention on ESPN or tickers on sports networks across the country that Texas A&M defeated Arkansas in the championship match.
After a town hall meeting a couple of summers ago at the U.S. Junior, I remember one coach telling me they had to do something to make their sport more popular. Even college softball gets on ESPN, he said.
The men’s coaches may want to check within their own circle first and get the NCAA to send a media person. Even at the women’s championship there was an NCAA media represenative at Caves Valley, but not the men. Really? At an event where they were hoping to gain some real national publicity?
Maybe college golf will get a bit of a boost tomorrow when the star of the final match, Bronson Burgoon, will be a guest on ESPN Radio’s Scott Van Pelt Show.
Better late than never.
- Lance Ringler Posted June 11
In her first event as a professional, Amanda Blumenherst is off to a fantastic start.
The Duke grad and three-time college player of the year carded five birdies in a 4-under 68 Thursday at the Duramed Futures Tour’s Michelob Ultra Futures Players Championship. She was was a shot off the lead midway through the first round at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur, Illinois.
Last week, Mina Harigae, who left Duke after one semseter, won her first pro event on the Futures Tour.
– Dan Mirocha Posted June 11
Phil Francis told Golfweek June 8 that he is transferring from UCLA after two seasons to enroll at Arizona State, but will have to sit out the 2009-10 season due to Pac-10 regulations.
Francis – Golfweek’s top-ranked junior for the majority of his junior career, who helped UCLA to a national championship his freshman year – said he just never took to the Los Angeles lifestyle.
“I’m glad I came here, felt like I matured a lot grew up a lot, got out of my comfort zone,” said Francis, who grew up in Scottsdale, Ariz., in a house near Desert Mountain GC. “But I just miss Arizona, miss Scottsdale golf.”
More on this story upcoming...
– Eric Soderstrom Posted June 10
Indiana grad Jorge Campillo will make his debut as a professional at the European Tour’s BMW International Open at the end of June.
Campillo, who won nine events with the Hoosiers, signed with IMG on Thursday.
Two of college golf’s best players from this past season have been granted sponsor’s exemptions into the PGA Tour’s U.S. Bank Championship. The event is schedule to be played July 16-19 opposite the British Open at Brown Deer Park Golf Course in Milwaukee, Wisc.
Kyle Stanley of Clemson and Mike Van Sickle of Marquette will play alongside the pros. For Van Sickle it will be his first appearance in a PGA Tour event. Stanley has played three times with the pros - twice at Bay Hill and once at the 2008 U.S. Open.
- Lance Ringler Posted June 9
This past year in both men’s and women’s golf there were more exciting times then dull moments. Several questions came up, such as the new NCAA Championship format and who would be the players of the year? Congrats to Matt and Maria, and thumbs up to the new match play format.
With the college golf season now over let’s take a look at five questions I have for the fall.
1. Texas A&M won this year, but who will win next year? I am not taking anything away from the Aggies being called champions, but I do want to put this win in perspective. After three rounds of stroke play they were down 20 shots to Oklahoma State! I think it is safe to say that with the match mlay format now at nationals the best team may only win once every 10 years. You know the saying, “Anything can happen in match play.” After all, we almost had a Michigan vs. Arkansas final. The new format is exciting, entertaining, more dramatic, and engaging to fans and players, but it also makes picking a winner a crap-shoot.
To think logically now, you have to pick an unlogical pick.
Mark it down right now, my early favorite to win it all next year is… Iowa.
2. Are the Duke ladies done? For years we have all said Duke is Duke. But, did we say that this year? In 12 stroke play events last year the Blue Devils’ best finish was a second at the Lady Gator. Here is a list of their other finishes; 8th, 6th, 5th, 4th, 7th, 13th, 5th, 3rd at the ACC’s, T6 at regionals, and 6th at nationals. Now, subtract Amanda Blumenherst and Jennie Lee and your left with the second half of Aussie Alison Whitaker’s native country chant, “Oy, Oy, Oy!”
3. M.H. vs. M.H. If you look at how the rankings wrapped up this year it’s hard to argue that Matt Hill was not the player of the year. All he did was win just about every tournament he played, plus his conference, regional, and the championship at Inverness. However, it will probably be more of the same next year. Matt Hill will play another schedule where several of the top players and coaches will rarely get to see him, and Morgan Hoffmann will be playing one of the toughest schedules in the country. Wins are wins, and for the OSU M.H. to be player of the year he’ll need a few more W’s and the NCSU M.H. to not win as much down the stretch. 4. Trifecta in the PAC-10 ASU-USC-UCLA. No matter how you rearrange those three schools you know they will once again be battling it out all of next year again. Each team loses a key contributor, but recruit more stars for the fall. It has to be tough that so many other schools have good teams, but I just keep seeing those three atop leaderboards leaving the course with wins. Forget about being a top five team next year. The goal if you are not ASU, USC, or UCLA is simple… win it all or one of them will. 5. The NCAA Championship Format At the next coaches convention how many coaches and ideas will be pitched to change the format once again. How many of the big time coaches will see that Michigan nearly won it all and thus poses a “problem” for the new format? Here’s my rule change I ask to be passed at the next convention: I propose no rule changes, discussions, or even ideas tossed around for changing the new format for a minimum of five years.
Now imagine that – a college golf world without change.
–Asher Wildman Posted June 9
NCAA golf records are pretty weak, but thanks to the efforts of Doug Tammaro, the Arizona State sports information director, we have single-season stroke average marks from the past few years.
A couple of this season’s top players have been added. NCAA champion Matt Hill of North Carolina State is No. 11 and Marquette’s Mike Van Sickle is No. 15.
• Aggies win NCAA title in thriller This week can be best described as the quiet before the storm. Coaching changes will hit headlines in the next two weeks and jobs will open after coaches leave to fill other vacancies.
I see a lot of these initial jobs going to head coaches simply because the coaching market is more competitive in many ways than what we have been used to. Assistants will get their chances, but for many of those assistants, it might be time to think about taking jobs at places like Louisiana Tech (men) and Creighton (men) and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (women). Go there and make something happen and then find your way to that bigger school. Most of the administrators I have spoken with in the last month seem to prefer someone with head-coaching experience.
On the men’s side, Charlotte might be the first to strike and while many head coaches have been considered I expect them to stay right at home with Adam Pry. He’s an assistant, but he’s the assistant that’s there. Ohio State and Auburn may announce their new coach as early as the end of next week.
On the women’s side, Florida may be the first to name a coach. The frontrunners are Kevin Williams and Laura Matthews. Oregon, which would like to have UCLA’s Carrie Forsyth or Matthews, might be back to the drawing board. Oklahoma and Texas Tech will take a bit longer. And expect Washington State to soon announce an opening for its job. They have decided to split the programs - something they should have done 10 years ago. Walt Williams is expected to remain the men’s coach.
I hope to bring you all of the news here on Blog U. and Golfweek.com.
– Lance Ringler Posted June 5
Conrad Shindler is still riding an immense high from winning the NCAA Championship with his Texas A&M squad, but Shindler's high is continuing at the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament this week.
Shindler is caddieing for former British Open champ Todd Hamilton at Memorial. The two are members of the same club which you can read more about here.
Though it's an honor for Shindler to caddie for Hamilton, the two probably aren't having much fun in the second round today. Hamilton was 8-over through eight holes at one point and is now 7-over through 11.
– Ray McCarthy Posted June 5
Denver’s Sammie Chergo has gotten a lot of attention in past seasons and rightfully so. If Chergo can get the job done at a place like Denver, it’s easy to see why schools like Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech would be interested.
However, Sammie told me today that she is staying put. And why not? She has worked hard to get the Pioneer program to the top. She has three returning players from the lineup that placed fifth at the NCAA Championship and has two top recruits in Kimberly Kim and Sue Kim joining the squad.
– Lance Ringler Posted June 4
Very soon we will be hearing of coaches changing schools, but one coach you can count on staying put is UCLA’s Carrie Forsyth. Many had speculated the 10-year Bruins head coach might be headed to Oregon. That won’t happen.
In an e-mail Forsyth said: “I want people to know that I am very happy at UCLA and proud of our program and that I remain committed to helping my student-athletes reach their goals as part of the Bruin family.”
Many speculate that former Oklahoma State and Georgia standout Laura Matthews is in line for one of the several open jobs. Former head coaches Stacey Totman, Shannon Rouillard and Carol Ludvigson also may be looking as well. Oregon is a place we could see Matthews end up or possibly Florida. Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Charleston Southern and Missouri-Kansas City are also Division I jobs looking for a coach.
- Lance Ringler Posted June 2
LIVE CHAT REPLAY: Senior Bronson Burgoon hit one the best shots in college golf history Saturday afternoon, slamming his 125-yard approach on No. 18 to inches to win the NCAA Championship for Texas A&M. He joined us for a 30-minute live chat from the Inverness Club about a half hour later. Click play below to replay the chat.
TOLEDO, Ohio — Here’s my stat of the week: If Georgia’s Hudson Swafford signs for a first-round 72 (what he actually shot) instead of 73 (what he wrote on his card), Texas A&M plays Oklahoma State in the first round of match play.
Talk about an interesting mistake.
– Eric Soderstrom Posted May 30
NCAA Championship: Lance Ringler and Eric Soderstrom look forward to future NCAA Championships... can we expect any more changes? TOLEDO, Ohio — Now that the national championship is in the books, all of the focus will shift to the coaching vacancies in college golf. One of those vacant jobs is at the University of Oklahoma and a name that’s popped up for several years as the next coach in Norman is Arkansas head coach Brad McMakin. McMakin played his collegiate golf for the Razorbacks and helped his team win the national championship in 1989.
Prior to the championship match, I spoke with Brad and he told me that he and his family enjoyed Fayetteville and what he has built in his three seasons coaching at Arkansas. He also said he plans to remain at Arkansas.
However, McMakin’s name is popular and the jobs that are open - Oklahoma, Auburn and Ohio State - have the resources to pay him top dollar if they wish. However, after speaking with Brad, I really believe he’s sincere and plans to remain a Razorback.
– Lance Ringler Posted May 30
TOLEDO, Ohio – Senior Bronson Burgoon hit one the best shots in college golf history Saturday afternoon to win the NCAA Championship for Texas A&M at the Inverness Club. Burgoon was 4 up with five holes remaining, but lost Nos. 14-17 and was all square with Landry as they walked to No. 18. Burgoon hit his drive on the final hole well right into the rough, 125 yards from the pin.
From there, he slammed his gap wedge approach to two inches, the ball landing on the right slope of the green and rolling down to a tucked left pin position.
“I hit it right where I was looking. Right when it hit on the hill I knew it was going to feed down close to the hole,” said Burgoon.
“I couldn’t have drawn it up any better. I’m just glad to bring it home for them. And that was the hardest thing when it was slipping away. I was more discouraged for the other guys than I was for myself, so it couldn’t have been any better.”
Landry hit his approach to the front of the green, 30 feet from the cup. He missed his putt right, giving the Aggies a 3-2 victory.
• • •
In the other matches: • Bronson Burgoon (A&M) def. Andrew Landry, 1 up. • Andrea Pavan (A&M) def. David Lingmerth, 7 and 6. • John Hurley (A&M) def. Ethan Tracy, 6 and 4. • Jason Cuthbertson (Arkansas) def. Matt Van Zandt, 3 and 1 • Jamie Marshall (Arkansas) def. Conrad Shindler, 3 and 2.
TOLEDO, Ohio – Note to NCAA Division I Golf Committee members: With all due respect, take a five-year vacation. Or maybe 10.
The NCAA Championship isn’t even over yet, and already there is talk of tweaking the new format for 2011 (the next possible championship to impose any changes), possibly going from eight to 16 teams in the match-play portion.
First, I agree with Georgia’s Russell Henley here: “I think they should keep it the same,” Henley said Friday afternoon, after his team lost to Arkansas in the semifinals.
“If you include the top 16 teams, the winner’s score could be 3 under like it was this year and the 16th team could be 40 over (this year, 16th-place South Carolina was 33 over), so if you play that well for nothing. The top 8 narrows it down to the teams that are playing the best. If you do top 16, that’s a lot of golf and I think this is about as much as the mind can almost handle.”
Second, more changes that soon will only make things hokey for me. Not that the committee particularly gives a ratty range ball what I think, but it’s been difficult to take this championship seriously lately.
Arkansas Brad McMakin said if he wins the title today, he wouldn’t care if they made more tweaks. “They could change it back tomorrow,” he said. McMakin also said it wouldn’t take anything away from the honor – which is where it gets fuzzy for me.
I would never say a team didn’t deserve its national championship trophy; if the Razorbacks win, they will have won because they beat everyone else playing in the same championship.
It’s the symbolism and significance of that championship trophy that I’m worried about.
– Eric Soderstrom Posted May 30
The start of the final match between Arkansas and Texas A&M Saturday morning to determine this year’s NCAA champion was delayed by 30 minutes.
Weather problems? No.
Frost problems? No.
Golf course problems? No.
How about this one: Breakfast delay.
There was no breakfast buffet set up for the players and they had to order off the menu, adding additional time to their morning meal.
I’ve been covering golf for more than 30 years and have been to what seems like a zillion competitive events. This one is a first.
Oh well, these are young and growing kids. They’ve got to eat.
– Ron Balicki Posted May 30
Take 5: Lance Ringler and Asher Wildman weigh in on all of the quarterfinal and semifinal action from Friday. TOLEDO, Ohio – How to sum up Friday at the NCAA Championship? Let’s just say there weren’t as many birdies made as tears.
“Loss of words right now, I’m in tears, I’m emotional,” said Texas A&M sophomore Conrad Shindler, just minutes after his team clinched victory over Michigan. “A lot of emotions, you don’t have it yet but you’re close and you can feel it. To be this close to getting to your dream...”
Whether you agree with the NCAA Championship’s new match-play format or not, there is no denying the way it elevates the overall emotion of the event.
Oklahoma State coach Mike McGraw, whose team was stunned by a Brian Harman birdie putt on the final hole of their match with Georgia, said it best today: “You knew what the outcome was going to be, you didn’t have to go to the scoreboard to see what it was going to be.”
Of course, that only means individual mistakes and misses become magnified, i.e. Oklahoma State sophomore Rickie Fowler’s close misses on birdie putts on Nos. 17 and 18 against Harman, and Michigan senior Bill Rankin’s tough finish many hours later on the 18th hole, which eventually ended in a 1-down loss to Aggie Matt Van Zandt.
After draining a 15-footer on No. 17 to square the match, Rankin sent his drive on 18 in the right rough, then sailed his approach over the green and into a deep bunker, leaving himself little green to work with. His bunker shot was hot and rolled off the green; his next pitch looked like it had a chance to go in, but rolled past.
With Van Zandt only two putts away from par, Rankin conceded the hole and the match to A&M; it also signaled the end to his college career.
Anyone able to hold in the tears at that point isn’t human. – Eric Soderstrom Posted May 29
TOLEDO, Ohio – While this can hardly be considered earth-shattering insight, we must note that following their semifinal victories at the NCAA Championship Friday, members of both the Arkansas and Texas A&M golf teams pointed to team camaraderie for much of their success.
“How close we are as a team is incredible,” said Texas A&M sophomore Conrad Shindler, the guy first out to the 18th greeen to attack/hug his senior teammate Matt Van Zandt after his match-clinching victory over Michigan senior Bill Rankin Friday evening.
“We do everything as a team,” he said. “We love being around each other. Some people think you would get sick of your teammates – we don’t. Day in and day out, from workouts to dinner at night, we’re always around each other, and I think that’s one of the strongest key points that we have.”
Every night this week, Arkansas has gathered to hang out and play cards, which is to say they’ve been doing nothing out of the ordinary.
“We get together every night practically,” said Arkansas senior Andrew Landry. “And that’s what happens when you play a lot and you travel alot with the same guys.
“Team comraderie. You get in there, you become really good friends, you become really close and you push each other.”
Now they only have to push a little bit further.
– Eric Soderstrom Posted May 29
TOLEDO, Ohio – It looked as if Arkansas sophomore Jamie Marshall calmly stroked in a 10-footer for par on the 18th hole Friday afternoon to beat Georgia’s Adam Mitchell, 1 up, in the semifinals of the NCAA Championship.
Just minutes later, however, Marshall’s hands were shaking as he signed a golf ball for a friend.
“Are you nervous?” someone asked. Marshall smiled, knowing it was much more about excitement than nervousness.
He knew what would soon be official: The Razorbacks are headed to the finals of the NCAA Championship.
Marshall, a transfer from Nebraska, took a 1-up lead with a birdie at the par-5 13th and never looked back. Mitchell made bogey on the next hole to go 2 down, but won the 17th after Marshall got lost in a greenside bunker. On 18, Mitchell left his approach too far left and missed his long birdie putt. Marshall two-putted from about 35 feet for the victory, earning Arkansas its second official point.
About 10 minutes earlier, Jason Cuthbertson closed out Harris English, 2 and 1, on the 17th. David Lingmerth beat Hudson Swafford, 3 and 2, to secure the clinching point of a 3-1-1 victory.
“We're fired up. We just took it shot for shot,” said Lingmerth. “We started out with Washington (who they beat 3-2) and then we had Georgia. We knew it was going to take a good round to beat thtme. Everyone stepped up and I'm just happy.”
TOLDEO, Ohio – So as not to forget where we are this week – Big 10 country – Michigan’s Lion Kim, on the Wolverines’ NCAA Championship run:
“It feels great to be doing this in Ohio, I get to say this because I’m a Michigan Wolverine, but I’m glad that Ohio State isn’t in it. I’m glad they’re not in it.”
– Eric Soderstrom Posted May 29
NCAA Championship: Lance Ringler and Sean Martin break down all the quarterfinal action and look ahead to the semis. TOLEDO, Ohio – Arkansas junior David Lingmerth just made a hole-in-one on the third hole, which starts the stretch some have titled “The Gauntlet” this week. The par 3 plays 200 yards, and Lingmerth had success there this week going birdie-par-par in stroke-play qualifying.
Shortly after his morning victory over Washington’s Richard Lee, Lingmerth responded to a question about the new NCAA Championship format.
“It’s good for us,” he said. “Oklahoma State was up by a bunch of shots and now they are out and we have a chance to win. I don’t know if it’s fair or not, but we have a chance, so for us it’s good and I like it.”
Lingmerth is now 2-up in his match against Hudson Swafford.
– Lance Ringler Posted May 29
TOLEDO, Ohio — What a morning with three the lower-seeded teams winning in the first round. Predictions for the afternoon:
Arkansas (4) vs. Georgia (8): This is an interesting match. Georgia appears to be the clear favorite, but there is something about Arkansas that makes me feel they may be on a path to the title. Georgia is coming off a big – potentially exhausting – win against Oklahoma State. I like Jamie Marshall, Jason Cuthbertson and David Lingmerth to give the Razorbacks a 3-2 win.
• • • Texas A&M (6) vs. Michigan (7): I was surprised to see the Aggies beat Arizona State. Not because I don’t believe in Texas A&M, it’s just that I thought the Sun Devils were playing very good golf. And I think Michigan is gaining two valuable ingredients right now: momentum and confidence. I like Matt Thompson, Alexander Sitompul and Lion Kim to win their matches for the Wolverines. Note: Matt Thompson went 3-0 at the Big Ten Conference Match Play Championship and with his victory over Tom Glissmeyer, Thompson is now 4-0 in match play this year.
– Lance Ringler Posted May 29
TOLEDO, Ohio — Brian Harman said yesterday he wasn’t going to turn pro because he wanted to make the Walker Cup. Well, his summer is off to a great start.
In his quarterfinal match, Harman faced Oklahoma State’s Rickie Fowler, Team USA’s MVP from 2007. Harman kept his focus and defeated one of the best amateurs in the world.
Fowler will most likely be a lock for this summer’s Walker Cup squad, but who else will we see at Merion?
Florida’s Billy Horschel? Just turned pro. USC’s Jamie Lovemark? Intends to turn pro. Clemson’s Kyle Stanley? Just turned pro.
Can anyone else throw out a name that would seem to be a potential lock? I can’t.
Walking in the crowds today wearing his Team USA jacket proudly was Walker Cup captain Buddy Marucci.
I jokingly asked him if he was using the NCAA championship as a “recruiting tool” for his squad.
He replied, “I’m treating this trip to Inverness like any other scouting trip.”
Note to Brian Harman: I think you got the captain’s attention.
– Asher Wildman Posted May 29
TOLEDO, Ohio – Michigan’s Fab Five are back in the Final Four, and we’re not talking about Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, etc.
We're talking about Lion Kim, Alexander Sitompul, Matt Thompson, Bill Rankin, and Nick Pumford. This fivesome has Michigan, No. 43 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, in the semifinals at the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship.
One day after getting up-and-down from a plugged lie on the 18th hole to help the Wolverines advance to match play, Kim almost holed a 2-iron hybrid to beat USC’s Matt Giles, 2 and 1, and lead Michigan into the semifinals at the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship.
Kim proved that distance doesn’t matter. After watching Giles pound a drive into the right rough on No. 17, Kim decided to swing easy with his driver to ensure he hit the fairway. He left himself 212 yards for his second shot on the 470-yard par-4, almost 80 yards behind Giles.
Kim swung “50 percent” and cut his shot. The ball landed just short of the green, between the greenside bunker and the hole, which was cut close to the front-left side. The ball broke just right of the hole before stopping 1 foot away. Kim won after Giles missed a 35-foot birdie putt.
“Some people think, ‘You swing like a girl,’ ” Kim said, “but bottom line I got the job done.”
Kim holed a 12-foot par putt on No. 18 in the final round of stroke play to help Michigan clinch the No. 6 seed and finish one shot ahead of Georgia and Texas A&M, which tied for the last two spots in match play.
– Sean Martin Posted May 29
Mid-day report: Georgia tops Oklahoma State TOLEDO, Ohio – Let the upsets continue. Lion Kim’s par at the par-5 13th appears to have ended USC’s title hopes.
USC’s Matthew Giles missed the green left with his third shot, leaving himself a short-sided chip to a green that ran away from him. Giles’ chip ran 8 feet past and he missed the par putt. Kim made a 3-foot par putt to complete a two-putt from 45 feet.
Kim is 3 up with five holes remaining. The Trojans and Wolverines halved the first four matches.
In possibly the biggest individual upset of the day, Michigan’s Matt Thompson beat USC’s Tom Glissmeyer, 4 and 3. Thompson won the first hole, was 3 up through 5 and 5 up at the turn.
Thompson is No. 214 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, while Glissmeyer is No. 34.
– Sean Martin Posted May 29
TOLEDO, Ohio – A great match-up lived up to expectations. The Washington Huskies came to Inverness as one of the hottest squads in college golf with thoughts of seriously contending. They did, sort of.
In the opening match, the Huskies ran into a feisty, unassuming bunch from Fayetteville, Ark.
With two Razorback wins on the board and trailing big in two other matches, the match landed on the shoulders of Arkansas’ David Lingmerth.
“I realized it was probably up to me to close it out,” Lingmerth said. “I was 1 down teeing off on No. 13 and I realized I needed to get going.”
Lingmerth did what one needs to do in match play on a tough golf course: make pars.
“He played a heck of a back nine. He drove the ball in the fairway on every hole and I think that was the key,” Arkansas coach Brad McMakin said.
The junior from Tranas, Sweden, who transferred from West Florida following his freshman season, parred his final four holes to defeat Richard Lee, 3 and 1.
“I hit good shots all day and knew it was up to me and I guess I got a little bit more nervous,” Lingmerth said. “I just tried to stay determine and focused on what I needed to do.”
For Washington it just was not the kind of effort that coach Matt Thurmond had hoped for.
“There are those moments in every round where you have to hit the shots and you just have to step up and be able to do it and have the strength inside you to be able to do it and we just couldn’t do it today,” Thurmond said. “That’s something we have been good at, but when it really, really, really mattered we were not able to do it.”
– Lance Ringler Posted May 29
TOLEDO, Ohio – It doesn’t get much more exciting than this.
Georgia senior Brian Harman birdied his final three holes for a 1-up victory over Rickie Fowler. Harman’s win gave No. 2 Georgia a 3-2 win over No. 1 Oklahoma State in Friday’s quarterfinals.
Harman was 1-down through 16 holes, then made putts of 8, 12 and 8 feet on Nos. 16-18.
“In our minds, yeah, this is the one that meant something to us,” Georgia head coach Chris Haack said. A gallery of about 200 people, including several teams that wrapped up stroke play this morning, followed the match.
Fowler and Harman showed why they’re two of the best match-play players in college golf. Harman, the 2003 U.S. Junior champ, played on the 2005 Walker Cup team. Fowler beat Pablo Martin to make the quarterfinals of the 2006 U.S. Amateur while still in high school, and went 3-1-0 at the 2007 Walker Cup.
Fowler came close to matching Harman's closing three birdies. Fowler made a 15-foot birdie putt on No. 16 before Harman made his putt. On No. 17, Fowler just missed on the high side from 20 feet. Fowler played aggressive on No. 18, hitting driver on the 354-yard hole. He hit his approach to 10 feet, and putted first. His putt looked good most of the way, but broke hard left at the end and just missed on the low side.
The competition between Georgia and Oklahoma State came down to the teams’ No. 1 players after the first four matches were decided by large margins.
• Morgan Hoffmann (OSU) def. Hudson Swafford, 4 and 3 • Russell Henley (Ga.) def. Trent Leon, 3 and 1 • Peter Uihlein (OSU) def. Harris English, 4 and 3 • Adam Mitchell (Ga.) def. Kevin Tway, 5 and 3
It was the best and worst of match play. There was an exciting finish, but it also means that the team that dominated stroke play is out in the first round. Oklahoma State beat the field by 13 strokes in the three rounds of stroke play.
It says something when the losing coach comes out in support of the new format, though.
“The format is unbelievable, and those coaches who say this isn’t the right format need to be here on a day like today, because that was a great match out there,” Oklahoma State head coach Mike McGraw said.
Oklahoma State was leading in four of the five matches after nine holes. Both Harman and Georgia’s Russell Henley were trailing after nine, but made back-nine comebacks.
Henley was 1 down to Trent Leon at the turn, but won No. 11 with birdie, No. 12 with birdie and No. 13 with bogey to take a 2-up lead.
Fowler called it, “the most fun I’ve had in college golf.”
– Sean Martin Posted May 29
• • •
LIVE CHAT REPLAY:Georgia's Brian Harman chatted with us during a rain delay on Day 2 of the NCAA Championship.
TOLEDO, Ohio – Georgia senior Brian Harman birdied his final three holes for a 1-up victory over Rickie Fowler. Harman’s win gave Georgia a 3-2 win over No. 1 Oklahoma State in the Friday’s quarterfinals.
Harman was 1-down through 16 holes, then made putts of 8, 12 and 6 feet on Nos. 16-18.
– Sean Martin Posted May 29
TOLEDO, Ohio – Oklahoma State is in control halfway through its highly-anticipated match with Georgia.
Through nine holes, the Cowboys are up in four of the five matches. Rickie Fowler knocked his second shot on the par-4 ninth to within 2 feet for a birdie to take a 1-up lead halfway through his match with Brian Harman.
Here are the results of the other four matches between these teams through nine holes:
• Morgan Hoffmann (Oklahoma St.) 2 up on Hudson Swafford • Trent Leon (Oklahoma St.) 1 up on Russell Henley • Peter Uihlein (Oklahoma St., pictured right) 3 up on Harris English • Adam Mitchell (Georgia) 2 up on Kevin Tway
It’s a fun atmosphere at Inverness. There’s something intriguining about teams going head-to-head to decide the national championship. It’s definitely more dramatic than if this were a 72-hole stroke-play championship, if only because Oklahoma State would have entered the final round with a commanding 13-shot lead.
Some of the teams that finished their third round of stroke play this morning have even stayed at Inverness to check out the action. – Sean Martin Posted May 29
Quick question: Did Georgia coach Chris Haack and Oklahoma State coach Mike McGraw talk this morning before their teams got dressed?
Both powerhouses came to the course in the same color schemes: white hats, black shirts and khaki shorts. Only the logos are different.
I guess this is what the NCAA had in mind when they switched to MATCH play. (Sorry, had to.)
– Eric Soderstrom Posted May 29
TOLEDO, Ohio – Match play is here. My predictions for Friday morning. Match 1: No. 1 Oklahoma State vs. No. 8 Georgia ... Many hoped this might be the final match, but they will instead meet in the opening round. The winner of this match will be the obvious favorite to win it all. I have to give a slight edge here to the Cowboys, the team I picked to win it all before the championship. I like Tway, Uihlein, Hoffmann to win for Oklahoma State with Henley and Harman getting a point each for the Bulldogs. Oklahoma State advances.
Match 2: No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 5 Washington ... If the Oklahoma State/Georgia match looks good how about this one. Are you kidding me? Two of college golf's best stories of the year. Thurmond vs. McMakin. The Huskies have been one the hottest teams in college golf the last month, but something tells me the Razorbacks my be a little sharper. For Arkansas, I like Marshall, Cuthbertson and Lingmert to win. For the Huskies I like Wallace and Taylor to win. Arkansas advances.
Match 3: No. 2 Arizona State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M ... If I did not pick Oklahoma State to win it all prior to the championship, my next choice was Arizona State. I like the Sun Devils to get out early and win the first three matches. I like Pickney, Kennegard and Kim. For the Agiies Pavan and Burgoon. Arizona State advances. Match 4: No. 3 Southern California vs. No. 6 Michigan ... It is so tempting to pick the upset. The Wolverines will certainly have a home crowd advantage and should hear some noise throughout the golf course with this match. Michigan gets out early with victories from Pumford and Rankin. Glissmeyer defeats Thompson. But, it will all come down to the final two matches and I think Michigan gets the job done with Sitompul winning while Giles holds off Kim. Michigan advances.
Lance Ringler – Posted May 28
Take 5: Lance Ringler and Asher Wildman break down the third round of the NCAA Championship.
Take 5: Lance Ringler and Sean Martin break down the match play brackets.
TOLEDO, Ohio – Barring some team shooting lights out in the afternoon, here are your matchups for tomorrow:
• No. 1 Oklahoma State vs. No. 8 Georgia • No. 4 Arkansas vs. No. 5 Washington • No. 2 Arizona State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M • No. 3 USC vs. No. 6 Michigan
We got the Oklahoma State vs. Georgia match that we were looking for, but it will come in the first round.
The tiebreaker between the three teams that tied for third and the two teams that tied for seventh was the sum of their three throwout scores.
Here’s the breakdown by conference of the final eight by conference: • Pac-10: Three (USC, ASU, Washington) • SEC: Two (Georgia, Arkansas) • Big 12: Two (Oklahoma State, Texas A&M) • Big Ten: One (Michigan)
– Sean Martin Posted May 28
North Carolina State sophomore Matt Hill closed with his third consecutive 2-under 69 to win the NCAA individual championship at 6 under, two better than Clemson junior Kyle Stanley.
Hill chatted with Golfweek.com 15 minutes after he signed his winning scorecard.
For those of you hoping for an Oklahoma State-Georgia duel at this week’s NCAA Championship, you may be in luck.
In the first round of match play.
While there is still a decent amount of golf to be played this afternoon, top-ranked Oklahoma State is in the lead and in the house at 3 under, at least 11 shots clear of everyone else. Second-ranked Georgia, meanwhile, is currently finished at 17 over and in a tie with Texas A&M for the eighth and final advancing spot.
And barely.
The Bulldogs may have saved themselves by playing Inverness’ short but treacherous 18th hole in 2 under, with Hudson Swafford (75), Harris English (76) and Adam Mitchell (75) all draining 8-to-10 footers for birdie. Brian Harman got up-and-down for par from the right greenside bunker for his third consecutive even-par 71, and Russell Henley (75) just burned the right edge with his birdie putt.
The Aggies played No. 18 even.
As of 3:30 p.m., Tennessee and Michigan were at 15 over and 16 over, respectively, with less than five holes to play.
If only one of those teams fall out, we could also be looking at a Georgia-Texas A&M playoff for the final spot and a chance to play the Cowboys in Round 1.
