Crimson Tide Makes 15th NCAA Championship Appearance
5/26/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 26, 2013
Crimson Tide Makes 15th NCAA Championship Appearance
The Alabama men's golf team is among the top-three seeds at the 2013 NCAA Championships. The Crimson Tide is making its seventh trip to NCAAs in the last nine years under the guidance of head coach Jay Seawell and its 15th overall. The 2013 NCAA Championship tees off on May 28 and runs through June 2 at the par-70, 7,320-yard Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club in Woodstock, Ga. There will be three rounds of stroke play for the 30-team field with a cut to eight teams after 54 holes. Those eight teams will begin three rounds of match play for the national title (1 vs. 8, 2 vs. 7, 3 vs. 6, 4 vs. 5).
The Tide is making its third straight NCAA Championships appearance, which matches a school record set from 2007-09. Alabama finished first in the stroke-play portion of the 2012 NCAA Championships before posting a runner-up showing in match play, losing to Texas by one shot on the final hole. The Crimson Tide finished 14th in 2011 at
Karsten Creek in Stillwater, Okla. In 2013, UA features National Player of the Year candidates in junior Cory Whitsett, junior Bobby Wyatt and sophomore Justin Thomas. UA has three first-team All-SEC selections in Whitsett, Wyatt and Thomas as well as second-team All-SEC honoree Trey Mullinax. Senior Scott Strohmeyer rounds out the Tide lineup fresh off his first collegiate victory at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.
Alabama will play its practice round at the Crabapple Course on Monday, May 27, and begins its first round on Tuesday, May 28. Live stats can be found at www.golfstat.com or NCAA.com. Tickets are available to come out and support the Tide at www.ramblinwreck.com/2013ncaagolf.html. Tournament books are $50 adult/$35 youths and senior with daily tickets going for $15 adult/$10 youths and seniors.
Alabama in the NCAAs
Alabama's berth in the NCAA Championship marks the 15th finals appearance and the seventh in the last nine years under the leadership of head coach Jay Seawell. UA's top finish under Seawell was a runner-up showing in 2012, losing to Texas on the last hole of match play by one shot. The Tide also posted a sixth-place showing in 2007. Prior to the NCAA Tournament switching to regional format in 1991, the Crimson Tide made five NCAA Finals appearances in 1973-75, 1981 and 1983 under head coach Rehling. Alabama has 22 total appearances (regionals and finals) in the NCAA men's golf tournament. The 1975 team, that featured Crimson Tide legend Jerry Pate, earned UA's second-best finish in the NCAA Finals with a tie for third place. Following Rehling's last trip in 1983, Alabama didn't make its return to the NCAA Finals until 1992 when Spybey's squad finished 11th. Following trips to the NCAA Finals in 1993 and again in 1996, UA would not return for another eight years until Seawell's 2005 team advanced out of the East Regional. The 2007 season marked the beginning of six trips to the NCAA Championships in seven years.
Three Tide Golfers Earn SEC Postseason Awards
Alabama junior Cory Whitsett was named the Southeastern Conference Men's Golfer of the Year. Head coach Jay Seawell was tabbed as the SEC Coach of the Year for the second straight season (third overall) after guiding the Crimson Tide to the program's fourth SEC Championship. Whitsett was also a tri-winner of the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was a first-team All-SEC selection along with Justin Thomas and Bobby Wyatt. Trey Mullinax was named to the All-SEC second team.
Thomas and Wyatt Named Semifinalists for Ben Hogan Award
Alabama junior Bobby Wyatt and sophomore Justin Thomas have been named as two of 10 semifinalists for the 2013 Ben Hogan Award. The Hogan is presented annually to the top men's NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur competitions during a 12-month period. Thomas has captured two medalist honors during his second year at the Capstone and has a 71.29 scoring average. He played for the victorious United States World Amateur team in Turkey this past fall and advanced to the semifinals of the 2012 U.S. Amateur. He is ranked fourth in the World Amateur Rankings. Wyatt boasts six top-five finishes in 11 events this season and was the medalist at the 2012 U.S. Amateur, advancing to the round of 16. He is currently rated No. 3 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Rankings Rundown
All five Alabama golfers in the top 60 of the most recent Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index with three among the top eight. Junior Bobby Wyatt leads the way at No. 3 with while junior Cory Whitsett is fourth and sophomore Justin Thomas eighth. Junior Trey Mullinax is 37th this week while Scott Strohmeyer is 57th.
Crimson Tide under Seawell
Head Coach Jay Seawell has transformed Alabama in to perennial contender in his 11 years at the Capstone. Since taking the Crimson Tide to an NCAA Regional during his first year (2003) this year marks the 10th regional appearances in 11 years, including nine straight and the seventh NCAA Championships berth (2005, 07-09, 11-12). Alabama won the SEC Championship in 2013 for the third time under the guidance of Seawell and finished runner-up to Texas at the 2012 NCAA Championships. His teams have won 32 tournament titles over the last 11 years, including the 2009, 2012 and 2013 NCAA Regional titles. The Tide also finished first in the stroke-play portion of the 2012 NCAA Championships. UA has won a school-record seven times in 2012-13. The Crimson Tide also set the school record with five straight wins and counting.
