THE FAB FIVE
My look at the top five teams in the country right now
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1. Stanford—Freshman Joseph Bramlett becomes the third Cardinal to win a tournament after grabbing a share of medalist honors in Puerto Rico. Next event: USC Collegiate Invitational, North Ranch CC, Westlake Village, Calif., March 5-6
2. Alabama —Crimson Tide have some down time after win at John Hayt, fourth-place showing at Puerto Rico in five day stretch. Next event: E-Z-Go Schenkel Invitational, Forest Heights CC, Statesboro, Ga., March 17-18
3. Florida —A disappointing ninth-place finish in Puerto Rico is first time Gators haven’t posted a top-five since February 2006. Next event: Southern Highlands Collegiate, Southern Highlands CC, Las Vegas, March 9-11
4. Oklahoma State —Cowboys will have to guard against distraction of questions surrounding Pablo Martin’s future in Stillwater and whether he’ll turn pro after this season. Next event: Southern Highlands Collegiate, Southern Highlands CC, Las Vegas, March 9-11
5. Georgia —Bulldogs hang on for their first victory of the 2006-07 season after rough final round (294) to win in Puerto Rico by one shot. Next event: Southern Highlands Collegiate, Southern Highlands CC, Las Vegas, March 9-11
WOMEN
1. Arizona State—Claimed second-straight Arizona Wildcat Invitational title with a eight-shot victory over Duke, thanks to a second-round 277. (No, that’s not a typo, 277.) Next event: Texas A&M “Mo”Morial, The Traditions Club, College Station, Texas, March 9-11
2. Georgia—Bulldogs pull out T-2 finish in Puerto Rico, making it their third runner-up finish of the season to go along with their win at the NCAA Preview. Next event: UCF Invitational, Grand Cypress Resort, Orlando, March 5-6
3. Duke—Individual win by Amanda Blumenherst in Tucson is her first of the season, but the Blue Devils lack consistency in the fourth and fifth spots. Next event: UCF Invitational, Grand Cypress Resort, Orlando, March 5-6
4. Auburn —Tigers, winners in Puerto Rico last week, could become scary if Nicole Hage or Margaret Shirley get rolling. Next event: LSU/Cleveland Classic, The University Club, Baton Rouge, La., March 16-18
5. Vanderbilt—Tie for 10th place in spring opener at Arizona Wildcat isn’t surprising when you consider the Commodores never had full compliment of five players competing in any round, the stomach flu keeping Liebelei Lawrence out for the first two rounds and Chris Brady sidelined for the final round. Next event: UCF Invitational, Grand Cypress Resort, Orlando, March 5-6
GOLF WORLD COLLEGE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
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Frank Wrenn, SMU
A transfer from Clemson eligible for the Mustangs line-up for the first time this spring, the sophomore had never played in a college event until teeing it up as an individual at the John Burns Intercollegiate in Hawaii last week. He then went out and shot a 13-under 203 to win by one stroke. Wrenn posted a 67-67-69 on Hawaii’s Leiehua GC. Interestingly, he just missed out playing for the team in the tournament, losing in a playoff during the final qualifier. As SMU coach Jay Loar put it, however, “That was the last time Frank missed a shot.” Suffice it to say, Wrenn became the first player in school history to win a tournament in his first-ever start.
WOMEN
Ashley Knoll , Texas A&M
The senior cruised to a six-shot victory at the Central District Invitational with a seven-under 209, second best in school history. She also helped the Aggies claim the team title at River Wilderness GC in Parrish, Fla. The win was a nice bounce-back for Knoll, who had posted her worst finish of the season the week before (T-24 at the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge). “I just had a bad attitude [at the Regional Challenge] and had to re-adjust some things,” Knoll said. “I hit the ball much better [in Florida]. It’s a real confidence builder to come back like this from a bad tournament. I’m even happier that the team got the win. It was fun to see everyone celebrating."
STAT OF THE WEEK
5
Number of players who shared medalist honors at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic. Coming in at one-over 217 were Georgia sophomore Alina Lee, TCU freshman Valentine Derry, Auburn sophomore Mariana Macias, Oklahoma State sophomore Pernilla Lindberg and Alabama senior Jenny Suh. No playoff was held due to players having to catch flights back to the mainland. Suh was given the trophy on site, thanks to the fact she shot the low final round of the group, posting a one-under 71
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• The words were so shocking, perhaps because they were so honest. “This is maybe the most disappointing day I've ever had as a coach,” said Georgia women’s coach Todd McCorkle, an 14-year veteran of the profession. “It’s my job to get the team prepared during the off-season. For whatever reason, that hasn't happened. I've got to find a way to make the team understand the importance of proper preparation.
The admission came after the Bulldogs shot a 14-over 302 in the opening 18 of the Lady Puerto Rico Classic last Friday, their worst round of the 2006-07 season by six shots. Suffice it to say, it wasn’t the way McCorkle or his players on the top-ranked team in Golf World's latest college coaches' poll had hoped to kick off the spring schedule, sticking them in ninth place.
The feeling here is that the first round was an aberration. Consider that two days later, Georgia posted a two-under 286, 11 shots better than any other team that day, to scratch its way into a share of second, five shots behind eventual champion Auburn.
To McCorkle’s ultimate benefit (and to the detriment of the rest of the top squads in the country) the first round will also provide the coach with a painful memory to call upon whenever his players appear to be losing focus this spring. Georgia is too good to let an opportunity like the one they have this season to get away. There not so good, however, that they can show-up at an event and expect tournament organizers to hand them the first-place trophy. It’s not the Bulldogs that will wind up paying for their misfortune in Puerto Rico. It’s probably the rest of women’s college golf.
• A nice extra perk will be given to the men’s collegians named to the Ping first-team All-American squad this year. In announcing that Ohio State’s Scarlet Course would be hosting a new event on the Nationwide Tour in July, tour officials also revealed that several college players will be given exemptions into the event. Among them will the NCAA champion, the Jack Nicklaus college player of the year award winner and all players named first-team All-Americans. Golfers will not have to be amateurs to keep the exemption, meaning that any who turn pro at the end of the college season in June are still eligible. The hitch: the new Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational is the same week as the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and the Players Amateur.
TOURNAMENTS TO WATCH
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USC Collegiate Invitational
(For live scoring, link here to Golfstat)
March 5-6
North Ranch CC, Westlake Village, Calif. (Par 71, 6,742 yards)
Field: BYU, California, Coastal Carolina, Loyola Marymount, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon State, Pepperdine, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, Washington State
Defending champion: Pepperdine (nine-over 861); Anthony Kim, Oklahoma (nine-under 204)
Skinny: The event celebrates its 30th anniversary this season, with the host Trojans trying to win the team title for just the fourth time. Past individual winners have included Corey Pavin, who won the inaugural event in 1978 while at UCLA and took the title again in 1981; Billy Mayfair (Arizona State, 1987); Tiger Woods (Stanford, 1996); Jason Gore (Pepperdine, 1997); and Paul Casey (Arizona State, 1998).
WOMEN
UCF Invitational
(For live scoring, link here to Golfstat)
March 5-6
Grand Cypress Resort, North & South course, Orlando (Par 72, 6,223 yards)
Field: Alabama, Arkansas, Central Florida, Duke, Florida, Georgia, LSU, New Mexico, Ohio State, Pepperdine, Purdue, SMU, Vanderbilt
Defending champion: New event
Skinny: Give credit to UCF women’s coach Emilee Klein for getting such a strong field for a first-year tournament. Nine of the 13 teams rank in the latest Golf World top-25, including three of the top five. Tournament organizers (the event is being run by Octagon’s Golf Division) have also added a pretty nice perk for the individual winner: a sponsor’s exemption into the LPGA Tour’s Sybase Classic, played the week between the NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championship.
