Men’s Golf Travels West for NCAA Regional Play – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 14, 2002
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s golf team was selected as an at-large participant in the 2002 NCAA West Regional in Albuquerque, N.M., May 16-18. The event will be contested at The Championship Course at the University of New Mexico (par 72, 7,368 yards).
The Buckeyes are making their 28th appearance in NCAA regional play in the 29 years Jim Brown has been head coach at Ohio State. Brown’s teams have gone on to the NCAA championships 22 times, winning the event in 1979 and finishing among the Top 10 11 times.
In the history of the program, Ohio State teams have made 29 appearances in the final championship tournament with a pair of titles (1945, ’79) and 18 total Top 10 finishes.
Buckeyes 13-7 vs. West Regional Field
Ohio State was successful against several of the teams that make up the 2002 NCAA West Regional field. Ohio State, the No. 12 seed in the West, is 7-6 against teams seeded higher than the Buckeyes in the west region.
Fall Success Propels Ohio State
Ohio State finished in the Top 5 in each of its four 2001 fall tournaments. Ohio State was 13-9 against teams currently ranked among the Top 25 teams nationally in the Golfweek/Sagarin and Precept Golf Coaches’ polls. Eight of those victories came at the 2001 Ping/Golfweek Preview Invitational in Columbus Sept. 28-30. The Buckeyes finished fourth in that event with victories over No. 1 Georgia Tech (both polls), No. 4/5 Florida, No. 6/6 Oklahoma St., No. 15/17 Oklahoma, No. 16/15 Augusta St., No. 18/12 Virginia Tech and No. 22/22 Arizona. Ohio State was within five strokes of No. 2/2 Clemson, No. 3/2 Wake Forest and No. 54 Texas in the Preview event. 2002 Big Ten Championships
The Ohio State men’s golf team finished seventh at the 2002 Big Ten Tournament with rounds of 295-285-295-293=1,168. The event was played at Finkbine Golf Course (7,002, Par 72) in Iowa City, Iowa, with the University of Iowa serving as host.
Minnesota claimed the Big Ten championship, four shots better than Illinois.
Ohio State senior Doug Wade (73-69-74-73=289) led the Buckeyes individually tied for 10th place. Senior Ryan Dennis tied for 13th (75-70-75-71=291).
Eric Jorgensen of Michigan State (70-72-69-69=280) was the individual medalist.
Brown’s Big Ten Success
In his 29-year tenure at OSU, head coach Jim Brown has lead 16 Buckeye squads to Big Ten crowns with the last coming in 1997. In one decade alone (1980’s) Brown had eight Big Ten titles, six of which came consecutively (1982-87).
OSU Lineup
Head coach Jim Brown will send a veteran laden lineup to the NCAA West Regional. Doug Wade, Justin Collins, Ryan Dennis, Zach Doran and Jason Oien will make up the OSU lineup this week.
Ohio State Welcomes NCAA Tournament for 10th Time at Scarlet Course
The 2002 NCAA Men’s Golf Tournament will be played at The OSU Scarlet Course May 27-June 1, 2001 in Columbus, Ohio. It marks the 10th time the NCAA championship will be determined on Ohio State’s historic Scarlet Course and the first time since 1995.
The Buckeyes missed qualifying for the 2001 NCAA Tournament by one stroke but expect to make a push in 2002 to play on their home course in NCAA tournament play.
The 2002 tournament will begin with practice rounds May 27-28. The 30 teams and six individuals, 10 teams and the Top 2 individuals not on one of the advancing teams, from each of the East, Central and West regions will begin play in the four-day tournament May 29.
Brown Has Veteran Squad
Ohio State returned four student-athletes who played the majority of the 2000-01 schedule for Jim Brown, Buckeye head coach.
Brown, in his 29th season as the men’s golf coach at Ohio State, has led the Buckeyes to 22 NCAA tournament appearances. His teams have won 16 Big Ten titles and have finished among the Top 2 in the Big Ten Conference 24 times.
Leading the Buckeyes this year are a trio of seniors. Jason Oien, Ryan Dennis and Doug Wade are the most experienced Buckeyes in 2001-02. Junior Justin Collins has played in all but one tournament for the Buckeyes. Sophomore Kevin Hall came out of a redshirt season last year to help the Buckeyes to a pair of tournament wins.
Ohio State Captains
Following a team vote Oct. 11, 2001 Ryan Dennis , Jason Oien and Justin Collins were selected captains for the 2001-02 Buckeyes.
Noting the Buckeyes
Doug Wade: Led the Buckeyes to a third place finish at the Marshall Invite (4/5-6) with his second place finish (217, +4)…currently leads the team with a 73.0 stroke average in 11 tournaments … completed fall play with second-lowest scoring average on the team (71.3) after 4-under par effort (212) at the Aztec Invitational (11/5-6) … fired the low round (64) of his career and on the team for the fall in the second round at the Aztec Inv. … Wade finished the Ping/Golfweek Preview (Sept. 28-30) with back-to-back sub-par rounds on his way to a score of 211 for the 54-hole event … he finished tied for second after a 4-under 67 in the final round … had streak of four-consecutive rounds under par snapped with a final round 73 (T10 overall) at the Red River Classic (10/8-9) … had a pair of Top 10 finishes in the fall … 5-of-12 rounds this season have been below par, including four in the 60s.
Justin Collins: Second on the team with a 73.1 scoring average after 33 rounds and 11 tournaments this seasons … finished the fall with a 70.4 scoring average, lowest on the team, after a 9-under 207 (tied for second overall) at the Aztec Invitational (11/5-6) … shot 11-under over the final two rounds at the Aztec to help Buckeyes claim the team title … Collins fired back-to-back rounds under par to finish tied for the No. 9 spot at the Ping/Golfweek Preview (Sept. 28-30) … playing in the No. 1 spot for the Buckeyes, he helped move the team from 12th position after the first round to a No. 4 finish against some of the nation’s best teams in the Ping Preview … 8-of-18 rounds this season have been below par, including five in the 60s … had three Top 10 finishes in the fall … shot 3-under par 213 at Red River Classic (10/8-9) and 5-under at Gary Koch Inv.
Ryan Dennis: Responded well after a shaky start to the Ping Preview (Sept. 28-30) … followed first round 76 by shooting par over the final two days combined to tie for 16th with a 54-hole total of 218 … 4 rounds below par this season, including a 69 at Red River Classic (10/8)…was the Buckeyes’ second best finisher at the Marshall Invite by finishing in a tie for 18th.
Zach Doran: Has played in three tournaments this spring…once as an individual (Kepler Invitational, 4/12-13) and at the Fossum Invitational (4/27-4/28) and the 2002 Big Ten Tournament (5/3-5).
Kevin Hall: Helped Buckeyes move to within striking distance in the second round of the Aztec Invitational (11/5-6) with a second round 68 … the Buckeyes shot 20-under par (268) in round two, winning the 54-hole event by one stroke over the host Aztecs … Hall shot 226 over the three days of the Ping/Golfweek Preview (Sept. 28-30) to tie for 52nd at +13 (75-76-75) … helped OSU to a pair of tournament wins as a freshman after foregoing a redshirt season in the late spring to compete … played in two fall tournaments as a sophomore.
Jason Oien: Finished No. 3 on the team with a 72.3 scoring average in the fall … is currently third overall after nine tournaments with a scoring average of 74.1… shot 7-under (209) to finish tied for sixth in helping the Buckeyes to the Aztec Invitational title (11/5-6) … struggled out of the gate in the first two rounds of the Ping/Golfweek Preview (Sept. 28-30) but finished strong with a final round 73 to help the Buckeyes to a No. 4 finish at The OSU Scarlet Course … led Buckeyes with a 7-under 209 effort at the Red River Classic (T 7) … shot final round 68, one of seven rounds in the 60s … finished the fall with a pair of Top 10 finishes.
Scott Anderson: Anderson was a decorated high school golfer at Great Falls (Mont.) … won the state individual title as sophomore and junior before finishing second as a senior … a three-time all-state selection, Anderson won seven individual tournaments as a prep athlete and was a four-time academic all-state honoree … played in his first tournament as a Buckeye at the Red River Classic.
Matt Boudreau: Boudreau made his first tournament appearance with the Buckeyes at the Gary Koch Inv. (Oct. 15-16) … struggled in the first round but was just 2-over par over the final 36 holes, including a career-low 72 in the final round … the St. Ann, Ill., native won the 2000 Illinois Junior Amateur Championship and led Bishop McNamara to the state title that year.
Scott Miller: Has played in five spring tournaments for the Buckeyes and was the top finisher for OSU at the rain-shortened Kepler Invite (4/12-13) with a (+1) 143 … finished second among his teammates at the Gator Invitational (2/9-10) with a (+11) 221 for the tournament … Miller made his first appearance of the fall season and first since his junior campaign in 1999-00 at the Aztec Invitational (11/5-6) … shot a 1-under 71 in the final round as the Buckeyes won by one stroke at the Aztec Inv. … before the Aztec Inv., the fifth-year senior last competed at the Kepler Invitational (4/14-15, 2000), hosted by Ohio State … he finished tied for 19th place in that event.
NCAA Tournament Selection Process
The field for the 2002 NCAA Tournament will be decided at three regionals this week (East, West and Central). A total of 81 teams, 27 at each regional site, along with 18 individuals, six at each site, are playing to advance to the NCAA tournament.
The top 10 teams from each regional along with the top two individual players not on one of the qualifying teams will advance to make up the field of 30 teams and six individuals at the 2002 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships May 29-June 1 in Columbus.
The East Regional is hosted by Georgia Tech University in Roswell, Ga., the West Regional by the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and the Central Regional by Arkansas-Little Rock in Little Rock.
For additional information on the NCAA regionals and championship tournament, log on to www.ncaachampionships.com and www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
2002 West Regional Field
1. Southern Cal.
2. Texas
3. Minnesota
4. Fresno State
5. Washington
6. New Mexico
7. Pepperdine
8. San Diego State
9. Arizona
10. Nevada
11. Oregon
12. Ohio State
13. UCLA
14. Washington St.
15. UC Irvine
16. Pacific
17. UNLV
18. Stanford
19. Arizona State
20. Texas Tech
21. California
22. Brigham Young
23. Colorado State
24. Illinois State
25. Detroit
26. IUPUI
27. Central Conn. St.
