Here is the second spring edition of the Golf World/NGCA women's coaches' poll, which appear in the March 22 issue of the magazine. The top teams in all three polls remain the same: Oklahoma State (D-I), Barry (D-II), Methodist (D-III) and Oklahoma City (NAIA).








Polls conducted by the Golf Coaches Association of America. Voting closed March 12, so results this past weekend's tournaments weren't included for consideration.

Having received almost unanimous praise as the host site for the Mason Rudolph Championship, the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn., has been selected by the NCAA Women's Division I Championship as the site of the 2012 NCAA Women's Championship. The event is scheduled to be played May 22-25, 2012.

"What a tremendous honor for Vanderbilt University to host our national championship," said Vanderbilt  women's golf coach Greg Allen. "It's the perfect venue for this championship, and there is no doubt that Will Brewer, Joe Kennedy and their staffs and the Vanderbilt Legends Club membership will do an outstanding job. Since the LPGA is no longer in town, May 2012 should be on every golf fan's calendar."

This year's championship is being played at CC of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C., with the 2011 women's national title to be contested at Traditions GC in College Station, Texas.

MEN
Jesper Kennegard, Arizona State
Tricky winds caused the junior to shoot a final-round 76, but his three-over 219 was still good enough for a one-stroke win over USC's T.J. Vogel and Florida's Tyson Alexander at the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters in Las Vegas.

Kennegard finished T-8 in his previous two tournaments (Battle at the Beach and the USC Collegiate Invitational) and entered the tournament with a 72.67 stroke average. The victory was his third individual collegiate title, as he won the 2009 NCAA West Regional with a 12-under 204 last spring and the Hawaii Hilo Intercollegiate in January 2008 with a 13-under 197.

WOMEN
Aruka Felgueroso, Coastal Carolina
The senior won the Administaff Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate with a closing 68 at Forest Hills GC in Augusta, Ga., a score five shots lower than any in the final round and the only sub-par round in the event. Her three-over 219 also helped the Chanticleers claim the team title by 15 strokes over Augusta State.

Felegueroso's 68 was a team season best and tied for the second lowest 18-hole score in school history. She finished four shots ahead of teammate Brittany Henderson in a tie for second at 223 with Augusta State's Tamara Luccioli.

Click here to link to Kennegard's scorecards from Southern Highlands.
Click here to link to Felgueroso's scorecards from the Lady Jaguar.

Photos courtesy of the sports information departments at Arizona State and Coastal Carolina.

I changed up the format a little with this week's Podcast. We still have a featured guest, Vanderbilt sophomore Marina Alex, but I've also included brief previews of two tournaments that start today, the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters and the Tiger Wave Classic. Included are comments from UNLV's Dwaine Knight and LSU's Karen Bahnsen.

I was happy to get a chance to speak with Alex (right) in the days leading up to her competing at the Tiger Wave event in New Orleans. The sophomore has compiled an impressive record thus far in the 2009-10 season. In five multi-round tournaments, she has finished either second or third four times, with a T-7 finish in her other start. Her 70.8 average is the third best in the country and she ranks fourth in the latest Golfstat Cup ranking. Despite such solid play, she's has gotten quite the attention that USC's Jennifer Song, Auburn's Cydney Clanton and Oklahoma State's Caroline Hedwall have in making their case for national player of the year. As you'll find out in the Podcast, however, Marina is fine with going a bit under the radar.

THE FAB FIVE
My look at the top five school in the country right now

MEN
1. Stanford (Last week: 1)
The chance to have his players gain some team match play experience is something Cardinal coach Conrad Ray is excited about. Of course, the fact he's got some quality match play players in Sihwan Kim (former U.S. Junior champ), David Chung (reigning North & South champ) and Steve Ziegler (U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist) doesn't hurt. 
Next event: Callaway Collegiate Match Play Championship, Ritz-Carlton GC, Dove Mountain, Ariz., March 21-23

2. Oklahoma State (2)
The headline reads that they finished second to Texas at the Puerto Rico Classic, but don't forget the Cowboys shot a collective 36 under par while Kevin Tway claimed medalist honors with a 17-under 199. What's that famous saying ... not too shabby!
Next event: Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters, Southern Highlands GC, Las Vegas, March 12-14

3. Texas (3)
After having seven different lineups in their seven previous tournaments, the Longhorns starting five may well be set with Cody Gribble, Bobby Hudson, Dylan Frittelli, Lance Lopez and Charlie Holland. That's what happens when you combine to shoot 42 under in your previous start.
Next event: Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters, Southern Highlands GC, Las Vegas, March 12-14

4. Washington (5)
The Huskies post a top-three finish for the sixth time this season at Fresno State on Tuesday, coming up two strokes shy of the playoff between eventual champion BYU and San Diego. Good news is they're almost always in the hunt. Bad news is they're still trying to close the deal.
Next event: Callaway Collegiate Match Play Championship, Ritz-Carlton GC, Dove Mountain, Ariz., March 21-23

5. Oregon (4)
A fourth-place showing at Fresno State would have been fine earlier this spring, before the Ducks lapped the field at USC. Still, they were only three out of first place and Eugene Wong, fresh off a third top-five finish, is making a case for the Pac-10 player of the year if not an even bigger accolade.
Next event: Oregon Duck Invitational, Shadow Hills CC, Junction City, Ore., March 22-23


WOMEN
1. USC (1)
How quickly is the season going by? The Trojans have only the one stop in Tempe before playing in the Pac-10 Championship. The thing I like about this group is its proficiency for making birdies; USC ranks second in the country with 236 and has a 22.2 percent conversion ranking.
Next event: Ping ASU Invitational, Karsten GC, Tempe, Ariz., April 9-11

2. Arizona State (2)
No doubt the talent is there for a repeat at NCAAs this spring, but you get the sense that the confidence level isn't quite the same as it was a year ago. Nothing, of course, a victory at your home tournament can't remedy.
Next event: Ping ASU Invitational, Karsten GC, Tempe, Ariz., April 9-11

3. UCLA (3)
Things set up very well for the Bruins over the next few weeks. The extra start in Austin before heading to Tempe for ASU's tourney gives them a chance to get that first win under their belt before their final duals with their Pac-10 foes.
Next event: Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational, University of Texas GC, Austin, Texas, March 26-28

4. Alabama (4)
You can't say the Crimson Tide isn't rested heading into New Orleans (OK, I promise it's my last shot at the long gap in their spring schedule). Seriously, though, it will be very interesting to see how this group handles the lay-off as they play in an event that has nine of the top 25 teams in the latest Golf World/NGCA coaches' poll.
Next event: Tiger-Wave Classic, English Turn GC, New Orleans, March 12-13

5. Texas A&M (5)
Julia Boland returns home this week to play in the Australian Open. She deserves the chance after the impressive spring she's having, but you hope the long trip back and forth doesn't wear her out.
Next event: Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational, University of Texas GC, Austin, Texas, March 26-28



STAT OF THE WEEK
12
Spot in the Golfstat Cup women's ranking held by Nova Southeastern's Sandra Changkija, making her the highest-rated Division II player. The junior from Orlando, who won her third straight tournament last week when she claimed an eight-shot victory at the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational, is on pace to post the best finish ever by a D-II golfer in the ranking; no D-II golfer has been rated better than 21st in the end-of-the-season Cup ranking since its inception in 1995-96. Ironically it is Changkija, the two-time D-II national player of the year, who was 21st a year ago.



WHAT TO WATCH FOR



TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
MEN
Seminole Intercollegiate
  (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
Southwood GC, Tallahassee, Fla. (Par 72, 7,172 yards)
March 12-13
Host: Florida State
Field: Arkansas, Baylor, Cincinnati, Florida State, George Mason, Georgia State, Mercer, Mississippi State, North Carolina, North Texas, South Carolina, Troy, Vanderbilt, Western Carolina
Defending champion: Vanderbilt (-1/863) by one stroke over Virginia; Vanderbilt's Ryan Haselden (-3/213) by one stroke over Mississippi State's Carlos Sainz Jr.
Skinny: Tournament moves to new location after spending the last several years at Golden Eagle GC.

Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters
   (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
Southern Highlands CC, Las Vegas
March 12-14
Host: UNLV
Field: Arizona, Arizona State, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, UNLV
Defending champion: UNLV  (-9/855) by one stroke over Oklahoma State; Georgia Tech's Cameron Tringale (-11/205) by five strokes over USC's Matt Giles and Oklahoma State's Morgan Hoffmann
Skinny: Another jam-packed field descends on Vegas, with the host Rebels looking to win the event for the ninth time in the last 16 years.

Pinehurst Intercollegiate
   (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
Pinehurst No. 8, Pinehurst, N.C.
March 12-14
Host: Pinehurst Resort
Field: Ball State, Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Francis Marion, Marshall, Michigan State, UNC Greensboro, Northern Illinois, Old Dominion, Penn State, Radford, Richmond, SMU, Virginia Commonwealth, Virginia Tech
Defending champion: Penn State (-2/862) by five strokes over Virginia Tech; Penn State's T.J. Howe (-7/209) by three strokes over Virginia Tech's Drew Weaver
Skinny: No obvious choice for a favorite this year as several programs could make some noise in the sandhills of North Carolina.

General Jim Hackler Championship
   (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
TPC Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, S.C.
March 14-15
Host: Coastal Carolina
Field: Augusta State, Coastal Carolina, Duke, East Tennessee State, Kennesaw State, Kent State, Lamar, Minnesota, UNC Wilmington, N.C. State, Pepperdine, Wake Forest
Defending champion: Wake Forest (+17/881) by 10 strokes over N.C. State; N.C. State's Matt Hill (-3/213) by three strokes over Coastal Carolina's Zack Byrd
Skinny: Could this be the event that kick-starts the Wolfpacks' Hill again in 2010? A year ago his victory in Myrtle Beach helped build momentum toward an amazing spring finish that included his NCAA individual victory.

Rio Pinar Invitational
Rio Pinar CC, Orlando
March 15-16
Host: UCF
Field: Akron, Charleston, Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Liberty, Louisiana-Lafayette, Marquette, Miami (Ohio), Middle Tennessee State, North Florida, North Texas, South Alabama, South Florida, Southern Mississippi, Toledo, UCF, UT Arlington, Wichita State
Defending champion: UCF (-13/851) by 14 strokes over UT Arlington; UCF's Blayne Barber (-12/204) by two strokes over UT Arlington's Bobby Massa
Skinny: What a difference a year makes? The Golden Knights are without their head coach, Nick Clinard, and Barber, both gone to Auburn. In the aftermath, the team has yet to post a top-five finish in six starts in 2009-10.

Triumph at Pauma Valley
   (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
Pauma Valley CC, San Diego (Par 71, 7,077 yards)
March 15-16
Host: San Francisco
Field: Air Force, Army, Boston College, Campbell, Central Arkansas, Columbia, Hartford, Jackson State, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount, Portland, San Francisco
Defending champion: Loyola Marymount (+4/856) by 16 strokes over British Columbia; Loyola Marymount's John Lim (-2/211) by two strokes over three other golfers
Skinny: Previous two champions have hailed from the West Coast Conference (St. Mary's in 2007; Loyola Marymount in 2009).

National Invitational Tournament
   (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
Omni Tucson National, Tucson, Ariz. (Par 72, 7,094 yards)
March 17-18
Host: Arizona
Field: Arizona, Baylor, California, Colorado State, New Mexico, Purdue, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UTEP, Wyoming
Defending champion: New Mexico (-14/850) by seven strokes over Arizona; New Mexico's Nick Geyer (-9/207) by two strokes over TCU's James Sacheck
Skinny: No school has repeated as team champions in the seven previous editions of the tournament.


WOMEN
LSU Tiger/Wave Classic
   (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)
English Turn G&CC, New Orleans (Par 72, 6,186 yards)
March 12-14
Host: LSU/Tulane
Field: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Charleston, Furman, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Carolina, N.C. State, UNC Wilmington, Notre Dame, Purdue, TCU, Tennessee, Tulane, UCF, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Wake Forest
Defending champion: Virginia (-8/856) by five strokes over Tulane; Arkansas' Lucy Nunn (-7/209) in playoff over South Carolina's Benedicte Toumpsin and Virginia's Calle Nielson
Skinny: The two top college programs in Louisiana combine forces to host the event, bringing it to New Orleans while The University Club is under renovation. Timing couldn't be better for Tulane, coming off their victory at the Kinderlou Forest Challenge last week

Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational
Kaneohe Klipper GC, Honolulu (Par 72, 5,907 yards)
March 15-16
Host: Hawaii
Field: Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Hawaii-Hilo, Jackson State, Nevada, North Dakota, North Texas, Northern Colorado, Nova Southeastern, Rollins, Sacramento State, San Francisco, Seattle, UTEP, Weber State
Defending champion: Texas A&M (+43/907) by six strokes over Idaho; Idaho's Kayla Mortellaro (+3/219) by one stroke over Texas A&M's Lauren Johnson
Skinny: Nova Southeastern has distanced itself from its fellow Division II rivals. Curious to see how they'll fare against this primarily D-I field some 6,100 miles from home.

The folks in Evanston, Ill., spent a late night/early morning trying to get news on whether Northwestern sophomore Eric Chun had claimed one of the four spots being awarded into the British Open from the International Final Qualifier in Malaysia. Their efforts—and his—were rewarded when the South Korean native finished in fourth place and earned a trip this summer to St. Andrews.

Chun made a birdie on the final hole for a second-round 71 and six-under 138 total, putting him in solo fourth position and avoiding a playoff for the final spot.

"I have never been so nervous in my life and I’m just happy it worked out well," said Chun, who turned 20 on Monday. "I was really patient today and that was the key for me. Every putt I had out here these two days were as important as my last putt. All these other good putts led me to this opportunity.
 
"I haven’t played at St Andrews before or been anywhere near there! So I’m looking forward to it. I’ve only seen it on television and heard about it so to play there is amazing."

Chun's performance is a boost to organizers of the Asian Amateur Championship, which include officials with the R&A and Augusta National GC. His runner-up finish in the inaugural event last October earned him the spot in the Malaysian qualifier.

Here is the second spring edition of the Golf World/NGCA women's coaches' poll, which appear in the March 15 issue of the magazine. The top teams in all three polls remain the same: Arizona State (D-I), Nova Southeastern (D-II) and Methodist (D-III).




Polls conducted by the National Golf Coaches Association. Voting closed March 4, so results this past weekend's tournaments weren't included for consideration.

Winners at a handful of amateur tournaments already earn exemptions into PGA Tour stops (Southern Am into the Arnold Palmer Invitational; Players Amateur into The Heritage, etc.). Now the medalist at next month's U.S. Intercollegiate at Stanford GC in Palo Alto, Calif., will get that same perk. Officials with the Reno-Tahoe Open announced they'll give the champion at Stanford GC in Palo Alto, Calif., a spot in their field this coming August, becoming the only PGA Tour event to do so.

“Not only is this an incredible opportunity for a top-level collegiate golfer to gain exposure and experience on the PGA TOUR, it’s also an avenue for the tournament to create buzz in key regional markets,” said Reno-Tahoe Open executive director Jana Smoley in a release. “Because this is such a unique situation for a college athlete in that it offers such an exciting and potentially life changing reward, it also presents a great opportunity to bring visitors from sought-after West Coast markets in which these athletes attend school.”  

The field at the 42nd edition of the U.S. Intercollegiate will include the following schools:
Arizona State, California, Denver, Fresno State, Hawaii, Long Beach State, Oregon, Oregon State, Pepperdine, San Diego State, San Francisco State, San Jose State, Stanford, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State.

MEN
Joe Byun, North Florida
The sophomore from Lake Mary, Fla., hadn’t cracked the Ospreys’ starting five all season before the John Hayt Intercollegiate, but shot a four-under 212 at Sawgrass CC in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., to take medalist honors by four strokes and lead host North Florida to a team victory over LSU. Byun is only the second North Florida golfer to claim the individual title in the John Hayt's 19-year history, joining David Bennett who won in 2000 and 2001.

WOMEN
Danielle Kang, Pepperdine
The Bruin Wave Invitational was only her second college tournament since enrolling in school in January after graduating from high school a semester early. Still, the freshman from Thousand Oaks, Calif., opened with a 67 at Robinson Ranch GC in Santa Clarita, Calif., and cruised to the title with an eight-under 208, three strokes better than New Mexico’s Jodi Ewart.

Click here to link to Byun's scorecard from the John Hayt
Click here to link to Kang's scorecard from the Bruin Wave

Photos courtesy of the sports information departments at North Florida and Pepperdine.

With today's episode of the Podcast, I wanted to venture into the world of Division III golf. My interview is with Tom Inczauskis, who is in his first year coaching the women's program at Methodist.

Suffice it to say, Inczauskis (pronounced In-CHOW-Skiss) had no small shoes to fill in taking over the helm of the Monarchs. Previous coach Vici Pate was at the school for seven seasons and only won seven NCAA D-III titles. Indeed, the school is in the midst of a 12-year national championship streak and has won 22 overall.

Not surprisingly, the Monarchs are currently the top-ranked team in the Golf World/NGCA women's D-III coaches' poll. Their leading player is Susan Martin, a senior from Norcross, Ga., who has won the individual title in 2008 and 2009 and will be trying for an NCAA record third national championship herself this May.