College golf blog: On the road to the 2022 NCAA Championship at Grayhawk

October 25

On Monday the APGA Tour announced its first APGA Collegiate Ranking of the 2021-22 season, with William & Mary’s Ethan Mangum leading the way.

A transfer from Florida A&M, Mangum helped the Rattlers to their first MEAC Championship in 2020 and was medalist at the conference championship and was named CAA Golfer of the Week earlier this season in September. Duke’s Quinn Riley is second, followed by Kasoma Pualino from Henderson State University, North Carolina A&T’s Xavier Williams and Massimo Mbetse from South Florida.

Announced in October 2020 through a partnership between PGA Tour University and the APGA Tour, the APGA Collegiate Ranking is comprised of Black players from NCAA Div. I, II or III programs who use four years of eligibility. At the end of the season, the top-five players in the ranking will earn the following:

• Scholarship access to APGA Tour events through the remainder of the 2022 APGA Tour season.
• Inclusion in the APGA Tour Player Development Program presented by World Wide Technology.
• Scholarship access into the Korn Ferry Qualifying School for the 2023 season.
• No. 1 player will receive a sponsor exemption into the 2022 REX Hospital Open on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Check out the full ranking and learn more about the APGA Tour’s mission to bring greater diversity to golf here.

Oct. 24

It isn’t always easy following a national-title season. In its third start of the fall season, Pepperdine, the team that carried off the NCAA trophy last spring, is now back on top, having won the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate on Sunday with a 42-under team total.

Playing at the Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta, Georgia, Pepperdine started the day four ahead of Texas A&M and finished with that same four-shot margin, but it’s a misleading stat in terms of how much transpired in between. Perhaps the most excitement came at the end of the day. The Waves played the closing hole in 7 under, counting an eagle from William Mouw and birdies from Joe Highsmith, Joey Vrzich and Dylan Menante. Derek Hitchner also eagled the hole but with a final-round 71, was Pepperdine’s drop score for the day.

Both Pepperdine and Texas A&M played the final round in 16 under, but Pepperdine’s 42-under total broke the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate record by 14 shots.

Joe Highsmith broke a record of his own in winning the individual title at the Golf Club of Georgia, the second of his career. Highsmith’s 19-under total, made up of rounds of 63-65-69, was three shots lower than the previous tournament record and left him four ahead of runner-up Alex Fitzpatrick of Wake Forest.

It even drew the attention of fellow Pacific Northwest native Fred Couples on Twitter.

Congrats @joehighsmith33 on a dominant win – many more to come – and start of great things for Pepperdine

— fredcouplesgolf (@fredcouplesgolf) October 25, 2021

-Julie Williams

Oct. 22.

Indianapolis is doing Indianapolis things again, having won the Dayton Fall Invitational to end its fall. The Hounds’ victory in the 12-team event at NCR Country Club in Kettering, Ohio, on Oct. 19 is particularly significant given that Indy was the only NCAA Division II team in the Division I field.

Last fall, Indy won the Alabama-Birmingham-hosted Hoover Invitational and also won Ball State’s Cardinal Classic in the fall of 2018. Dallas Baptist, the reigning Division II national champions, won the Kiawah Island Classic, which included 40 Division I teams, in March.

At NCR Country Club, Indy was 29 over for two rounds, which was 11 better than runner-up Butler University. Fifth-year senior Anna Kramer finished second individually at 3 under, four shots behind Ohio State’s Ale Phadungmartvorak, who was playing as an individual

pic.twitter.com/Mdy3wVWkxo

— UIndy Athletics (@UIndyAthletics) October 19, 2021

Kramer has picked up a leadership role for the Hounds after five-time First Team All-American Pilar Echeverria graduated last spring. Echeverria is playing the second stage of LPGA Q-School this week.

-Julie Williams

Oct. 19

PGA Tour exemptions are, in many cases, as good as gold in the world of college and amateur golf. They offer a chance for players to test the waters of the next level – seeing how they stack up, how the real world of golf functions and whether it’s a career path that might appeal to them.

New Mexico junior Albert Boneta will get to test those waters at the 2022 Barracuda Championship, the Lake Tahoe stop on the PGA Tour. By winning the individual title at the Nevada-hosted Wolf Pack Classic. Boneta went 6 under for 54 holes at Hidden Valley Country Club in Reno, Nevada, edging UC Davis’ Thomas Hutchison and New Mexico teammate Sam Choi for the coveted Tour spot.

New Mexico, at 14 under, won the team title – its first this season.

LOBOS WIN!!! 🐺⛳️

UNM leads wire-to-wire to take the title at the Wolf Pack Classic in Reno. pic.twitter.com/AGa63ABVZH

— UNM Men's Golf (@UNMLoboMGolf) October 12, 2021

“This was a great tournament for us,” New Mexico head coach Glen Millican said in a release. “We beat some very good teams and had to play two different types of golf. Yesterday was survival golf in that weather and then normal golf today, where they could take advantage of the conditions. It was very impressive to win and handle the situations well.

“It was an extra bonus for Albert to pick up his second win and earn an exemption into a PGA Tour event. I am really happy for him. To have four guys finishing 11th or better is awesome and shows the depth we have on this team.”

-Julie Williams

Oct. 14

As the fall season takes shape, some teams and players have begun to separate from the pack. Check out the updated Golfweek/Sagarin rankings (which features quite a few nods to Stanford).

Men’s individuals

1. Cameron Sisk, Arizona State
2. J.M. Butler, Auburn
3. Michael Thorbjornsen, Stanford
4. Ryan Gerard, North Carolina
5. David Puig, Arizona State

Men’s team

1. Oklahoma
2. Arizona State
3. Arkansas
4. Stanford
5. Oklahoma State

Women’s individuals

1. Brooke Matthews, Arkansas
2. Rose Zhang, Stanford
3. Hannah Darling, South Carolina
4. Caley McGinty, Oklahoma State
5. Cindy Kou, USC

Women’s team

1. Arkansas
2. Stanford
3. Oklahoma State
4. Virginia
5. Oregon

Oct. 12

VERO BEACH — It’s not rare when someone notable is showing up to play golf at Quail Valley Golf Club. The high-end private club designed by Hall of Famer Nick Price and Tommy Fazio gets its share of big names.

Reigning U.S. Amateur champion James Piot of Michigan State will compete with 83 other top collegians in the eighth Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational. The 54-hole event, which was canceled last year due to COVID-19, is Sunday (36 holes) and Monday (18).

The event was the brainchild of Quail Valley’s original owners Steve Mulvey (who passed in 2017) and Kevin Given and other prominent members.

“We initially talked about hosting a two-man amateur team event,” said Don Meadows, Quail Valley’s PGA Director of Golf. “Then someone mentioned the idea of hosting a college event in the fall. We thought it would fit well into our calendar and not greatly inconvenience the members.”

The first Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational was held in 2103 with 10 schools and 10 individuals invited, capping the field at 60. The field has gradually increased to 16 schools and 84 overall.

The quality of the Invitational has increased, as well.

“It seems like the field is getting better every year,” said Meadows, who is serving his second term as president of the South Florida PGA. “It’s special to have the reigning U.S. Amateur champion playing at your course.”

The field includes six schools in the top 30 in Golfweek’s latest rankings: Kansas (13th), South Florida (15th), Michigan State (27th). Northwestern (28th) and Indiana (30th). Also playing are Kent State, Memphis, Louisiana, Miami, Toledo, Rutgers, Missouri-Kansas City, Nebraska, Boston College and Maryland.

Read more here.

– Craig Dolch, Special to TCPalm

Oct. 9

Linda Vollstedt is a name synonymous with Arizona State women’s golf, and now the Sun Devil coaching institution has been added to the LPGA Professionals Hall of Fame. Originally, Vollstedt was supposed to be inducted in 2020, but the ceremony was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am truly honored to be selected into the LPGA Professionals Hall of Fame and to be included in the elite company of those who have come before me and who have been such incredible role models,” Vollstedt said in a school release.

Vollstedt coached the Sun Devils from 1980 to 2001, during which time the team won six NCAA titles. Twenty-two of her players played on the LPGA.

🚨 𝔹ℝ𝔼𝔸𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾 ℕ𝔼𝕎𝕊 🚨

Legendary @SunDevilWGolf Head Coach Linda Vollstedt has been inducted into the @LPGA 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐞! 👏

A well-deserved honor for a pioneer of the game 🏌️‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/8eskDc57Vi

— Sun Devil W. Golf (@SunDevilWGolf) November 6, 2020

But Vollstedt was also instrumental among LPGA professionals, first joining the association as an officer in 1986 and serving as President and Vice President of the Western Section from 1986-92. Vollstedt helped coaches get more recognition within the organization as she believed that coaching was teaching and teaching was coaching. She also pushed for more educational workshops and seminars.

Vollstedt played a role in several LPGA initiatives, including the LPGA Urban Youth Golf Program, which eventually became “The First Tee” initiative. She was also instrumental in developing the LPGA Jr. Girls Golf Program.

“My entire life has been dedicated to mentoring, teaching and coaching,” she said. “I am full of gratitude and joy as I continue to mentor young women who are looking for success and fulfillment in their profession.”

Oct. 6

Welcome to college golf, little John.

John Daly II, son of two-time major champion John Daly, is a freshman at Arkansas this year and made his debut for the Razorbacks at their home event earlier this week. Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, host of the The Blessings Collegiate Invitational which features a men’s and women’s competition, is no easy golf course and Daly II’s score showed just that.

Blessings: Team scores | Individual

The 2020 Rolex Junior All-American made six bogeys, three double bogeys and one birdie en route to a colorful 11-over 83 during Monday’s first round, putting him in dead last. Daly II bounced back on Tuesday with a 4-under 68 that included a 4-under stretch over seven holes to close out his opening nine.

While Daly II struggled early, his Razorbacks are defending home turf and lead the event on its final day. The freshman is playing as an individual this week, meaning his score won’t count towards the team.

Great to have 2 time Major PGA Winner @PGA_JohnDaly back in Fayetteville #ProHog 🐗🏆 pic.twitter.com/VTUYLJqf4B

— Razorback Men's Golf (@RazorbackMGolf) September 21, 2021

Washington, Manke earn South Bend sweep at Fighting Irish Classic

Oct. 6

“They all deserve this feeling.”

Washington men’s golf coach Alan Murray didn’t mince words after his team’s second win of the early fall season, and for good reason. The Huskies have been working hard, and it’s showing in the results, especially after they went to South Bend and held off Notre Dame at their own Fighting Irish Classic.

Led by individual champion RJ Manke, a transfer from last year’s national champion Pepperdine, Washington shot 2 under as a team on Tuesday to sweep the hardware at Warren Golf Course and finish 15 under for the week. Noah Woolsey joined Manke in the top five, six shots back at T-4, with Petr Hruby T-15 at even par.

“Once I got through No. 9, I looked at the leaderboard and saw that Washington was up there on top,” said Manke. “It kind of settled me down knowing that the other guys were having solid days.”

Notre Dame rode the low round of the day, 6 under, to second place, three shots back at 12 under. Utah (10 under), Kent State (6 under) and Michigan State (2 under) round out the top five.

EVERYONE in Purple & Gold celebrated on Tuesday at Warren Golf Course in South Bend.

READ ➡️ https://t.co/TLzDh49DJj#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/dDpfZZcAli

— Washington Men's Golf (@UW_MGolf) October 6, 2021

The South Bend sweep had to be cathartic for the Huskies, most notably Manke. Their first win of the season was a T-1 at home with Nevada after losing a 12-shot lead in the final round. As for Manke, the Lakewood, Washington native who attended high school an hour south of campus had led in the previous two tournaments entering the final round and finished second in each.

“That’s the thing with golf, the more experience you build up, the more comfortable you are going to be in the next situation,” said Manke, who has earned finishes of T-3, T-2, 2 and 1 this season. “You can’t force anything in this game. You’ve just got to have fun and try on each shot. The results will come in the end.”

They sure did.

Oct. 3

Oklahoma State senior Eugenio Chacarra made his first PGA Tour cut this weekend at the Sanderson Farms Championship at Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi and finished his weekend with a 5-under 67 on Sunday.

The Spaniard then went straight to the airport to get on a plane bound for Texas to join his Cowboys at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth for the two-day Colonial Collegiate Invitational, which begins Monday morning.

Oklahoma State already has two events under their belt this fall season, a win at the the Carmel Cup and a third-place finish at the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational.

College golf’s Florida Swing absolutely exists, and thanks to a couple of Auburn alumnae, it will get stronger this year. Anne Moon and Courtney Trimble, who starred for Auburn in the early 2000s, are expanding their early-season tournament lineup on the east-central Florida coast.

Moon, owner of Moon Golf in Melbourne, Florida, (plus two more stores down the coast) and former Louisville head coach Trimble, will bring the Columbia Classic presented by Moon Golf online Feb. 13-14 at Duran Golf Club in Melbourne. That tournament will run in addition to the fifth annual Moon Golf Invitational, which moves down the road to Suntree Country Club, a former PGA Tour Champions venue, on Feb. 20-22.

Moon and Trimble were teammates at Auburn from 1999 to 2003 under their maiden names, Anne Hutto and Courtney Swaim, and during that time Auburn finished sixth, fourth, second and ninth, respectively, at the NCAA Championship. Now the pair remain active in women’s college golf by supporting their annual tournaments.

The Moon Golf Invitational field includes Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Augusta State, Baylor, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Louisville, LSU, Miami, North Carolina, defending champion South Carolina, UCF and Virginia.

The inaugural Columbia Classic will feature host Columbia, Princeton, Dartmouth, Yale, Georgia, Virginia Tech, Northwestern, Purdue, Texas Tech, Albany, Tulsa, Oklahoma State, Illinois, Iowa State and Boston University.

Sept. 29

The Mississippi State Amateur winner gets a spot in the field at the PGA Tour’s Sanderson Farms Championship. This year that honor belongs to Cohen Trolio, a freshman at LSU who will make his Tour debut at Country Club of Jackson.

The West Point, Mississippi, native won the am at Mossy Oak Golf Course back in June with four rounds in the 60s to finish at 19 under. The Tiger hasn’t hit his official first shot yet but is already impressing players on Tour, especially former LSU star Sam Burns.

“Cohen and I played nine holes yesterday. First time I really got to spend time with him. I was really impressed with his game, but also just his maturity level for being 19. Just really impressive,” said Burns on Wednesday. “Obviously he’s a great player, I think he does a lot of things really well, drives it well, good iron player, he putted it nice. I think for him just coming out here this week, just trying to make sure that he just plays his game, doesn’t try to do anything special, I think this is a great golf course for him, so I expect him to play well this week.”

Trolio played his way into the semifinals of the 2019 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst (North Carolina) Resort and in July, was runner-up at the U.S. Junior at the Country Club of North Carolina, also in Pinehurst.

-Adam Woodard

Since announcing at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last spring that she would not pursue professional golf, former world No. 3 amateur Emilia Migliaccio has stood out as a beacon for other players who may decide not to choose that path. Migliaccio had a standout four-year career at Wake Forest, winning five times and helping the Demon Deacons to a runner-up NCAA finish in 2019.

Migliaccio graduated from the Wake Forest roster last spring, but her name lingered in the golf world through bylines as a Golf Channel intern. Migliaccio covered the U.S. Women’s Open, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and U.S. Girls’ Junior (appearing on camera at the latter) and then simultaneously played in and covered the U.S. Women’s Amateur to end the summer. She eventually fell to Stanford’s Brooke Seay in the Round of 32 at Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York.

And it turns out, that won’t be the last we’ll see of her on the golf course.

Migliaccio, who returned to Wake Forest this fall to start a two-year program for her master’s in communication, announced in a Sept. 29 post on golfchannel.com that she would use a fifth year of eligibility granted after the COVID-19 pandemic to return to the women’s golf team in the fall of 2022.

“The beautiful part in putting ‘golf on hold,’ was that every day I found myself wandering to the golf facility,” she wrote. “It showed to me that I hadn’t lost the drive to improve my skills and, more importantly, it demonstrated that I still loved the game more than anything, after giving myself the freedom to enjoy other activities.

“During this period, I thought about using my COVID eligibility year during my second year of graduate school. After some exciting conversations with my coaches, Kim Lewellen and Ryan Potter, the decision was final – I am coming back to play golf at Wake Forest!”

-Julie Williams

Sept. 29

The world No. 1 amateur already has a college title under her belt. In her first start as a member of the Stanford women’s golf team, freshman Rose Zhang fired rounds of 73-72-68 at Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Course in Seaside, California, to win the Molly Collegiate Invitational by three shots.

Teammate Caroline Sturdza and San Jose State’s Natasha Andrea Oon were second.

Stanford was without its complete lineup – with defending NCAA champ Rachel Heck and 2019 U.S. Girls’ Junior champ Angelina Ye noticeably missing – but still won the team title at 14 over. San Jose State and UCLA tied for second at 21 over.

Next up for Zhang and the Cardinal? Next week’s Windy City Collegiate Classic in Chicago.

Read more about Zhang’s college debut here.

-Julie Williams

Sept. 29

The definition of depth in college golf may be the B team winning a tournament. Nebraska sent two squads to the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational in Manhattan, Kansas, and on Sept. 21, the B squad came out with a six-shot victory.

That team played three rounds in 21 over to edge Sam Houston State. Nebraska’s A team finished sixth at 41 over.

Nicole Hansen and Lindsey Thiele, both in the B lineup, tied for medalist honors at 3 over.

The phenomenon looked like it might happen again on the men’s side the next week after Wake Forest sent two teams to the Old Town Collegiate at Old Town Club in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The A squad opened with a 16-under 264 in the opening round, but the B team was right behind them at 264. Over the course of two more rounds, Wake Forest’s A team separated themselves from the whole field, ending up at 35 under to top Southern Mississippi by 14 shots. Wake Forest B was seventh at 14 under.

-Julie Williams

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