Spring Break
Georgia men golfers sweep Texas Tech in match play
Issue date: 3/11/09 Section: Sports
The top-ranked Georgia men's golf team defeated No. 10 Texas Tech, 5-0, in a rare head-to-head match play event at the University of Georgia Golf Course on Tuesday.
Hudson Swafford defeated Garrett Merrell, 2-up, in the top spot for the Bulldogs. In the four other positions: Russell Henley topped Santiago Rivas, 3-and-2, at No. 2; Brian Harman downed Will Griffin, 5-and-3, at No. 3; Harris English edged Nils Floren, 1-up, at No. 4; and Adam Mitchell bested Chris Ward, 2-up, at No. 5.
"It was a good experience," head coach Chris Haack said. "We wanted to show the guys what it would be like at the national championships if we're fortunate enough to get in the match play portion of competition."
This year's NCAA Championships will feature 30 teams contesting 54 holes of stroke play golf. The individual national champion will be crowned at that point. The low eight teams in stroke play qualifying will then advance to a match play bracket to determine the team national champion.
While most of the Bulldogs are familiar with match play competition, Haack wanted to attempt to give his players a chance to experience certain nuances at the NCAAs that are slightly different than traditional match play events.
"Most of these guys play some match play during the summer, but this isn't something you see a lot of in college golf," Haack said. "It's a different mindset and the more you play in this format, the better it will prepare you for the future. We played exactly like it would be a nationals. There are other match play competitions out there, but in those you're usually playing
in foursomes with a teammate. That's obviously a match play situation, but you have a teammate to talk to and encourage you. It's different when it's just you and the other guy out there alone. That's what we wanted to emulate today, and I think we were successful."
Georgia will return to action this weekend when the Bulldogs compete in the Linger Longer Invitational in Greensboro, Ga.
- Georgia Sports Communications
Hudson Swafford defeated Garrett Merrell, 2-up, in the top spot for the Bulldogs. In the four other positions: Russell Henley topped Santiago Rivas, 3-and-2, at No. 2; Brian Harman downed Will Griffin, 5-and-3, at No. 3; Harris English edged Nils Floren, 1-up, at No. 4; and Adam Mitchell bested Chris Ward, 2-up, at No. 5.
"It was a good experience," head coach Chris Haack said. "We wanted to show the guys what it would be like at the national championships if we're fortunate enough to get in the match play portion of competition."
This year's NCAA Championships will feature 30 teams contesting 54 holes of stroke play golf. The individual national champion will be crowned at that point. The low eight teams in stroke play qualifying will then advance to a match play bracket to determine the team national champion.
While most of the Bulldogs are familiar with match play competition, Haack wanted to attempt to give his players a chance to experience certain nuances at the NCAAs that are slightly different than traditional match play events.
"Most of these guys play some match play during the summer, but this isn't something you see a lot of in college golf," Haack said. "It's a different mindset and the more you play in this format, the better it will prepare you for the future. We played exactly like it would be a nationals. There are other match play competitions out there, but in those you're usually playing
in foursomes with a teammate. That's obviously a match play situation, but you have a teammate to talk to and encourage you. It's different when it's just you and the other guy out there alone. That's what we wanted to emulate today, and I think we were successful."
Georgia will return to action this weekend when the Bulldogs compete in the Linger Longer Invitational in Greensboro, Ga.
- Georgia Sports Communications
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