The Loop
This week's syllabus: Feb. 6-12
__THE FAB FIVE
My look at the top five teams in the country right now
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Adam Mitchell had a nice chance to hob-knob with U.S. Walker Cup captain Buddy Marucci, playing in the same threesome during yesterday's first round of the Jones Cup Invitational. "Yes Mr. Marucci, Merion is the most underrated course on the East Coast."
Spring opener: Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar GC (River course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 27-March 1
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Trojans start the spring like they ended the fall, carding a 13-shot victory at the UH Hilo Intercollegiate. Four players card top-20 finishes, led by Jamie Lovemark's runner-up showing, his fourth top-10 of the season.
Next event: USC Collegiate Invitational, North Ranch CC, Westlake Village, Calif., Feb. 23-24
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Not sure he needed it, but Rickie Fowler had to have gotten a nice boost of confidence after making the cut and finishing T-58 at the PGA Tour's FBR Open last weekend.
Spring opener: Puerto Rico Classic, Rio Mar GC (River course), Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb. 27-March 1
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In 116 college rounds, senior Matthew Swan has only failed to have his score count for the Crimson Tide 16 times.
Spring opener: John Hayt Collegiate Invitational, Sawgrass CC, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Feb. 22-24
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Fighting Illini grab the top seed in the Big Ten's new match-play event.
Spring opener: Big Ten Match Play Championship, Coral Springs, Fla., Feb. 13-14
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Bruins collected three wins in the fall while playing the country's third toughest scheduled.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 9-11
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With all the comings and goings on the Sun Devils roster since their final fall start, might be helpful to check out the new team picture on the ASU website.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 9-11
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Both Lizette Salas (70.82) and Jennifer Song (71.18) both are currently on pace to break the Trojans' single-season scoring average record of 72.06, set by Irene Cho in 2005-06.
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 9-11
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Cowgirl freshmen Caroline Hedwall and Caroline Masson have combined average of 71.83, best in the country for an freshmen class.
Spring opener: Arizona Wildcat Invitational, Peninsula GC, Puerto Penasco, Mexico, Feb. 22-24
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Demon Deacons make the cross-country trek for spring opener. Will early spring start be good or bad?
Spring opener: Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes, Calif., Feb. 9-11
STAT OF THE WEEK
Between 10th and 11th
The average finish the past two seasons for Big Ten men's teams in their first tournament of the spring. As I wrote in the magazine last week, a slow start in the spring is something the conference coaches hope can be fixed with the creation of the new Big Ten Match Play Championship, set for Feb. 13-14 at Heron Bay GC in Coral Springs, Fla. By getting out of the cold of the Midwest and banging heads against each other, the hope is that the schools will shake the rust off and be more prepared for the run to the postseason.
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WHAT TO WATCH FOR__
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TOURNAMENTS TO WATCH
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Mardi Gras Invitational __
TPC Louisiana, Avondale, La. (Par 72, 7,000 yards)
Feb. 9-10
Host: New Orleans
Field: Campbell, Kennesaw State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, McNeese State, Mercer, New Orleans, Nicholls State, Santa Clara, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, St. Mary's (Calif.), Texas-San Antonio, Troy, West Florida
Defending champion: New Event
Skinny: Not only are the Pirates hosting the first college tournament in the New Orleans area since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but their playing it at the host course for the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic of New Orleans
__WOMEN
Coco Beach G&CC, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico (Par 72, 6,219 yards)
Feb. 8-10
Host: Purdue
Field: Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa State, Kent State, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, N.C. State, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Purdue, TCU, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Wisconsin
Defending champion: Alabama (16-over 880) by three strokes over LSU; Stacy Lewis, Arkansas (eight-under 208) by four strokes over Purdue's Maude Aimee Leblanc
Skinny: Crimson Tide entered final round in fourth place before rallying for the victory a year ago.
Braveheart Classic
Oak Valley GC, Beaumont, Calif. (Par 72, 6,050 yards)
Feb. 9-10
Host: UC Riverside
Field: Cal Baptist, Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, CSU Northridge, CSU San Marco, UC Riverside, Drake, Eastern Michigan, Nova Southeastern, Portland, Santa Clara, Southern Utah, Utah Valley
Defending champion: Cal Poly (53-over 629) by three strokes over San Diego State; Stacy Lewis, Arkansas (seven-over 151) by one stroke over Cal Baptist's Adriana Niclotti and British Colombia's Kaitlin Troopâ¿¿Skinny: State schools in California get chance to test themselves against each other.
Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge
(For live scoring, link here to Golfstat)
Palos Verdes GC, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (Par 71, 5,912 yards)
Feb. 9-11
Host: Ohio State
Field: Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, California, Denver, East Carolina, Florida, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Pepperdine, Stanford, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, Wake Forest
Defending champion: UCLA (24-over 876) by seven strokes over Florida; Natalie Sheary, Wake Forest (two-over 215) by one stroke over five golfers
Skinny: Tough venue to open the spring season at as Palos Verdes' slick greens put a premium on putting. Only three times in 13 years has the individual medalist broken par, the last being in 2004.