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This week's syllabus: Oct. 1-7

October 01, 2009

__THE FAB FIVE

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

MEN

__[#image: /photos/55ad70c2b01eefe207f6742e]|||Thumbnail image for Oklahoma-state-logo-latest.jpg|||1. Oklahoma State (Last week: 1)

A dominant performance from the Cowboys in winning the Ping/Golfweek Invitational by 22 strokes has to have the folks in Stillwater riding high. Sure, it's just one win, but you can't help but think it's the first of many this season.

Next event: Isleworth Collegiate Invitational, Isleworth CC, Windermere, Fla., Oct. 25-27

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A third-place finish up at Gold Mountain GC outside Tacoma is nothing to sneeze at. For a team that's not necessarily used to fast starts, the Sun Devils are in great shape moving forward after having won the Olympia Fields tourney outside Chicago the previous week.

Next event: Isleworth Collegiate Invitational, Isleworth CC, Windermere, Fla., Oct. 25-27

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The Huskies certainly would have liked to have scored better given they were the de facto host at the Ping/Golfweek event, but a runner-up finish is nothing to turn your nose at. Moreover, things would have looked a lot better had Nick Taylor not shot a second-round 80. Here's a guarantee: the Canadian senior won't fail to break 80 the rest of the season.

Next event: Idaho Vandal, Idaho CC, Moscow, Idaho, Oct. 11-12

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The Volunteers have to be the favorites as they head up to Chicagoland this week. Only question is whether the lag in time between the Carpet Capital victory and this next start is too much to keep up any momentum.

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

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With no one else blowing me away this week, the Mustangs hang on to the five spot. Two victories is two victories, even if the strength of the fields SMU beat wasn't five-star.

Next event: Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate, Old Overton CC, Birmingham, Ala., Oct. 12-13

__WOMEN

__[#image: /photos/55ad70c3add713143b4220cb]|||Thumbnail image for Arizona State logo 2008-09.gif|||1. Arizona State (1)

So it won't be an undefeated season for the Sun Devils in 2009-10, having finished T-4 at the Mason Rudolph. Given their defending NCAA champ status, they get the benefit of the doubt in a rain-shortened Tennessee tournament to hang on to the top spot.

Next event: Stanford Intercollegiate, Stanford GC, Palo Alto, Calif., Oct. 16-18

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The good news for Trojan fans is the team gets out of its runner-up rut from a year ago, taking the Mason Rudolph title last weekend to give them their first victory since 2008 NCAAs. The even better news is Jennifer Song gets her first individual victory in impressive fashion--two 66s with no bogeys during either round and a birdie-birdie finish to close the event.

Next event: Stanford Intercollegiate, Stanford GC, Palo Alto, Calif., Oct. 16-18

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It's been four years since the Waves last won their first two tournaments of the fall. Win No. 3 is a very real possibility as they'll be the favorite this week when they travel north to the Seattle area.

Next event: Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational, Sahalee CC, Sammamish, Wash., Oct. 5-7

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Second-place finish at the Mason Rudolph is a nice way to start the season for the Bruins. Also have to be happy to see senior Sydnee Michaels shot a career college best with a 65 in the final round to finish T-2 individually and nearly defend her title.

Next event: Stanford Intercollegiate, Stanford GC, Palo Alto, Calif., Oct. 16-18

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No doubt senior Stephanie Sherlock has an impact for the Pioneers on the course with all the low numbers she posts. But if her practice habits can somehow rub off on freshman Kimberly Kim, her value to the program will be greater than anyone could have ever imagined.

Next event: Lady Tar Heel Invitational, UNC Finley GC, Chapel Hill, N.C., Oct. 9-11

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STAT OF THE WEEK

60__

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Career tournament victories for Campbell women's coach John Crooks after the Camels claimed the title at the UNCG Starmount Fall Classic Sept. 29. Crooks is just the sixth women's coach to win 60 tournaments and is just two wins back of Florida's Mimi Ryan for fifth place on the all-time victory list.

COACH               SCHOOL             YEARS        WINS

Dan Brooks          Duke                   1984-           108

Mark Gale            San Jose State   1978-96        91

Dale McNamara   Tulsa                  1974-2000    81

Linda Vollstedt      Arizona State     1980-2001    65

Mimi Ryan            Florida                1970-94        62

John Crooks         Campbell            1991-            60

__WHAT TO WATCH FOR

__* Leave it to Duke men's golf team to do something different with its home event yet again this fall. The school will be playing two events simultaneously at Duke University GC, hosting a Gordin-Collegiate Classic, a Division III team tournament with a field that includes Ohio Wesleyan, Oglethorpe, Methodist, LaVerne, Huntingdon, Skidmore and Emory, while also holding an individual stroke-play event for Division I players from schools within the region (players from Charlotte, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, N.C. State, Coastal Carolina, VCU and Chattanooga are scheduled to participate). The overall event is being called the Gordin-Myers Collegiate Classic, adding the name of longtime Duke coach (and Ohio Wesleyan alumni) Rod Myers.

So what's the big deal about them jumping to ninth in the poll? How about the fact that this is just the second year that the program has fielded a team. Sure they've got a long way to go to knock off Methodist from the top of the women's D-III universe, but give credit to coach Sean Curtis and his squad for hitting their competitive stride so early.

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TOURNAMENT PREVIEWS

____MEN

__ __Windon Memorial Classic

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

Skokie CC, Glencoe, Ill.

Oct. 4-5

Host: Northwestern

Field: California, UC Davis, Coastal Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kent State, Michigan, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Old Dominion, Purdue, Tennessee, Tulsa

Defending champion: Illinois (nine-under 843) by five strokes over Indiana; Indiana's Jorge Campillo (eight-under 205) by two strokes over Kent State's John Hahn

Skinny: Entering its 13th year, the tournament is named after the late Bernie Windon, who spearheaded the effort to bring major collegiate golf to the Chicagoland area. The first tournament, known then as the Quintessence Classic, was contested in fall 1993 at Kemper Lakes and Royal Melbourne Golf Courses. The following December, Mr. Windon passed away. Shortly thereafter, the tournament was renamed the Windon Memorial Classic and, to keep Windon's "quintessential" spirit alive, tournament participants compete for the Quintessence Trophy.

__Rees Jones Intercollegiate

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

Haig Point, Daufuskie Island, S.C.

Oct. 5-6

Field: Charleston, Georgia State, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Mercer, Michigan State, UNC Wilmington, Pepperdine, San Jose State, South Carolina, Tennessee State, Winthrop

Defending champion: South Carolina (15-over 879) by 21 strokes over Georgia State; South Carolina's Paul Woodbury and Wesley Bryan (two-over 218)

Skinny: Here's hoping the second edition of the event doesn't meet the same fate as the inaugural tournament last fall, which had to be  rescheduled from September to November due to Hurricane Hanna.

__Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic

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

Warren GC, South Bend, Ind.

Oct. 5-6

Host: Notre Dame

Field: Arkansas, BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Georgetown, Houston, Iowa, Lamar, Miami (Ohio), Missouri, Notre Dame, Ohio State, San Francisco, St. Mary's (Calif.), UT-Arlington

Defending champion: Arkansas (23-over 863) by four strokes over UC Davis; Michigan State's Randy Hutchison (even-par 210) by one stroke over Arkansas' Andrew Landry

Skinny: The four-year-old event continues a few of its traditions, most notably getting tickets for all the participating teams to attend the Notre Dame football game played the preceding Saturday.

__WOMEN

Eat a Peach Collegiate

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

Idle Hour Club, Macon, Ga. (Par 72, 6,063 yards)

Oct. 4-5

Host: Mercer

Field: Augusta State, UCF, Coastal Carolina, Florida State, Furman, Georgia, Georgia State, High Point, James Madison, Kennesaw State, Mercer, Miami (Fla.)

Defending champion: Augusta State (81-over 945) by 25 strokes over Belmont; Augusta State's Tamara Luccioli (11-over 227) by three strokes over Austin Peay's Chelsea Harris

Skinny: The event made its debut a year ago. In addition to the two-day, 36-hole official tournament, a friendly par-3 competition on Idle Hour's nine-hole par-3 course will be held the day before.

__Johnie Imes Invitational

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

The Club at Old Hawthorne, Columbia, Mo.

Oct. 5-6

Field: Arkansas-Little Rock, Bradley, Florida International, Illinois State, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, Middle Tennessee State, Mississippi, Missouri, UMKC, Missouri State, Princeton, Redlands CC, Southern Illinois, Tulsa, Wisconsin

Defending champion: Mississippi (36-over 900) by two strokes over Missouri and UALR; Missouri's Julia Potter (seven-under 209) by four strokes over Mississippi's Dori Carter

Skinny: Potter, a senior for the host Tigers, also won the event in 2007, thus making her the only person ever to claim the individual title as the tournament is held for just the third time this fall.

__Windy City Collegiate Championship

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

The Glen Club, Glenview, Ill. (Par 72, 6,296 yards)

Oct. 5-6

Host: Northwestern

Field: Arizona, East Carolina, Illinois, Iowa State, Michigan, UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington, New Mexico, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Purdue, TCU, Tulane, UNLV

Defending champion: Purdue (27-over 891) by nine strokes over TCU; Purdue's Junthima Gulyanamitta (four-under 212) by six strokes over TCU's Brooke Beeler

Skinny: Tournament continues on rota of Chicago-area courses, coming to The Glen Club after being held at Evanston GC a year ago.

__Heather Farr/CU Memorial Invitational

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

Colorado National GC, Erie, Colo.

Oct. 5-6

Host: Colorado

Field: Colorado, Colorado State, Denver, Eastern Washington, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Hawaii, Minnesota, Montana State, Nevada, Nebraska, Northern Colorado, San Diego State, SMU, Texas State, Texas Tech, UT-San Antonio, Weber State, Wyoming

Defending champion: Notre Dame (six-under 858) by five strokes over Texas Tech; Long Beach State's Kay Hoey (nine-under 207) by three strokes over UC Davis' Alice Kim and Colorado's Emily Childs

Skinny: The Buffaloes get to show off their new home course, which hosts the event for the first time.

__Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational

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

Sahalee CC, Sammamish, Wash.

Oct. 5-7

Host: Washington

Field: BYU, California, Idaho, Long Beach State, New Mexico State, Oregon, Oregon State, Pepperdine, San Francisco, San Jose State, Stanford, Washington, Washington State

Defending champion: Stanford (41-over 905) by 16 strokes over Oregon; Stanford's Mari Chun (two-over 218) by four strokes over Idaho's Kayla Mortellaro

Skinny: Sahalee is arguably the toughest course to host a women's tournament this fall.