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1. Georgia
2008 NCAA finish: T-8
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 1
Go-to guy: Adam Mitchell
Why they’re No. 1: The Bulldogs have all five starters back from last season’s team that won three times and finished atop the rankings. All five were ranked in the top 50 individually (four in the top 30): sophomore Russell Henley (13), senior Adam Mitchell (14), junior Hudson Swafford (18), sophomore Harris English (30) and senior Brian Harman (50). Then there are talented incoming freshmen Will Kropp, Patrick Reed and T.J. Mitchell.
Can win national title if: Henley and English play the way they did as freshmen and Mitchell takes on more of a leadership role. Another key: Whether Harman can return to the form he showed early in his college career. He’s coming off an injury to his left wrist, but appears healed and ready. ’Dawgs were disappointed with their T-8 at last year’s NCAAs and are looking to make up for it with their third national title since 1999.
Coach Chris Haack says: “We have to be more consistent this year. We were a little up and down at times last season. This team reminds me a lot of our 1999 team when our second five was just about equal to our first five. But I think that’s good. There’s no substitution for competition. It makes everyone work harder to improve.”
2. Oklahoma State2008 NCAA finish: 4
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 5
Go-to guy: Rickie Fowler
Can win national title if: The Cowboys’ three freshmen – Peter Uihlein, Morgan Hoffmann and Germany’s Sean Einhaus – are as good as advertised. But it will be hard for all of them to crack a lineup that returns first-team All-American Fowler, the Ben Hogan Award winner, and honorable mention All-Americans Kevin Tway, Trent Leon and Trent Whitekiller. Regardless of who’s in the lineup, the Cowboys should have firepower.
Coach Mike McGraw says: “We have a lot of depth and enough competition to make the players better. We just want to keep getting better every week.”
3. UCLA
2008 NCAA finish: 1
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 4
Go-to guy: Erik Flores
Can win national title if: Flores continues to play like he has this summer, fellow senior Lucas Lee becomes more consistent and sophomore Philip Francis gets his game back to the level he had as one of the country’s top junior players. The Bruins lost NCAA individual champ Kevin Chappell and Craig Leslie from the national-title team but have plenty of talent returning, plus freshmen Gregor Main, Maurico Azcue and Alex Shi Yup Kim.
Coach Derek Freeman says: “Being defending champion is great, but there’s still so much we want to do. We’re still building and establishing things we want to establish.”
4. USC
2008 NCAA finish: 3
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 2
Go-to guy: Jamie Lovemark
Can win national title if: Lovemark can lead the team like he did as a freshman. Trojans challenged to the very end at last season’s NCAA finals and could do so again, even with the loss of first-team All-American Rory Hie (who turned pro). But with Lovemark, senior Tom Glissmeyer and sophomores Matt Giles and Tim Sluiter, Trojans should again be near the top.
Coach Chris Zambri says: “Our expectations are super high. It’s unfortunate Rory decided to leave, but with four starters back I feel we could be better . . . If each player continues to improve, I don’t see any reason we can’t accomplish our goals.”
5. Stanford
2008 NCAA finish: 2
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 6
Go-to guy: Sihwan Kim
Can win national title if: Kim & Co. can make up for the loss of leader Rob Grube. The Cardinal came up one shot shy at NCAA finals of becoming the first team to win back-to-back titles since Houston in 1984-85, but it certainly has what it takes to make it two out of three. Kim was a first-team All-American as a freshman, and Joseph Bramlett is expected to be healthy after missing most of last season with a wrist injury. Bramlett appears to be healthy, finishing seventh at the State Fair Amateur over Labor Day Weekend thanks to opening rounds of 68-66.
Coach Conrad Ray says: “Someone like Rob Grube is tough to lose, but I feel we have guys who can step up and be the leader. . . . I’d say our outlook is bright, especially if Bramlett comes back and is the Joe Bramlett we all know and love.”
6. Florida
2008 NCAA finish: 11
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 7
Go-to guy: Billy Horschel
Can win national title if: Horschel regains the form of his first two seasons, when he was a first-team All-American. Junior Tyson Alexander and senior Will Strickler also return from last season’s NCAA squad, and junior Tim McKenney and senior Toby Ragland were part of Florida’s 2007 NCAA lineup. Expect freshmen Mu Hu of China to challenge for a starting spot this fall, and Germany’s Max Kieffer should do the same when he arrives in January. But Horschel is the key.
Coach Buddy Alexander says: “We’ll have good depth, but that can be a blessing or a curse. . . . I fully expect Billy to bounce back and play better.”
7. Clemson
2008 NCAA finish: 5
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 13
Go-to guy: Kyle Stanley
Can win national title if: The Tigers learn how to win during the regular season. Clemson has only one victory in the last four years, in April 2006 at the U.S. Collegiate. The Tigers certainly have the players to win more than one title this year, with all five starters back: juniors Stanley, Sam Saunders and Ben Martin and seniors Phillip Mollica and David May. They’ll come into the season with confidence after a fifth at the 2008 NCAAs.
Coach Larry Penley says: “I’m so proud of the way we kicked up our focus at regionals and nationals. Now we need to expand on that. . . . I have high expectations for this team and think we have a chance to do some special things.”
8. Florida State
2008 NCAA finish: Did not qualify
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 11
Go-to guy: Matt Savage
Can win national title if: Well, first of all, if they make this year’s NCAA field. The Seminoles had perhaps the program’s best season last year, but it ended on a sour note when they finished a shocking 21st at the West Regional. They lose first-team All-American Jonas Blixt, but have four solid starters back. Drew Kittleson should carry over some confidence from his U.S. Amateur runner-up. Expect freshman Wesley Graham to make an immediate impact.
Coach Trey Jones says: “We are going to have to be more consistent each week. Last year we had the knack of (performing well for) 36 holes, and we need to play (well) the full 54.”
9. Arizona State
2008 NCAA finish: T-17
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 18
Go-to guy: Jesper Kennegard
Can win national title if: The still-young Sun Devils continue to improve as they did during the course of last season. Everyone is back from the 2008 Pac-10 Championship team, led by Kennegard, a sophomore from Sweden. Also returning are sophomores James Byrne and Stephan Gross, the European Amateur champion, and juniors Braxton Marquez and Knut Borsheim.
Coach Randy Lein says: “I think we showed last spring we could contend. This season, right from the start, we’ll be talking about winning a national title. . . . It would be a disappointment if we didn’t make it to match play (the final eight at NCAAs).”
10. Georgia Tech
2008 NCAA finish: Did not qualify
2007-08 Golfweek rank: 9
Go-to guy: Chesson Hadley
Can win national title if: Tech gets better play from Nos. 3, 4 and 5. A solid 2007-08 season ended on a disappointing note when the Yellow Jackets finished 15th at the Central Regional and failed to advance to the NCAA finals. But everyone is back, and with another year of experience, Tech has the potential to make amends this time around. Leading the way are junior Hadley and senior Cameron Tringale.
Coach Bruce Heppler says: “Our main focus is going to be trying not to get discouraged when things aren’t going our way. We have to be a little tougher team. I think what happened at the Central Regional was more about attitude than ability.”
PRESEASON TOP 30
(With final 2007-08 Golfweek rank):
| 1. Georgia |
1 |
| 2. Oklahoma State |
5 |
| 3. UCLA |
4 |
| 4. USC |
2 |
| 5. Stanford |
6 |
| 6. Florida |
7 |
| 7. Clemson |
13 |
| 8. Florida State |
11 |
| 9. Arizona State |
18 |
| 10. Georgia Tech |
9 |
| 11. Texas A&M |
16 |
| 12. Chattanooga |
12 |
| 13. South Carolina |
14 |
| 14. East Tenn. State |
23 |
| 15. Wake Forest |
19 |
| 16. Michigan State |
21 |
| 17. Texas Tech |
24 |
| 18. Indiana |
25 |
| 19. Charlotte |
8 |
| 20. Alabama |
3 |
| 21. Duke |
15 |
| 22. Tennessee |
10 |
| 23. UNLV |
22 |
| 24. Ala.-Birmingham |
27 |
| 25. Kent State |
29 |
| 26. North Carolina |
30 |
| 27. Texas |
32 |
| 28. Mississippi State |
38 |
| 29. Middle Tenn. State |
47 |
| 30. Mississippi |
36 |
– Ron Balicki
Posted: 9/2/2008
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