By David Marshburn
Contributing Writer
The University of Alabama men’s golf team could only watch as the Texas Longhorns hoisted the NCAA men’s championship trophy back in June. After suffering a disappointing loss and placing second in last year’s finals, the Crimson Tide is looking to take the title in the upcoming season.
Alabama enters its first tournament of the season ranked No. 1 nationally, and the players aim at keeping that coveted spot all year long. The team will travel to Rocky Face, Ga., to compete in the 24th annual Carpet Collegiate Classic Golf Tournament at The Farm Golf Course beginning Sept. 7.
Five players will represent the Tide over three days of play, with the winner announced after Sunday’s final round. Each team will play 18 holes per day for three days. The top four out of five lowest scores count toward the team’s total, and the team with the lowest overall score after 54 holes wins the tournament.
Alabama lacks little in talent and experience. Four of the seven players return this season, with three earning a spot on last year’s All-American team. Its ace in the hole lies in Justin Thomas, the preseason top-ranked player. The sophomore enters his second season with three individual wins under his belt, one being last year’s Carpet Collegiate Classic. Thomas also took home the 2012 Jack Nicklaus Award, as well as the Haskins Award — an honor bestowed to the most outstanding collegiate golfer in the nation.
“I think our preseason ranking motivates us to finish what we started,” Thomas said. “We came so close last year, but I think we took that as a learning experience and hope it will strengthen us this season.”
Though this may count as Alabama’s first tournament, it resembles nothing close to a tune-up match. The Tide must show a top performance if it expects to emerge victorious. Six of the 15 teams competing this weekend enter the season ranked in the top 25 of the Coaches’ Poll.
“You want to play the best,” head coach Jay Seawell said. “Playing fierce competition is how you get better, and it makes you find out a lot about yourself.”
Among the opposition is No. 2 Texas, which slightly edged out Alabama to win the 2012 NCAA Championship. Other notable adversaries include the Tide’s bitter rival, No. 6 Auburn, as well as No. 7 Georgia Tech, the host for this weekend’s tournament.
The Tide rides into Georgia with high expectations, and Seawell feels his team will deliver. Of all his players’ strengths, he feels their best attribute lay in team chemistry. With a resilient, hungry core of veteran golfers returning, Alabama expects to make a strong run for the title.
“We’ve just got to play our game,” Thomas said. “Everyone has played on a big stage before. If we just go out there and execute our game plan, we should come out on top.”
