Men’s Golf Host NCAA Central Regional at Scarlet Course – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Ohio State makes 31st NCAA appearance under head coach Jim Brown
COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio State men’s golf team welcomes a stellar field to its own Scarlet Course for the 2008 NCAA Central Regional, May 15-17 in Columbus, Ohio. The Buckeyes, who qualified for an regional for the first time in four years, are one of 27 teams along with six individuals competing at the par 71, 7,419-yard course at The Ohio State University Golf Club. The competitors will play 18 holes each day starting at 7 a.m. After 54 holes of play, the Top 10 teams and two individuals (from non-qualifying teams) will advance to the NCAA championships May 28-31 in West Lafayette, Ind.
TOURNAMENT BASICS
Name: 2008 NCAA Central Regional
Course: The Ohio State University Golf Club, Scarlet Course (Par 71, 7,419 yards)
Field:
1. Alabama (No. 3 overall seed)
2. Oklahoma State
3. Georgia Tech
4. Florida
5. Tennessee
6. Lamar
7. Wake Forest
8. Indiana
9. Texas A&M
10. Louisville
11. Wichita State
12. Kent State
13. Penn State
14. Arkansas
15. Michigan
16. TCU
17. Texas-Arlington
18. Illinois
19. Ohio State (host)
20. Baylor
21. Colorado
22. Eastern Kentucky
23. Marquette
24. Eastern Michigan
25. Cleveland State
26. Loyola (Maryland)
27. Sacred Heart
Six individuals – Chris Baker, Iowa State; Clayton Rask, Minnesota; Josh Sandman, Notre Dame; Victor Almstrom, Minnesota; Brent Long, Western Kentucky; Jordan Weber, Northern Iowa
Schedule:
Thursday, May 15: 18 holes (7 a.m. tee times)
Friday, May 16: 18 holes (7 a.m. tee times)
Saturday, May 17: 18 holes (7 a.m. tee times)
KEEPING TRACK
Live scoring for the NCAA Central Regional is available online at www.golfstat.com. Links to the live scoring will be available on the Ohio State men’s golf page on the official athletics site of the Buckeyes, www.OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
THE BUCKEYE LINEUP
Competing in the team portion of the tournament for the Buckeyes are senior co-captain Kyle Coconis, junior Vaughn Snyder, sophomore Patrick Simard, and freshmen Bo Hoag and Brad Smith. It is the first NCAA appearance for all five. Four of the five, minus Simard, helped Ohio State tie for sixth at the Big Ten championships (April 25-27). The group has competed in a total of 115 rounds with a combined stroke average of 73.38.
THE COURSE AHEAD
Opening in 1938, The Ohio State University’s Scarlet Golf Course is arguably the best college golf course in the nation. It was designed by world renowned course designer Dr. Alister MacKenzie, who also designed the Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament. Scarlet underwent a major restoration project in 2005 and 2006, which was headed by Ohio State legend Jack Nicklaus. The course is now an even more demanding par 71 and 7,455 yards from the Buckeye tees.
The course has hosted tournaments such as the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions, the NCAA Preview, Big Ten Championships, NCAA Regional Championships and a record 10 NCAA Men’s National Championships. It is also now the home of the Nationwide Tour’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational. Scarlet features large contoured greens surrounded by strategically placed bunkers that add to the difficulty of the beautiful, yet demanding course. The course rating is 76.1 with a slope of 142. The fairways and greens are bent grass.
LAST TIME WE WERE HERE
The Buckeyes last tournament at the Scarlet Course was in April at the 39th AnnualRobert Kepler Intercollegiate. The event featured tough conditions with gusting winds and cold temperatures. Ohio State placed fourth in the event at 57-over 909, one stoke back from in-state foe Kent State in third. Vaughn Snyder and Bo Hoag tied for 13th at 13-over 226. Brad Smith shot 17-over 230 to finish tied for 23rd, while Kyle Coconis was two shots back, finishing in a tie for 32nd. Patrick Simard tied for 47th with a total of 237.
SCARLET COURSE AND THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
In its rich history, the Scarlet Course has hosted the Men’s NCAA Championship 10 a record times and the Central Regional on multiple occasions. This will be the first men’s NCAA tournament event played on the course since the restoration by Jack Nicklaus. Ohio State hosted the women’s NCAA championship upon the completion of the restorations in 2006. The last time the Central Regional was held at Scarlet was 1999 and 2002 was the most recent NCAA men’s championship. Both events were won by the University of Minnesota. The Buckeyes will host the women’s NCAA Central Regional in 2009.
In 1945, Ohio State won its first national title on its own Scarlet Course, also marking the first time OSU was the site of the NCAA championship.
CENTURY MARK
Ohio State eclipsed the 100-win plateau at the Big Ten championships, improving its season record to 104-40-4. It is the first 100-win season for the Buckeyes since the 2003-04 season, which was also the last appearance OSU made an NCAA Regional. In his 35 years at Ohio State, head coach Jim Brown has failed to reach the 100-win mark only four times. He is the winningest active coach in the NCAA with a mark of 5,594.
THE MOST EXPERIENCED
Head coach Jim Brown, the winningest active coach in the NCAA, is making his 31st appearance in the NCAA tournament. In his career, the Buckeyes have won the national championship (1979) and recorded 11 finishes in the Top 10, including seven in the Top 5. In 1984, Chris Perry was named the national player of the year. The following year, Clark Burroughs took home the NCAA individual national title, the first Ohio State golfer to do so since Jack Nicklaus in 1960.
Earlier this season, Brown made his 35th appearance at the Big Ten championships. He has won a record 17 conference crowns and personally has more Big Ten titles than Michigan and Purdue (12), who tie for the second-most program crowns. From 1973-98, Brown led Ohio State through the most successful span in conference championship history, winning an astounding 16 conference titles with eight runner-up finishes in the 25-year period. Ohio State has put together spans of winning the Big Ten championship for six years (1982-97), five years (1976-80) and three years (1995-97).
Ohio State golfers have won the individual conference championship 12 times during Brown’s tenure, including four straight from 1976-79, during which John Cook won twice. Brown has also overseen a record 16 Les Bolstad Award winners, the Big Ten award for the lowest stroke average, including 10 consecutive from 1976-85. John Cook and Chris Perry each won the award three-consecutive years.
COCONIS AND HOAG NAMED ALL-BIG TEN
Senior Kyle Coconis and freshman Bo Hoag were both named Second Team All-Big Ten, the conference announced April 29. It is the first All-Big Ten honor for Coconis and the first time a pair of Buckeyes has been named All-Big Ten since 2000, when Mike Austin and David Wagenseller were first-team selections.
Coconis, a team co-captain from Zanesville, Ohio, has had an outstanding senior season. After playing in just two tournaments in his first three seasons, Coconis became a mainstay in the Ohio State lineup this year, playing in all 31 rounds and leading the team in stroke average for the majority of the season, currently with a 72.81 average. He shot a Buckeye-best six rounds in the 60s with four rounds of 68 for a career-low score. A total of 14 of his rounds were at or under par. The graduate of Maysville High School had eight Top 20 finishes in 10 tournaments, including two in the Top 5. Coconis also received the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Hoag, a native of Upper Arlington, Ohio, posted a stroke average of 73.13 in his first collegiate season. He carded five rounds in the 60s, including two rounds of a career-low 67, and nine of his rounds were under par. The Upper Arlington High School product had four Top 10 finishes this season, including tying for 10th to lead the Buckeyes at the Big Ten championships. Along with Coconis, Hoag played in all 31 rounds this season.
LAST TIME OUT
The Buckeyes tied for sixth at the Big Ten Championships with a four-round total of 1196 (+44) on the par 72, 7,013-yard Forest Akers Golf Club’s West Course April 25-27 in East Lansing, Mich. Freshman Bo Hoag led the Buckeyes by tying for 10th with a total of 9-over 297, followed by Vaughn Snyder and Kyle Coconis tying for 13th at 298. Snyder’s tournament included an opening round of 68, his lowest as a Buckeye. Freshman Brad Smith placed 34th at 18-over 306 and Zach Sebert finished 53rd with a total of 319.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES
After a tough season last year, the Buckeyes have turned almost all aspects of their game around this season. Twice this year Ohio State has finished a three-round tournament with a total of 847 (-17) after a low team score of 875 last year. At the Ron Moore Invitational earlier this spring, the Buckeyes recorded a season-low round of 11-under 277. OSU has totaled 14 rounds under 290 thus far into the season after just two a year ago. The team stroke average has dropped from 300.8 per round to a 291.0 mark, a drop of almost 10 strokes. In 10 tournaments this season, the Buckeyes have finished in the Top 4 six times after just two last year. Overall, Ohio State is 104-40-4 in events this season after wrapping up 2006-07 at 62-76-3.
Individually, OSU golfers have fired 41 rounds under par this season, including 20 in the 60’s after just two all of last season. Ohio State placed nine in the Top 10 of the individual tournament standings in 2006-07 and already has 11 this year with at least one event remaining on the schedule.
THE NEW GUY
Junior Vaughn Snyder transferred from the University of Akron to Ohio State during the winter break and has hit the ground running as a Buckeye. In his first tournament with OSU, the Massillon, Ohio, native tied for ninth at the Marshall Invitational (April 4-5) with scores of 70-71. Snyder also led the Buckeyes at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate (April 12-13), tying with teammate Bo Hoag for 13th after opening with a round of 72 and closing with a 73. At the Big Ten Championships two weeks ago, Snyder got off to a blistering start, shooting an opening round 68 to take the lead after 18 holes. He finished tied for 13th with a score of 10-over 298.
ABOVE AVERAGE
Four Buckeyes have a stroke average below 74 this season. Kyle Coconis leads the way at 72.81, while Patrick Simard is just behind him with a 73.08 average. Following them is Bo Hoag and Vaughn Snyder at 73.11 and 73.89, respectively. The four have combined for 16 rounds in the 60’s and 28 rounds under par.
SAVING HIS BEST FOR LAST
Fifth-year senior Kyle Coconis has been a bright spot for Ohio State this season and has become a cornerstone for the team. After playing sparingly in his first four seasons on the squad, the Zanesville, Ohio, native has broken out this season with a team-leading stroke average of 72.8. Four times this season he has carded a career-low 68, including back-to-back rounds at the Ron Moore Invitational (March 21-23). Coconis also achieved the best finish of his career at the Landfall Tradition where he placed second at 4-under 212. He has been one of Ohio State’s most consistent competitors with seven Top 20 finishes in eight tournaments and has finished five events under par.
BUCKEYE BIG TEN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Freshman Brad Smith was named Big Ten Men’s Golfer of the Week March 26, the second time a Buckeye has won the award this season. Smith recorded two career bests at the Ron Moore Invitational, March 21-23 in Goodyear Ariz. The native of Peru, Ind., fired a career-low 66 in the second round and followed it up the next day with a 2-under 70. He finished the 54-hole event with a total of 7-under 209 to tie for fifth place, a career high. Smith led the field in par 5 scoring at 11-under for the event.
Ohio State swept the Big Ten Golfer of the Week awards on Feb. 20 with Patrick Simard of the men’s team and Carling Coffing of the women’s team earning the honors. It was the first weekly award for both. The last time a Buckeye earned the weekly laurels for the men’s team was Colin Biles in April 2005. The native of Marbella, Spain opened the spring season with a career-best round of 65 at a single-round tri-match against Iowa State and Florida Atlantic in Orlando, Fla. Simard helped the Buckeyes win the tri-match by nine strokes for their first victory at an event since the 2004 season.
LIKE OLD TIMES
Prior to opening the spring season, current and past Buckeyes got together Feb. 9 at the Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla. for an exhibition match. The alumni defeated the current Buckeyes in the 18-hole match-play event. Competing for the alumni team were former Buckeye greats Steve Anderson (1990-93), Colin Biles (2004-07), Kevin Hall (2001-04), Peter Hammar (1985-88), Gary Nicklaus (1988-91) and Curt Sanders (1991-94). The event was hosted by Jack and Gary Nicklaus.
START OF SOMETHING GOOD?
Freshman Bo Hoag of Upper Arlington, Ohio, came to Ohio State as one of the most heralded freshmen in the country. After capturing the team’s Jack Nicklaus Low Fall Qualifier award with a stroke average of 70.1, Hoag opened his collegiate career with a bang by shooting a 67 at the William H. Tucker Invitational (Sept. 14-15) at the UNM Championship Course, considered the toughest college course by many. He went on to finish ninth in the event. Hoag concluded the fall season with another 67 in the final round of the SSC Pacific Invitational (Nov. 5-7). Combined with a 69 and 68 in the first two rounds, he had a season-best fifth-place finish with a score of 204 (-12).
TEAMING UP
The 2007-08 roster boasts two pairs of Ohio high school teammates that will continue to play together wearing Scarlet and Gray. Bo Hoag and Tanner Murphy both played for Upper Arlington High School and led it to the 2007 Ohio High School State Championship. The duo of Michael Cress and Evan Wood helped Dublin Jerome High School win state championships in 2004 and 2005. All four freshmen received all-state honors in their high school careers.
FANTASTIC FALL
In November, Ohio State completed its most successful fall campaign in recent memory. In four events played during the fall season, the Buckeyes finished in the Top 4 in three events and never finished lower than eighth. The high point of the season came Oct. 26-28 at the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C., where the Buckeyes secured a third-place finish.
Individually, freshman Bo Hoag tied for ninth at the William H. Tucker Invitational (Sept. 15-16) and came in fifth at the SSC Pacific Invitational (Nov. 5-7), sophomore Patrick Simard finished in a tie for fourth at the Coca-Cola Duke Golf Classic (Oct. 7-8) and the Landfall Tradition (Oct. 26-28) and senior Kyle Coconis had a runner-up finish at the Landfall Tradition (Oct. 26-28).
BUCKEYE COMMITMENT
Ohio State head coach Jim Brown announced the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent in November. The class includes the top-ranked golfer in Ohio for the class of 2008, Michael Kinkopf of Hilliard, as well as Gary Quinn of Anthem, Ariz., and Jamie Sindelar of Horseheads, N.Y.
Kinkopf comes to Ohio State from St. Charles High School. As the team captain, he has led the Cardinals in stroke average all four seasons. Kinkopf has won eight individual titles and was runner-up in 12 tournaments. Along with his achievements at St. Charles, he was a USGA Amateur Qualifier Medalist in 2006 with a score of 134 after carding two rounds of 67 as well as the 2006 USGA Jr. Amateur Qualifier Medalist with scores of 72-67=139.
Quinn is a senior at Anthem Boulder Creek High School where he helped the Jaguars win the 2006 Arizona State High School Championship. In the state championship, Quinn fired scores of 65 and 71 to post the third-lowest winning score ever at 136 and earn first team all-state honors. The team was runner-up in 2005. In AJGA events, Quinn had three Top 5 finishes in the summer of 2007 with a stroke average of 72.75 in four tournaments.
Sindelar, winner of three conference championships at Horseheads High School, is the son of former Buckeye All-American and current PGA Tour member Joey Sindelar. A two-time captain, Jamie Sindelar has played at the No. 1 spot all four years with a high school record of 57-10. He had a nine-hole average of 35.2 as a senior. Sindelar has twice won the New York Junior Championship and finished second at the International Junior Masters. He won the 2007 AJGA Medicus Preseason Junior in Rochester, N.Y.
AT THE HELM
Ohio State head coach Jim Brown, the winningest active coach in the NCAA, is in his 35th season at the helm of the Buckeyes. Brown, a 1966 Ohio State graduate, has established his alma mater as one of the top programs in college golf. Under his guidance, the Buckeyes have won 17 Big Ten championships and made 31 NCAA appearances with 11 NCAA Top 10 finishes and a national championship in 1979. Overall, Ohio State has won 158 tournaments under Brown and he has coached 51 All-America selections.
JOINING THE BUCKEYES
Brad Sparling was named the Ohio State men’s golf associate head coach, Jim Brown announced Sept. 12. Sparling joined the Buckeyes after three years with the Duke golf teams, including the interim men’s golf head coach in 2007 when he guided them to 13th place at the NCAA championships. He was the associate head coach of the Blue Devils the season before that. Prior to his promotion to associate head coach in 2006, he served as the assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s golf teams.
During Sparling’s time with the Blue Devils, the women’s team won two NCAA championships as well as two Atlantic Coast Conference championships and the men’s team won its first ACC championship since 1966. The men’s team also concluded two of its seasons ranked in the Top 10 nationally and finished tied for eighth at the NCAA championships in 2005 and 12th in 2006.
UP NEXT
Should the Buckeyes finish in the Top 10 at the Central Regional, they will head to the 2008 NCAA Championships in West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue hosts the 72-hole tournament May 28-31 at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex’s Kampen Course.
