The Loop

This week's syllabus: Oct. 22-28

October 22, 2009

__THE FAB FIVE

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

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__MEN

__[#image: /photos/55ad721cadd713143b423836]|||Thumbnail image for Oklahoma-state-logo-latest.jpg|||1. Oklahoma State (Last week: 1)

To argue that the Cowboys don't have as much depth as any team in the country seems ludicrous. Nevertheless, it's interesting to note that OSU's average drop score is 78.17. Only TCU has a higher number of any school in Golfstat's top-20 ranking.

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

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The Sun Devils haven't had tremendous success in their two previous cross-country ventures to Isleworth, finishing fourth in 2005 and 16th in 2006. The course will also put Jesper Kennegard,Knut Borsheim and Braxton Marquez to the test; none of the three have made a double bogey yet this season.

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

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The Huskies have managed expectations well this fall, finishing in the top three in three tournaments. A solid showing at Isleworth will obviously leave a good taste in these Dawgs mouths, but nearly whatever the outcome UW has done nothing to suggest it won't be a national contender next spring.

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

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The Fighting Illini take to the course this weekend for the first time in nearly a month. "The focus was to let the guys rest a little bit," explained coach Mike Small. "They've been playing hard since February. They played a hard summer schedule and into the fall. We needed a little break." It's a subtle move, but it's an example of why Small is among the game's top coaches.

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

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The Volunteers backed up their Carpet Capital victory with a tiebreaker win over Oregon State at the Bank of Tennessee tournament in some pretty tough weather conditions. Slowly but surely Jim Kelson's squad is becoming the favorite to take the SEC title next spring.

Next event: UNCG Bridgestone Collegiate, Forest Oaks CC, Greensboro, N.C., Oct. 24-25

__WOMEN

__[#image: /photos/55ad721db01eefe207f68afa]|||Thumbnail image for Arizona State logo 2008-09.gif|||1. Arizona State (1)

Same five that led the Sun Devils to victory last weekend at the Stanford Intercollegiate will be in the field at the NCAA Preview this weekend. This isn't the first time that ASU has played at the CC of Landfall; the squad finished in third place during the inaugural playing of the Landfall Tradition in 2002, coach Melissa Luellen's first year at ASU.

Next event: NCAA Fall Preview, CC of Landfall, Wilmington, N.C. Oct. 23-25

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While not having won either of the two events they've played so far this fall, the Bruins have the country's best adjusted scoring average (70.97) and the lowest average drop score (74.26). Only four strokes back of ASU at the Stanford event last weekend, expect UCLA to be in the hunt again this weekend.

Next event: NCAA Fall Preview, CC of Landfall, Wilmington, N.C. Oct. 23-25

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Forget the fact she finished only T-33 and hit just 53.8 percent of her fairways off the tee. Belen Mozo's return to the line-up last weekend at Stanford was welcome news for Trojan fans unsure if they'd see her play at all this fall. Even better news is the fact that the senior from Spain will tee it up again this weekend in North Carolina.

Next event: NCAA Fall Preview, CC of Landfall, Wilmington, N.C. Oct. 23-25

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There's no team I'm more curious about how they play at Landfall than the Spartans, who have elbowed their way on to the national scene this fall and are very curious what it's like at the top of the marquee. Something tells me this group of players is going to prove the Tar Heel victory was absolutely, positively not a fluke.

Next event: NCAA Fall Preview, CC of Landfall, Wilmington, N.C. Oct. 23-25

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__[#image: /photos/55ad721dadd713143b423846]|||Thumbnail image for Purdue 2008-09 logo.gif|||5. Purdue (4)

The Boilermakers are the only school that arrives at the Fall Preview on a two tournament winning streak, after victories at the Lady Northern and Windy City. It's the first time, however, that the school will face the Big Three from our west.

Next event: NCAA Fall Preview, CC of Landfall, Wilmington, N.C. Oct. 23-25

__STAT OF THE WEEK

5

__Number of eagles made by Texas freshman Cody Gribble at Briggs Ranch GC in San Antonio en route to a third-place finish at the Lone Star Invitational. The Dallas native made one in the first round, two in the second and two in the third. His total of five is the most of any player in the country for the entire fall season. Thus far Gribble has had three top-three finishes to start his college career. He is in the Longhorn line-up for the upcoming Baylor Intercollegiate, being held at Royal Oaks CC--the same course where Gribble works with his instructor Randy Smith.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

__TOURNAMENT PREVIEWS

____MEN

Del Walker Invitational

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

Virginia CC, Long Beach, Calif.

Oct. 22-23

Field: Arizona, Cal Poly, CSU Fullerton, CSU Northridge, Colorado State, Idaho, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount, Oregon, Pacific, Saint Mary's (Calif.), Santa Clara, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, Wyoming

Defending champion: Colorado State (41-under 811) by 23 strokes over UC Irvine; Colorado State's Zahkai Brown (17-under 196) by eight strokes over Colorado State's Dustin Morris and UC Irvine's John Chin

Skinny: En route to its second-straight Del Walker title, Colorado State broke the 54-hole tournament scoring record by 20 strokes a year ago. … Virginia CC, the host course, is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

__UNGC Bridgestone Collegiate

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

Forest Oaks CC, Greensboro, N.C.

Oct. 24-25

Field: Augusta State, Duke, Georgia Tech, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, North Carolina, UNC Greensboro, Notre Dame, Purdue, Tennessee, Toledo, VCU, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Defending champion: Duke (five-over 869) by four strokes over Michigan State; Michigan State's Payne Gniewek and Notre Dame's Max Scodro (three-under 213) claim co-medalist honors

Skinny: Forest Oaks played host to the PGA Tour's stop in Greensboro for 31 years starting in 1977.

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

Isleworth CC, Windermere, Fla.

Oct. 25-27

Host: Texas Tech

Field: Alabama, Arizona State, UCF, Clemson, East Tennessee State, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Oklahoma State, South Carolina, Stanford, TCU, Texas Tech, Washington

Defending champion: Georgia (three-over 867) by 17 strokes over Alabama; Georgia's Russell Henley (four-under 212) by two strokes over Indiana's Jorge Campillo and Alex Martin

Skinny: Only once in the five previous years the event has been held has a school other than Georgia won: Texas in 2006.

[__David Toms Intercollegiate

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](http://www.golfstatresults.com/public/index.cfm?tournament_id=1605)   (For live scoring, click here to link to Golfstat)

CC of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, La.

Oct. 26-27

Host: LSU

Field: UAB, Auburn, Kent State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, North Florida, Northwestern, Pepperdine, Rice, South Alabama, Southeastern Louisiana

Skinny: Toms, a LSU alum, isn't just lending his name to the event, formerly known as the CC of Louisiana Intercollegiate and last played in 2003, but will host a clinic for the competitors and will join some of them in the stands at Tiger Stadium Saturday to watch the Auburn-LSU football game.

__Aldila Scenic City Invitational

__Council Fire GC, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Oct. 26-27

Host: Chattanooga

Field: Akron, Charleston, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Eastern Michigan, Francis Marion, Furman, Iowa State, Kennesaw State, Maryland, Mercer, Middle Tennessee State, Missouri, South Florida, Southern Mississippi, Western Carolina, Wichita State

Defending champion: Chattanooga (45-under 819) by 14 strokes over Augusta State; Southeastern Lousiana's Matthew Carvell (18-under 198) by seven strokes over three others

Skinny: Question is whether the tournament will see the same crazy low scores from a year ago, where Carvell posted an opening-round 60 to tie the NCAA 18-hole record.

__Baylor Intercollegiate

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

Royal Oaks CC, Dallas

Oct. 26-27

Host: Baylor

Field: Arkansas, Baylor, BYU, Iowa, Lamar, New Mexico, Oklahoma, SMU, Texas, Texas A&M, Tulsa, UT San Antonio

Defending champion: Texas A&M (18-over 870) by two strokes over Lamar and Oklahoma; SMU's James Kwon (one-under 212) by one stroke over Lamar's Justin Harding and Oklahoma's Riley Pumphrey

Skinny: Second year event lands both the NCAA champion (Texas A&M) and the NCAA runner-up (Arkansas) from 2009. It's the first event they've both played in together since nationals.

__Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate

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

New Mexico State GC, Las Cruces, N.M.

Oct. 26-27

Field: Air Force, Boise State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nevada, New Mexico State, North Texas, Rhode Island, Nebraska, UNLV, Illinois State, Kansas, Idaho, Santa Clara, Texas State, UTEP, Washington State, Western New Mexico

Defending champion: New Mexico State (nine-over 861) by eight strokes over Kansas State; New Mexico State's Travis Reid (five-under 208) by one stroke over Denver's Daniel Wax and Colorado's Pat Grady

Skinny: Before a year ago the last Aggie to win his home event? Current NMSU coach Scott Lieberwirth back in 1999.

__WOMEN

NCAA Fall Preview/Landfall Tradition__

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

CC of Landfall (Dye Course), Wilmington, N.C.

Oct. 23-25

Field: Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, Denver, Duke, Georgia, LSU, Michigan State, New Mexico, North Carolina, UNC Wilmington, Oklahoma State, Pepperdine, Purdue, UCLA, USC, Virginia, Wake Forest

Defending champion: Wake Forest (16-over 880) by 28 strokes over Ohio State; Wake Forest's Dolores White (two-over 218) by two strokes over East Carolina's Abby Bools

Skinny: The Landfall Tradition doubles as this year's NCAA Preview with the Dye layout hosting the NCAA Championship next may. Teams in the event have already won 10 tournament titles this fall.

__FIU/Pat Bradley Invitational

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

Pelican Preserve G&CC, Fort Myers, Fla.

Oct. 26-27

Field: Bradley, UCF, Cincinnati, Daytona State, Drake, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida International, Furman, Missouri State, Murray State, North Texas, South Florida, Stetson, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Defending champion: Florida International (20-over 884) by 10 strokes over Florida Southern; Florida International's Belen Buendia (four-under 212) by two strokes over Florida International's Paula Hurtado

Skinny: FIU is seeking its seventh title in the event's 32-year history.

__The Alamo Invitational

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

Briggs Ranch, San Antonio

Oct. 26-27

Field: Baylor, Middle Tennessee State, Mississippi, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, SMU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas State, UT San Antonio, Wisconsin

Defending champion: New event

Skinny: A week after hosting the men at the Lone Star Invitational, Briggs Ranch now has several leading women's programs in town for the inaugural Alamo tournament.

__Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown

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

Boulder Creek GC, Boulder City, Nev.

Oct. 26-28

Host: UNLV

Field: Arizona, Arkansas, BYU, Colorado, Colorado State, Florida, Idaho, Kent State, Louisville, Minnesota, Missouri, Northwestern, TCU, Texas Tech, UC Davis, UNLV, Washington

Defending champion: Pepperdine (41-under 823) by 12 strokes over Oklahoma State; Pepperdine's Lisa McCloskey (17-under 199) by one stroke over Louisville's Cindy LaCrosse and UNLV's Therese Koelbaek

Skinny: Will this year be a repeat of last year's limbo contest, where McClosky set the NCAA 54-hole scoring record when she broke 200 at Boulder Creek?