Texas Children's Houston Open

Memorial Park Golf Course



The Loop

Conference championship previews, Part IV

__MEN

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__[Horizon League Championship

](http://www.horizonleague.org/sports/c-golf/spec-rel/09-hori-c-golf-champ.html)__   (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)

Kearney Hills GL

Lexington, Ky.

April 27-28

Field: Butler, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Loyola (Ill.), Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wright State, Youngstown State

Defending champion: Cleveland State (28-over 892) by one stroke over Detroit Mercy; Cleveland State's Jacob Scott (two-under 214) by two strokes over Butler's Kyle Thomas

Skinny: For the past four seasons, Cleveland State and Detroit have traded the league crown back and forth, hinting that this is Detroit Mercy's year to walk off with the title. The Vikings' Jake Scott, however, will keep the title in Ohio and claim medalist honors for himself.

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__[Missouri Valley Championship

](http://www.mvc-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=36529&SPID=2907&DB_OEM_ID=7600&ATCLID=3725660)__   (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)

Delhousie GC

Cape Girardeau, Mo.

April 27-28

Field: Bradley, Creighton, Drake, Evansville, Illinois State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Wichita State

Defending champion: Wichita State (two-under 850) by 24 strokes over Southern Illinois; Wichita State's Connor McHenry (five-under 208) by four strokes over Wichita State's Dustin Garza

Skinny: Illinois State is the favorie in the pre-championship poll but don't be shocked to see  Wichita State  make it eight MVC titles in the last 11 years.

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[__Big 12 Championship

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](http://www.big12sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10410&ATCLID=1524130)   (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)

Prairie Dunes CC

Hutchinson, Kan.

April 27-29

Field: Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech

Defending champion: Oklahoma State (11-under 1,141) by 20 strokes over Texas; Oklahoma State's Rickie Fowler (nine-under 279) by four strokes over Oklahoma State's Kevin Tway

Skinny: Only five schools have won the title in the conferences 12-year history. Oklahoma State looks likely not to let that change, but Texas A&M isn't a bad dark horse pick should the Cowboys stumble.

__Conference head-to-head records:

__Oklahoma State, 15-1, .937

Kansas State, 10-1, .909

Colorado, 8-2, .800

Texas Tech, 14-7, .667

Texas A&M, 11-7, .611

Texas, 7-7, .500

Baylor, 7-12, .368

Iowa State, 4-9, .307

Kansas, 5-13, .277

Oklahoma, 3-11, .214

Missouri, 1-6, .142

Nebraska, 0-8, .000

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[__Ohio Valley Championship

__

](http://www.ovcsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=6200&ATCLID=3726602)   (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)

The Shoals on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

Muscle Shoals, Ala.

April 27-29__

Field:__ Austin Peay State, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Morehead State, Murray State, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, UT-Martin

Defending champion: Eastern Kentucky (10-over 874) by 19 strokes over Murray State; Murray State's Nick Newcomb (even-par 216) by one stroke over Austin Peay State's Grant Leaver and Eastern Kentucky's Phillip Hendrickson

Skinny: Eastern Kentucky has won two of the past three years and at No. 94 has the best Golfstat ranking of all conference teams

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](http://www.pac-10.org/championships/2009-m-golf.html)   (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)

Seattle CC

Seattle, Wash.

April 27-29__

Field:__ Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington, Washington State

Defending champion: Arizona State (15-over 1,435) in playoff over USC; Arizona's Creighton Honeck (three-under 281) in playoff with UCLA's Kevin Chappell

Skinny: Washington is the hot squad, with three wins this spring and four in 2008-09, plus UW has the advantage of playing near home. If the Huskies win it would be just their third conference title in 21 years.

__Conference head-to-head records:

__USC, 28-6, .823

Stanford, 26-8, .764

Washington, 25-10-1, .708

UCLA, 17-15-1, .530

Arizona State, 13-13-1, .500

Oregon, 13-16, .448

California, 14-19, .424

Arizona, 6-11, .352

Oregon State, 5-21, .192

Washington State, 2-16, .111

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](http://www.southland.org/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=90050&SPID=10818&temp_site=NO&DB_OEM_ID=18400&ATCLID=3727411)   (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)

Comanche Trace GC

Kerrville, Texas

April 27-29

Field: Central Arkansas, Lamar, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Sam Houston State, Southeastern Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin, State, Texas State, UT-Arlington, UT-San Antonio

Defending champion: Lamar (two-over 866) by 28 strokes over Sam Houston State and Texas State; Sam Houston State's Scott Kelly (one-under 215) in playoff over McNeese State's Sigmundur Masson

Skinny: The rest of the conference is facing a challenge in trying to keep Lamar from claiming fourth straight title. The Cardinals are trying to become just the second team to be Southland champions four straight years (Lamar 10 straight from  1964-73).

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[__Summit League Championship

__

](http://www.thesummitleague.org/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=3900&ATCLID=3705820)   (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)

Oakwood CC

Kansas City, Mo.

April 27-29

Field: Centernary, IPFW, IUPUI, North Dakota State, Oakland, Oral Roberts, South Dakota State, Southern Utah, UM-Kansas City, Western Illinois

Defending champion: Western Illinois (six-over 870) by 10 strokes over UM-Kansas City; Western Illinois'  Kyle Peterman (even-par 216) in playoff over Southern Utah's Nate Page

Skinny: South Dakota State, eligible for postseason play for the first time after completing the transition to Division I, could make for the next great Cinderella story with a victory at the conference championship in just the second year in the Summit League. Five tournament wins this season for the Jackrabbits suggest it's a realistic outcome.

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[__WAC Championship

__

](http://www.wacsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10100&ATCLID=3726919)   (For live scoring, click here for Golfstat)

Rio Secco GC

Henderson, Nev.

April 27-29

Field: Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Nevada, New Mexico State, San Jose State, Utah State

Defending champion: New Mexico State (27-over 891) by five strokes over Boise State; Boise State's Troy Merritt (seven-under 209) by 10 strokes over Fresno State's Grant Doverspike

Skinny: Fresno State (No. 75) and Nevada (78) have better Golfstat rankings than defending champion New Mexico State (90), suggesting a three-team fight.