One other fall season is within the books, and but, faculty golf stays a complicated sport to observe.
Scores are unfold about a number of web sites. The primary hub, Scoreboard powered by Clippd, is seemingly powered extra by the need for colleges to shell out cash or else their tournament-by-tournament outcomes be held captive behind a paywall. Some high applications are lagging in updating their very own websites. Followers proceed to be met with disservice, even at a time when extra faculty golf tournaments are televised than ever and stars resembling Florida State’s Luke Clanton and Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent rake within the NIL {dollars}.
However let’s try to sift by the mess, we could? Right here’s a greatest effort in recapping what occurred on the golf course this fall:
Males
Who’s the NCAA title favourite? Auburn. This can be a powerful name. Ole Miss is ranked No. 1. Fourth-ranked Oklahoma had three wins. Arizona State may’ve been ranked No. 1 if not for senior Josele Ballester lacking the Hogan Collegiate whereas enjoying a DP World Tour occasion in Spain. However proper with these squads are the defending-champion Tigers, ranked third, who didn’t win exterior of the East Lake Cup but in addition didn’t end worse than third. Whereas the reigning nationwide participant of the yr, Jackson Koivun, has struggled with consistency, sophomore Josiah Gilbert was arguably a first-team All-American within the fall whereas all 5 Auburn regulars are ranked No. 92 or higher within the nationwide rating, together with 4 at No. 31 or higher. The Tigers’ depth will proceed to be a power, and as soon as Koivun will get going, Auburn will begin profitable tournaments once more.
If voting at present, the Haskins would go to…: Josele Ballester. This was one other tough alternative, as North Carolina senior David Ford gained twice whereas not ending exterior the highest 8 after a summer season wherein he battled again and hip accidents. However Ballester, an Arizona State senior and up to date U.S. Newbie champion, is definitely 2-1 versus Ford up to now this season. Ballester topped a stacked discipline at Olympia Fields and hasn’t completed worse than fifth in three occasions.
Greatest shock: LSU. First-year head coach Jake Amos introduced in a number of of his guys, together with Algot Kleen, from East Tennessee State and has instantly turned the Tigers into one of many high groups within the SEC – and seventh within the nation. LSU gained twice within the fall, although it wasn’t good; most noticeably, of their two worst performances, the Tigers misplaced to Oklahoma by a mixed 42 photographs.
Greatest disappointment: Vanderbilt. For the primary time in a very long time, the Commodores are ranked exterior the highest 10. At No. 15 within the nation, Vanderbilt obtained worse each outing after a T-3 to open the autumn at Inverness, culminating in an eighth-place exhibiting at Golf Membership of Georgia, the place Sargent didn’t compete as a result of standout senior “not feeling nicely.” With Sargent slumping and junior Wells Williams not but taking that subsequent step, depth is a big concern behind senior Jackson Van Paris.
Finest comeback story: Cohen Trolio. There are some nice choices across the nation, together with Indiana’s Clay Merchent and TCU’s Scott Roden. However Trolio, the previous prep standout who had been caught on the bench at LSU in current seasons, has rediscovered his mojo with three top-9 finishes this fall.
Mid-major minute: Resurgent Pepperdine leads the mid-majors at No. 19 within the nation, however Charlotte, at No. 29, isn’t far behind. The 49ers have posted three top-6 finishes whereas enjoying a troublesome schedule, together with a fourth-place end on the Golf Membership of Georgia, the place Caden Baker was runner-up individually. Some nice surprises in at-large territory embrace No. 48 Kennesaw State, which moved to Convention USA this season and is attempting to get again to NCAA regionals for the primary time since 2018, and No. 50 Pacific, eyeing its first postseason since 2013 after ending final on the West Coast Convention Championship twice within the final three seasons. However no crew presently within the high 60 has gone longer with out a regional berth than No. 53 Furman, which almost had its program disbanded a decade in the past. Harris Barth’s 4 top-11s have paced the Paladins up to now this season.
Maintaining a tally of the .500 rule: No. 21 Texas Tech, which has endured the misfortune of Walker Cupper Calum Scott not ending inside the highest 35 but in three begins, is the highest-ranked crew beneath .500, at 19-25-2. Additionally beneath the .500 mark: No. 25 Alabama (22-30-2), No. 38 Oregon (19-30-1), No. 42 Stanford (15-26-3), No. 49 TCU (26-38-1), No. 60 Ohio State (19-22) and No. 65 Clemson (19-37).
Bubble discuss: Final season, the magic quantity for NCAA regional at-large qualification was No. 68. After the autumn, Santa Clara is ranked No. 68, adopted by Oregon State, St. Mary’s and Arkansas State. No. 76 Chattanooga, No. 82 Michigan State, No. 88 Kentucky, No. 89 Arkansas, No. 99 Baylor, No. 100 North Florida and No. 113 Washington are among the many surprises exterior of the bubble.
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 20: Megha Ganne of the Stanford Cardinal waves after sinking her birdie putt on gap #18 at Stanford Golf Course on October 20, 2024 in Stanford, California. (Photograph by Al Chang/ISI Pictures/Getty Photographs)
Girls
Who’s the NCAA title favourite? Stanford. The Cardinal obtained a late begin to their season, not competing till mid-October, however that didn’t preserve them from choosing up the place they left off final Could at La Costa. Stanford is the final remaining unbeaten crew in Division I golf, males or girls, because it sits atop the nationwide rankings, albeit narrowly over Arkansas, which once more has benefitted from working away with its dwelling occasion at The Blessings. Seven Cardinal are ranked inside the highest 50 individually, together with all 4 freshmen and junior Megha Ganne, who didn’t play however one match in Stanford’s first two tournaments earlier than going third-win to cap her fall and is now No. 6 individually.
If voting at present, the Annika would go to…: Jasmine Koo. The USC freshman, who entered faculty because the reigning low beginner of the Chevron Championship, a U.S. Ladies’ Junior semifinalist and Curtis Cupper, has three wins on the break. All three of these titles got here after her T-19 in her faculty debut.
Greatest shock: Arizona. There have been few surprises on the ladies’s aspect, not less than within the high 10, however the Wildcats, underneath first-year coach Giovana Maymon, gained their fall opener on the Folds of Honor after which capped Maymon’s first semester with a victory over Northwestern at St. Andrews. Former coach Laura Ianello, now at Texas, didn’t depart the cabinet naked, however Maymon has nonetheless gotten some impressed play out of senior Carolina Melgrati and sophomore Charlotte Again, each ranked No. 33 or higher for the eighth-ranked Wildcats.
Greatest disappointment: UCLA. A season after reaching the NCAA remaining, the Bruins are in deep trouble. Not solely is UCLA ranked No. 28 nationally, nevertheless it doesn’t challenge to get any higher as senior Zoe Campos is bolting for the professionals midseason and fellow senior Caroline Canales may very well be proper behind her.
LAKE ELMO, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 11: South Carolina’s Hannah Darling celebrates her -14 win after the ultimate spherical of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate introduced by 3M at Royal Golf Membership on September 11, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photograph by Adam Bettcher/Getty Photographs)
Finest comeback story: Hannah Darling. The South Carolina standout was in a darkish place after being subbed out following a gap 84 on the NCAA Championship final Could. She had little clue the place her ball was going and didn’t play a stroke-play occasion this summer season. Nevertheless, a while away and a victorious Curtis Cup efficiency helped inject some confidence again into the expert Scot, who gained the Annika Intercollegiate to kick off her fall earlier than posting three extra top-11 finishes.
Mid-major minute: The standard staples – San Jose State (39) and Pepperdine (48) – have been a bit of off, which has ceded among the mid-major highlight to the likes of No. 37 Georgia Southern, No. 38 UNLV and No. 41 UC Davis. However maybe no mid-major has exceeded expectations greater than Florida Gulf Coast. The No. 56 Eagles gained 3 times within the fall earlier than ending runner-up at Miami’s occasion, and now, this system’s first postseason berth could be very a lot in play.
Maintaining a tally of the .500 rule: That is the primary season wherein the .500 rule is in impact for the ladies, and considerably surprisingly, there aren’t a ton of high groups behind the eight-ball. No. 28 UCLA (28-31-3), No. 32 Iowa State (28-29-1) and No. 39 San Jose State (22-28-1) are the one top-50 groups beneath .500.
Bubble discuss: A season in the past, the magic quantity for the ladies fell at No. 52, which presently is below-.500 Washington, which is adopted by Texas Tech, Colorado and Virginia Tech. No. 62 Georgia, No. 65 Princeton and No. 67 Michigan are among the many surprises exterior the bubble.
STANFORD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 20: The Stanford Cardinal crew picture at Stanford Golf Course on October 20, 2024 in Stanford, California. (Photograph by Al Chang/ISI Pictures/Getty Photographs)
Who gained the largest occasions?
Males
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 6-8 – Go to Knoxville Collegiate, Knoxville, Tennessee (LSU)
Sept. 7-8 – Sahalee Gamers Championship, Sammamish, Washington (ARIZONA STATE)
Sept. 9-10 – Inverness Intercollegiate, Toledo, Ohio (VIRGINIA)
Sept. 11th of September – Folds of Honor Collegiate, Grand Haven, Michigan (ALABAMA)
Sept. 20-22 – Olympia Fields/Combating Illini Invitational, Olympia Fields, Illinois (GEORGIA TECH)
Sept. 21-23 – Valero Texas Collegiate, San Antonio (OKLAHOMA)
Sept. 29-30 – Windon Memorial, Lake Forest, Illinois (ARIZONA)
Sept. 30-Oct. 1 – Ben Hogan Collegiate, Fort Price, Texas (OKLAHOMA)
Sept. 30-Oct. 2 – Blessings Collegiate, Fayetteville, Arkansas (LSU)
OCTOBER
Oct. 7-9 – Barbara Nicklaus Cup, Dublin, Ohio (FLORIDA)
Oct. 7-8 – Hamptons Intercollegiate, East Hampton, New York (OLE MISS)
Oct. 7-9 – Large 12 Match Play, Hockley, Texas (BYU)
Oct. 14-16 – St. Andrews Hyperlinks Collegiate, St. Andrews, Scotland (NORTHWESTERN)
Oct. 18-20 – Golf Membership of Georgia Collegiate, Alpharetta, Georgia (DUKE)
Oct. 19-21 – Fallen Oak Collegiate, Saucier, Mississippi (OLE MISS)
Oct. 20-22 – Williams Cup, Wilmington, North Carolina (NORTH CAROLINA)
Oct. 21-23 – Jackson T. Stephens Cup, Oklahoma Metropolis, Oklahoma (OKLAHOMA STATE)
Oct. 26-27 – Steelwood Collegiate, Loxley, Alabama (ILLINOIS)
Oct. 28-30 – East Lake Cup, Atlanta (AUBURN)
NOVEMBER
Nov. 2-4 – Ka’anapali Basic, Lahaina, Hawaii (OKLAHOMA)
Girls
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 9-10 – Cougar Basic, Charleston, South Carolina (AUBURN)
Sept. 11th of September – Folds of Honor Collegiate, Grand Haven, Michigan (ARIZONA)
Sept. 11th of September – Annika Intercollegiate, Lake Elmo, Minnesota (SOUTH CAROLINA)
Sept. 16-17 – Management and Golf Invitational, College Place, Washington (USC)
Sept. 20-22 – Mason Rudolph Championship, Franklin, Tennessee (VANDERBILT)
Sept. 21-23 – Schooner Fall Basic, Norman, Oklahoma (HOUSTON)
Sept. 30-Oct. 1 – Windy Metropolis Collegiate, Wilmette, Illinois (ARIZONA STATE)
Sept. 30-Oct. 1 – Molly Intercollegiate, Seaside, California (STANFORD)
Sept. 30-Oct. 2 – Blessings Collegiate, Fayetteville, Arkansas (ARKANSAS)
OCTOBER
Oct. 7-8 – Illini Girls’s Invitational, Medinah, Illinois (OLE MISS)
Oct. 14-15 – Dale McNamara Invitational, Tulsa, Oklahoma (ARKANSAS)
Oct. 14-16 – St. Andrews Hyperlinks Collegiate, St. Andrews, Scotland (ARIZONA)
Oct. 18-20 – Stanford Intercollegiate, Stanford, California (STANFORD AND USC)
Oct. 21-23 – Jackson T. Stephens Cup, Oklahoma Metropolis, Oklahoma (ARKANSAS)
Oct. 21-23 – The Ally, West Level, Mississippi (FLORIDA)
Oct. 28-30 – Nanea Invitational, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (STANFORD)
Oct. 28-30 – East Lake Cup, Atlanta (USC)
How’d I do?
POST-FALL RANKS FOR MEN’S PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Auburn – 3
2. Florida State – 31
3. Oklahoma – 4
4. Texas Tech – 21
5. Virginia – 8
6. Vanderbilt – 15
7. Arizona State – 2
8. Florida – 14
9. Illinois – 12
10. Ole Miss – 1
POST-FALL RANKS FOR WOMEN’S PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Stanford – 1
2. Texas – 5
3. USC – 4
4. UCLA – 28
5. South Carolina – 3
6. Auburn – 20
7. Arkansas – 2
8. Oregon – 6
9. Arizona State – 7
10. Northwestern – 9
