2001-02 Men’s Golf Season Outlook – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Ohio State will host the 2002 NCAA Tournament at the OSU Scarlet Course May 27-June 1. Jim Brown, head coach of the Buckeyes, expects his squad to qualify for the national tournament with a deep, competitive and experienced group of veterans and several highly-touted newcomers.
“Last year we were playing with five or six guys and the year before with five,” Brown said. “There was no one there to push them.” “Some of the younger and older kids that finally got some experience will be pushing the five guys that are playing to keep them on top of their game.”
With the loss of All-Big Ten golfer Mike Austin (Burton, Mich./Flint Powers Catholic), who led in scoring average last season (73.3) and played in more rounds than any other OSU golfer, OSU will be looking to their captains Ryan Dennis (Sr., Stow, Ohio/ Walsh Jesuit) and Jason Oien (Sr., Westerville, Ohio/ Westerville North) to lead the team in 2001-02.
Dennis finished fourth on the team last season in scoring with a 75.2 average in 25 rounds. After not competing in the fall season, Dennis put together a solid spring, competing in the last eight tournaments. He was OSU’s top finisher at two of those events.
” Ryan Dennis is a real consistent player who has added some length off the tee and has worked on his putting. He has improved since last year,” Brown said.
Oien, who competed in all but one tournament for the Buckeyes last season, is looking to improve.
“Jason Oien was a consistent golfer last year who played really well in a lot of tournaments,” Brown said. “As his short game improves, look for him to be one of the leaders on the team and be able to shoot under par for us at any time.”
Brown expects Oien and Dennis to lead the Buckeyes into the season in the No. 1 and No. 2 positions at the start of the year.
The surprise of last season was Kevin Hall (So., Cincinnati, Ohio/ St. Rita), who played the last five tournaments for the Buckeyes and finished second on the team with a 73.9 stroke average. His best finish came in the Kepler Intercollegiate, where he finished second, firing a 219 to lead OSU.
Brown wants Hall to build on his success and experience.
“We are looking for Kevin Hall to be more consistent,” Brown said. “He has to play a little smarter and not take as many chances.”
Seniors Scott Miller (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) and Doug Wade (Lima, Ohio/Lima Central Catholic) are two veterans who return to the OSU golf team for one more season. Neither saw much action last season, but each expects to play a larger role this season.
“Both Scott and Doug are fifth-year seniors. Both have been through the program for four years and I hope this will be the year they come through and help the team,” Brown said. “I look at them as probably fighting for either the fourth or fifth spot on the team.”
Justin Collins (Jr., Ironton, Ohio/Ironton) struggled to get on track his sophomore season finishing fifth on the team with a 75.9 stroke average. Brown believes Collins could be the x-factor for his team.
“I’m looking forward to Justin Collins having a break-out year. He is the key to our team because if he can get it going, it’s only going to improve our team,” Brown said.
Brown believes redshirt freshman Scott Anderson (Great Falls, Mont./Great Falls) as well as incoming freshmen Darren Lundgren (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway West), Matt Boudreau (St. Ann, Ill./Kankakee Bishop), Sandeep Syal (Chennai, India/Madras Gymkhona) and Zack Randol (Lawerence, N.Y./Woodberry Forest) all should push for playing time.
Brown said he will not pencil anyone into the starting five until fall.
“We will have a 72-hole qualifier in September and we will find out who will be our starting group and go from their,” Brown said.
A Rough Road
Last season saw the Buckeyes play in the nation’s best tournaments and this season will be no different.
“It is going to be tougher than last year,” Brown said.
Expect the team to travel to a couple of new venues this season as Brown is looking to test his team at every tournament.
“We are going to go to Las Vegas (Mar. 8-10) for sure, and all the top teams in the country will be there,” Brown said. “We also picked up a tournament in San Diego (Nov. 5-6).”
Brown said it is key for the Buckeyes start the season off well because they will be facing some stiff competition from the start.
“The key tournament is the Ping/Golfweek Preview (Sept. 28-30) here,” Brown said. “All the best teams are coming here and we are going to see how we play against them on our own course, which is an advantage.”
Buckeyes Gun for 17th Title
Season after season one of the team’s goals is a Big Ten title. This season, the Big Ten will be a wide open race with Minnesota as the early favorite returning all five of its starters.
“I look for it to be a very competitive Big Ten this year with more and more schools able to win it,” Brown said. “Usually you can look at it and say well, ‘If these three teams don’t win it then it is an upset , and now it is more like five teams who have a shot to win the championship.”
The Buckeyes have finished third and fourth, respectively, the past two years and will look to win Brown’s 17th title in 29 years as OSU’s head coach. It would be his first since 1997.
OSU Hosts NCAA Champoinship And Two Other Tournaments
Ohio State will be hosting the NCAA men’s golf championship for the 10th time in 2002 and the first time since 1995.
Brown said if it was up to some coaches the championship would be at OSU every year. “Coaches know after four rounds here the best individual and best team will win,” Brown said. “They all respect the course. Some fear it.”
There will be a few changes made to the Scarlet Course for the championship. First, the course will be a Par 71, instead of its normal 72, and will lose 15 yards in distance. Also the rough will be a bigger factor, which Brown compares to the rough at the U.S. Open.
Ohio State will be playing all season to defend its course when the NCAA Championship comes to Columbus, but Brown knows it will be tough.
“It’s not going to be an easy feat because we have to go through regionals and get a bid,”
Brown said. “Our goal this year is to win the Big Ten obviously, and play in the NCAA Championship on our course.”
OSU will also host the Ping/Golfweek Preview and for the Kepler Intercollegiate 33rd time in 34 years.
