This week's syllabus: Sept. 17-23

__THE FAB FIVE

My look at the top five teams in the country right now__

__MEN

__[#image: /photos/55ad71acb01eefe207f68439]|||Thumbnail image for Oklahoma-state-logo-latest.jpg|||__1. Oklahoma State

Despite the loss of__Rickie Fowler to the pro ranks, the Cowboys have two possible national player of the year candidates in Morgan Hoffmann and Peter Uihlein returning, plus past All-Americans in Kevin Tway and Trent Whitekiller. Have to love the depth.

Fall opener: Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational, Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields, Ill., Sept. 18-20

2. Washington

Nice start to the 2009-10 season with victory at the Topy Cup. Three other Huskies post top-25 finishes playing as individuals at Washington State's event. UW is another school that has a deep roster. That's always hard to beat.

Next event: Ping/Golfweek Invitational, Gold Mountain GC, Bremerton, Wash., Sept. 27-28

Mike Small's squad will be challenged to repeat last year's early success (winning three of its first four starts) but the Illini are ready to give it a try after their 13-stroke win over North Florida at the Wolf Run Invitational.

Next event: Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational, Olympia Fields CC, Olympia Fields, Ill., Sept. 18-20

__4. Tennessee

__Like I wrote in this week's issue of Golf World, the Volunteers have often been called a "sneaky good" program but would likely prefer just to be known as "good." They took a step in that direction with their victory at last weekend's Carpet Capital Collegiate.

Next event: Windon Memorial Classic, North Shore CC, Glencoe, Ill., Oct. 4-5

__5. UNLV

__The Rebels looked impressive with their 16-stroke victory at the Tucker Invitational. In Eddie Olson and Derek Ernst they have two steady golfers to lean on. Meanwhile, Colby Smith's share of medalist honors in Albuquerque is a sign that there are players behind them ready to step up.

Next event: Gene Miranda Invitational, Eisenhower GC, Colorado Springs, Sept. 19-20

__WOMEN

__[#image: /photos/55ad71acadd713143b42315e]|||Thumbnail image for Arizona State logo 2008-09.gif|||__1. Arizona State

__Returning players got to travel to Japan for Topy Cup and claimed first victory since winning NCAA title. Interesting now to see if any freshmen will crack line-up when the Sun Devils travel east to Tennessee.

Next event: Mason Rudolph Invitational, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn., Sept. 25-27

__2. USC

Belen Mozo's recovery from summer surgery is a question mark for the Trojans as is__Lizette Salas nagging back injury. Still, Jennifer Song is as confident as ever and this team is too talented not to win a few tournaments in 2009-10.

Fall opener: Mason Rudolph Invitational, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn., Sept. 25-27

__3. [Pepperdine

](http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/w-golf/usc-w-golf-body.html)__The Waves eked out a one-stroke victory at the Golfweek Conference Challenge, with Taylore Karle making 18 straight pars during the final round, with her par on the 18th clinching the win. Going with just a five-player roster this fall, but they've got a talented five.

Next event: Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, University of New Mexico GC, Albuquerque, Sept. 19-20

__4. LSU

__Granted the Tigers' season-opening victory was in a match-play event, but a win is a win and LSU did knock off a couple SEC rivals in Florida and Auburn to get the W. If they were at all before hand, you get the sense that from now on LSU isn't going to be intimidated by anyone.

Next event: Mason Rudolph Invitational, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn., Sept. 25-27

__5. [Georgia

](http://www.georgiadogs.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPSID=40680&SPID=3578&DB_OEM_ID=8800)__The Bulldogs love the Cougar Classic. After setting school 54-hole scoring record there last fall, UGa breaks it with repeat victory this past week. Kelley Hester's crew shoots 14-under 850 to break record by eight strokes. Marta Silva Zamora claims individual title with Emile Burger and Milena Savich posted top-five finishes.

Next event: Mason Rudolph Invitational, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn., Sept. 25-27

STAT OF THE WEEK

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1__

Number of college tournaments it took for U.S. Girls' Junior champion Amy Anderson to break North Dakota State's 18-hole and 54-hole school records. The freshman (right) claimed medalist honors earlier this week at the Chip-N-Club Invitational, shooting a six-under 210 at Wilderness Ridge in Lincoln, Neb. Anderson broke the previous 54-hole record by 13 strokes (old mark was 223, set by Jenna Buckwalter at the Chip-N-Club in 2007). She broke the 18-hole mark when she shot an opening-round 69 (old mark was 71) and then tied her new record with a final-round 69. She is just the seventh player in school history to win an individual tournament title since the program's inception in 1996-97 and only the second to win a Division I tournament.

__WHAT TO WATCH FOR

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TOURNAMENTS TO WATCH__

__MEN

Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational

__    (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)

Olympia Fields GC, Olympia Fields, Ill. (Par 70, 7,157 yards)

Sept. 18-20

Host: Illinois

Field: Arizona State, Augusta State, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Purdue, San Diego State, Stanford, Texas, USC, Wake Forest

Defending champion: Illinois (12-over 852) by 11 strokes over Indiana; Illinois' Zack Barlow and Indiana's Alex Martin (one-under 209)

Skinny: Seven of the top 12 teams in the Golf World/Nike Golf coaches' poll are in the field. … In three-year history of the event, no team has shot better than Illinois' 852 from last fall.

__Spartan Classic

__Kingsley Club, Kingsley, Mich.

Sept. 19-20

Host: Michigan State

Field: California, Charleston Southern, Cleveland State, Columbia, Detroit Mercy, Duquesne, Evansville, Jackson State, Michigan State, Northern Illinois, Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Clara, UC Davis

Defending champion: Michigan State (12-under 276) by 14 strokes over Detroit Mercy; Michigan State's Graham Baillargeon and Jack Newman (four-under 68)

Skinny: Hope to have better second effort after last year's debut was cut to one round due to bad weather.

__Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational

__Eisenhower GC (Blue Course), Colorado Springs (Par 72, 7, 301 yards)

Sept. 19-20

Host: Air Force

Field: UAB, Air Force, Colorado, Colorado State, Denver, Nevada, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, San Diego, Southern Utah, UCCS, UNLV, Utah, Utah State, Utah Valley, Washington State, Weber State, Wyoming

Defending champion: Colorado State (27-under 837) by 11 strokes over UNLV; Colorado State's Bryce Hanstad (11-under 205) by three strokes over Colorado State's Riley Arp

Skinny: Previously known as the Rocky Mountain Invitational and the Pikes Peak Invitational, this is the 41st year the event has been held.

__Adams Cup of Newport

__Newport National GC (Orchard Course), Newport, R.I. (Par 72, 7,244 yards)

Sept. 21-22

Host: Rhode Island

Field: Brown, Bryant, UCF, Connecticut, DePaul, Francis Marion, Furman, Georgia Southern, Hartford, New Mexico, Ohio State, Rhode Island, SMU, Southern Mississippi, St. Joseph's, Temple, William & Mary__

Defending champion:__ Texas A&M (eight-under 856) by 13 strokes over Minnesota; Texas A&M's Bronson Burgoon (12-under 204) by seven strokes over Texas A&M's Andrea Pavan

Skinny: Rhody coach Tom Drennan guarantees the winner of the event will also claim the NCAA title (OK, just kidding, but Texas A&M did claim the first of its four wins here en route to the national championship).

__Jim Colbert Intercollegiate

__Colbert Hills GC, Manhattan, Kan. (Par 72, 7,525 yards)

Sept. 21-22

Host:Kansas State

Field: Florida Gulf Coast, Illinois State, Kansas, Kansas State, UMKC, Missouri State, Oral Roberts, South Dakota State, Western Illinois

Defending champion: Kansas State (19-over 883) by 17 strokes over UMKC; Kansas State's Mitchell Gregson (even-par 216) by one stroke over Wichita State's Dustin Garza

Skinny: Host Cougars are playing their 75th season of collegiate golf

__WOMEN

Lady Paladin Intercollegiate__

(For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat page)

Furman University GC, Greenville, S.C.

Sept. 18-20

Host: Furman

Field: Campbell, East Carolina, East Tennessee State, Florida International, Furman, James Madison, Kennesaw State, Mercer, UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington, Nova Southeastern, Penn State, Rutgers, Samford, Stetson, Wofford

Defending champion (2008): TCU (32-over 896) by 14 strokes over Notre Dame; UNC-Wilmington's Carmen Perez-Narbon (one-over 217) by two strokes over East Tennessee State's Laura Jansone

Skinny: Event returns after course renovations postponed 2008 edition. Past individual champions have included Betsy King (1975, 1977), Nancy Lopez (1976), Dottie Pepper (1986, 1987)

__Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational

__    (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat page)

University of New Mexico GC, Albuquerque (par 73, 6,202 yards)

Sept. 19-20

Host: New Mexico

Field: Arkansas, Colorado, Colorado State, Indiana, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pepperdine, San Diego State, San Francisco, Texas A&M, TCU, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UNLV, UTEP, Wyoming

Defending champion: New Mexico (four-under 872) by four strokes over Pepperdine; New Mexico's Jodi Ewart (six-under 213) by one stroke over UNLV's Natasha Krishna

Skinny: Tournament is celebrating its 30th anniversary with the home school having won it seven times and four of the last seven years.

__Napa River Grill Cardinal Cup

__The Cardinal Club, Simpsonville, Ky. (Par 72, 6,253 yards)

Sept. 21-22

Host: Louisville

Field: Akron, BYU, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois State, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Missouri, Morehead State, South Florida, Southern Mississippi

Defending champion (2008): Notre Dame (14-over 878) by three strokes over Louisville; Notre Dame's So-Hyun Park (three-under 213) by one stroke over Middle Tennessee's Taryn Durham

Skinny: Host Cardinals coming off third-place finish in their fall opener, Ptarmigan Ram Classic.

__Ron Moore Women's Intercollegiate

__    (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat page)

Highlands Ranch GC, Highlands, Colo.

Sept. 21-22

Host: Denver

Field: Arkansas-Little Rock, Baylor, Columbia, Denver, Illinois, Iowa State, Montana State, Nebraska, New Mexico State, North Texas, Northern Colorado, UC Davis, Wyoming

Defending champion: Denver (11-under 853) by 27 strokes over TCU; Denver's Stephanie Sherlock (10-under 206) by two strokes over UC Irvine's Jane Chin

Skinny: Pioneers have won their home event five straight years, and you have to like their chances are making it six.