Men's Golf

[Mama_Bull]

22 minutes ago, TExpress said:

I don't think the WAGR recognized the tournament that Niemann just won as he is still number 2 in the rankings and is not listed as a week 18 winner...

That is because it was only a 36 hole event, as I was told by the organizer.

That is also why his win last year at the same tourney was not counted by them.

Similar to the professional World Golf Rankings, WAGR covers a two year period.

If you look at the counting events for the two top players, McNealy will start losing  more points at a quicker pace than Niemann. Of course, that could be offset to some degree, depending on how  well they each do in upcoming events.

If things remain the same, it is only a matter of weeks for Niemann to overtake him and become #1.

Edited May 10, 2017 by Mama_Bull

[Mama_Bull]

USGA‏Verified account @USGA  15m15 minutes ago

 

With a win in the past four counting events he's competed in, Joaquin Niemann is closing in on the http://WAGR.com  No. 1 spot.

[Ionbull]

2 hours ago, Mama_Bull said:

USGA‏Verified account @USGA  15m15 minutes ago

 

With a win in the past four counting events he's competed in, Joaquin Niemann is closing in on the http://WAGR.com  No. 1 spot.

So is he signed with this class coming up or is he going to jump to pro?

[Mama_Bull]

22 minutes ago, Ionbull said:

So is he signed with this class coming up or is he going to jump to pro?

He signed in the fall.

USF issued a release on him at the time:

BULLS' SIGNING CLASS FEATURES TOP-NOTCH TALENT

November 16, 2016 
By  USF

 

By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, NOV. 16, 2016 – USF men’s golf added more top-level talent for the future with the signings of incoming freshmen Joaquin Niemann, Won Jun Lee and Jonny Cachon.

“I’m beyond excited, they’re great gets for USF,” head coach Steve Bradley said. “Joaquin is one of the top 10 amateurs in the world. Won Jun is a former No. 1 and one of the top five juniors in the U.S. Rounding it out with Jonny Cachon, he’s good now and he’s got a ton of upside.”

Niemann is in the No. 7 spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings after winning six times already this year. Among those victories was a title defense at the IMG Junior World Championship. The native of Santiago, Chile played on his country’s squad at the World Amateur Team Championship with USF junior Claudio Correa. Niemann also is No. 10 in the latest American Junior Golf Association boys rankings.

Lee currently ranks fifth on the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior list and sits in the No. 11 spot in the AJGA’s boys rankings. The native of Seoul, South Korea is a two-time U.S. Junior Amateur quarterfinalist (2015-16) and he made the semifinals last year. Lee currently attends Saddlebrook High School in nearby Wesley Chapel and has earned Rolex Junior All-America honors.

Cachon qualified for the U.S. Junior Championship and advanced all the way to match play this summer. The standout from American Heritage School in Plantation, Fla., has really started the scratch the surface when it comes to his potential in the past year.

“He’s a little bit of a late bloomer. He’s grown quite a bit and when that happens your golf swing changes,” Bradley said. “I look at him as someone I hope can compete right away. If not, I know he’s going to work hard, he comes from a good family. He’s the future of our program.”

 

***

Niemann will be enrolling at USF in August

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2017 by Mama_Bull

[charsibb]

4 hours ago, TExpress said:

I don't think the WAGR recognized the tournament that Niemann just won as he is still number 2 in the rankings and is not listed as a week 18 winner...

It's because the Florida legislature got to them at the 11th hour...

[Mama_Bull]

1. USF Men's Golf‏ @USFMGolf  May 5
2.  

   Congrats to our graduate Rigel Fernandes on being named to the all-conference team again this season!

   

    

   

   
   

    

 

Born in India, made in South Florida: The rise of golfer Rigel Fernandes

 

Rigel Fernandes, born in Bangalore, is training hard to become a professional. Ben Solomon/American Athletic Conference

9:35 AM ET

• Aishwarya KumarESPN.com

For golf coach Chris Malloy, the memory remains fresh four years later. Traveling through South Carolina en route to a tournament, his South Florida golf team stopped at a steak and seafood restaurant. Rigel Fernandes, a confident, 16-year-old freshman (first-year college) who was born in Bangalore, was the first to order. When he selected the $50 surf and turf - steak and lobster tails -- his teammates looked at him, wide-eyed.

Malloy asked him why he thought it was appropriate to order the most expensive item on the menu. Without hesitation, Rigel replied, "If you want me to play like a champion, I have to eat like a champion."

That week, South Florida won its first tournament of the year, with Rigel as one of its top performers. Later, Malloy pulled aside the youngest player on the team and told him, "You order surf and turf anytime you want, kid."

 

Rigel Fernandes ordered the Surf and Turf before his first tournament for USF in 2013. USF Men's Golf Facebook page

It is no coincidence the fortunes of South Florida's golf program have risen like a prodigious tee shot since Rigel, now a senior, committed to the school in 2013. South Florida has won three consecutive conference championships, made two straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament and will play in the NCAA Regionals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on May 15. If Rigel, one of the best college players in the United States, and his teammates play well, South Florida could participate again in the NCAA Tournament, in late May in Illinois.

Rigel's athletic success isn't a surprise. Golf, after all, has been part of his life since he was 2, and he benefited from learning at the prestigious Florida sports academy starting at age 10. But for this young golfer, the best may be yet to come.

-------------------------------

In 1998, entrepreneur Ivan Fernandes, Rigel's father, moved his family from India to Dubai, where Ivan was employed as an IT professional. As a youngster, Rigel spent many hours learning the game with his father, a recreational golfer, on the course next to their house. Before he turned 10, Rigel won a handful of tournaments in Dubai, including a prestigious under-18 national title when he was 9.

"I liked that you couldn't get perfect in golf," Rigel recollects. "I liked that I could keep working at it and keep getting better."

By winning the Dubai under-18 tournament, he qualified for the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship in North Carolina, where he competed against players far superior to him. It was a clear indication for Rigel that for him to reach his full potential, he needed to play in the United States, which offered keen competition and some of the best golf instructors in the world. "I knew I couldn't stay in Dubai and be the king of my own jungle when there are kids all over the world who are a lot better," he says.

While he was in the United States, 10-year-old Rigel and his parents visited two sports academies - one in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and another, IMG Academy, in Bradenton, Florida. IMG offered a scholarship to Rigel, one of the youngest to be offered a scholarship by the school. Despite many anxious hours mulling the decision, Renny, his mother and Ivan agreed to put their son 11,000 kilometers away, on a plane from Dubai to Florida.

"Dad, I could go to a college that is in the top 10, but what would I do to make it better? If I can get USF to the top 10, they would always remember me as somebody who came in and did something great for them"

Initially, Rigel struggled at IMG. The bland cafeteria chicken at the academy was no match for his mother's naan and vegetables, and he missed his older brother, Reevan. But Rigel performed well in the classroom and on the golf course from the time he started at IMG. In his five years at the academy, he won a tournament in Louisiana and earned several honors, including junior golf All-American and a top-20 ranking in the United States in his junior year.

"Playing and competing against older kids at such a young age was great for him," IMG head coach Jay Denton says. By his junior season at IMG, Rigel had grown seven inches, a significant spurt and it was a prime reason for his swing movement to be altered. The club didn't rotate around his body the same way, he said, and he struggled to break 75 for 18 holes. It took six months for him to adapt to his new, 6-foot frame, but coaches at major golf programs didn't fret.

----------------------------

In 2012, Malloy, now coach at Mississippi, was sitting in his car in the IMG Academy parking lot, facing the front side of the driving range. He was there to watch another player. While he sat talking on his phone, he watched a young golfer take a few elegant swings, a smile on his face throughout. Malloy got off his phone, ran to the counselor, pointed to the golfer and said, "That's who I want."

The player was Rigel, who wasn't supposed to be there. A golf junkie, he had snuck into a practice session between classes.

At the time, the University of South Florida (USF), located in Tampa, didn't have a top-flight golf program. Its home course was not well maintained and the Chowdhari Golf Center - made possible by a $1.4 million gift from doctors with Indian roots - had yet to be built. The school didn't even have a locker room for golfers. Malloy had recruited well, but for his team to be recognized among the better programs, he needed a player such as Rigel.

Malloy worried more traditional golf schools might snap up the teenager but Rigel was hooked onto South Florida from his first conversation with the coach.

"The most important reason I came here was it was a school that reminded me of myself when I came [to the U.S.]," Rigel says. "Nobody knew who I was when I came, nobody knew who USF was."

His coaches at IMG and his parents were surprised by his decision. Top-10 golf programs like Auburn, Stanford, Florida State and Georgia had also shown interest, but Rigel had made up his mind. His father said he never pressured him to pick a school, but his son's decision caught him off guard.

"Rigel said to me, 'Dad, I could go to a college that is in the top 10, but what would I do to make it better? If I can get USF to the top 10, they would always remember me as somebody who came in and did something great for them,'" Ivan Fernandes said.

 

Rigel Fernandes and his team after 2017 ACC victory. Ben Solomon/American Athletic Conference

In his sophomore (second) year, Rigel helped South Florida break into the NCAA Division I top-10 rankings for the first time. In his South Florida career, he finished in the top 10 in tournaments more than 10 occasions. This year's team is ranked 53rd in the United States and is a long shot to make it to the NCAA Tournament. But the team's less-than-impressive ranking this season hasn't detracted from what Rigel has meant to South Florida's program.

"Rigel is one of those key kids that made South Florida legitimate," said Denton, the IMG coach. Current South Florida coach Steve Bradley says during Rigel's four years at South Florida, he hasn't been a "rah-rah, in-your-face kind of leader," but rather led by example. A communications major by student, he has played in every team match since he was a freshman.

In the process of helping transform South Florida's golf program, Rigel also became the reason other good players committed to the school. Priyanshu Singh, a New Delhi native who helped his Nova Northeastern University win the Division II national championship in 2015, transferred to South Florida for the 2016-17 season. He wanted to play for a good Division I team that included players such as Rigel.

 

Rigel throwing ice cubes on Steve Bradley after winning the American Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championship at the Black Diamond Ranch in 2015. Ben Solomon/American Athletic Conference

 

In fact, Priyanshu and Rigel have become good friends, often spending evenings after golf practice playing Call of Duty. Rigel gets really loud while playing video games, throwing things when he loses, Priyanshu says jokingly. "Rigel has been a big brother to me these last few months, and he is the reason I am here," he says.

After he graduates from South Florida, Rigel wants to stay in the United States to train for several months before turning professional. Competing as an amateur, he shot par in the opening round of the Hero Indian Open in March before struggling in the final three rounds. His coaches say the boy has what it takes to make it big. Rigel is confident too.

"The goal is plain and simple: Be one of the best players on the PGA Tour," he says.

http://www.espn.in/golf/story/_/id/19362538/rise-golfer-rigel-fernandes

[Mama_Bull]

USF is seeded #9 in the Baton Rouge Regional.

The top five teams advance to the NCAA Finals.

USF has played better in the spring than is reflected by their seeding.

Hopefully, they play their best golf and advance to their third consecutive final.

   

The University Club - NCAA Baton Rouge Regional

Par: 72 Yardage: 7372

May 15-17, 2017

 

http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=12647

Edited May 14, 2017 by Mama_Bull

[bullsfan27]

http://golfweek.com/2017/05/09/college-golf-staff-picks-2017-ncaa-division-i-mens-regionals/

one staffer picked us to advance the rest do not have us advancing out

[Mama_Bull]

59 minutes ago, bullsfan27 said:

http://golfweek.com/2017/05/09/college-golf-staff-picks-2017-ncaa-division-i-mens-regionals/

one staffer picked us to advance the rest do not have us advancing out

I was hoping that would be Brentley Romine, since he has been the one golfweek staffer closely monitoring our season. 

Brentley Romine

Baton Rouge (La.) Regional: LSU, Oregon, Duke, Arkansas, South Florida

 

No doubt, we are in one of the tougher regions and an underdog. 

Of the five favorites, at least three will advance.

So, we are really only playing for one or two available spots.

The key for USF will be to play a solid first round and not fall too far behind the lead pack.

 

 

Ben Solomon/American Athletic Conference

 

BULLS READY FOR BATON ROUGE REGIONAL RUN

May 14, 2017 
By  USF

 

EVENT: NCAA Baton Rouge (La.) Regional
SCHEDULE: Monday, May 15 – Wednesday, May 17
LOCATION: University Club (par 72, 7,373 yards)
LIVE SCORING: Golfstat.com
TWITTER UPDATES: @USFMGolf
TEE TIMES

 

By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

BATON ROUGE, La., MAY 14, 2017 – After pulling off a three-peat at the conference tournament, the next order of business for USF men's golf is trying to book a third straight trip to the final rounds of the NCAA Championship.

USF is making its fifth consecutive NCAA postseason appearance at the three-day Baton Rouge Regional, which begins with 18 holes Monday at host LSU's University Club. The low five teams and the low individual not on those teams from each of the six 54-hole regional tournaments will advance to the championship rounds.

Rigel Fernandes, Claudio Correa and Cristian DiMarco are all back from the Bulls' 2016 lineup that advanced through the Albuquerque, N.M., Regional. Fernandes and Correa also were a part of the 2015 squad that won the New Haven Regional and made the NCAA Championship match play quarterfinals.

Final rounds of the NCAA Championship will be played May 26-31 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill., with Northern Illinois University serving as the host institution. USF heads to the NCAA postseason with momentum after winning its third straight American tournament title in wire-to-wire fashion on April 25.

The Field

Teams by seeding: 1. LSU, 2. Oregon, 3. Virginia, 4. Duke, 5. Northwestern, 6. Arkansas, 7. Jacksonville, 8. Kentucky, 9. USF, 10. Iowa, 11. Georgia State, 12. Jacksonville State, 13. Loyola (Md.), 14. Alabama State.

Individuals (from non-qualifying schools): 1. Peng Pichaikool, Mississippi St.; 2. Zan Luka Stirn, Arkansas St.; 3. R.J. Keur, UAB; 4. Zander Lozano, UTSA; 5. Albert Badosa-Soler, Nicholls.

The Lineup

Head coach Steve Bradley will stay with the same lineup and order from the conference championship –Cristian DiMarco, Rigel Fernandes, Claudio Correa, Jimmy Jones and Priyanshu Singh.

DiMarco was a unanimous all-conference selection after placing second at the league tournament. The junior from Longwood, Fla., competed in a playoff for The American's individual title and leads the Bulls with a 72.1 scoring average through 31 rounds this season.

Fernandes earned all-conference honors for the third straight season after tying for ninth at the league championship. The senior from Bradenton, Fla., is second on the team with a 72.5 scoring average and five top-25 finishes, including one in each of the past four tournaments. Fernandes was recently featured in an ESPN story that can be accessed HERE.

Correa ranks fourth on the team with a 72.9 scoring average through 28 rounds. The junior from Santiago, Chile tied for 20^th at the conference tournament and collected one of his two top-10 finishes by tying for fourth at the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship on April 4. Correa's performance helped the Bulls capture their first of two tournament titles this season.

Another all-conference pick, Jones heads to the NCAA postseason with plenty of confidence after tying for third at the conference championship. The junior from Tampa leads the Bulls with four top-10 finishes and brings a 72.6 scoring average into his first regional run with the program.

Singh also will be making his regional debut for the Bulls after tying for 11^th at the conference championship, his third straight top-25 finish. The junior from Delhi, India has registered a 73.0 scoring average in 28 rounds of his first season with the Bulls.

Quotables

Head coach Steve Bradley on his lineup heading into the second part of the postseason:

“Since April 1, we've played some pretty good golf. It's as much the scores as it is the mental confidence they have in themselves individually and their teammates. That's pretty powerful stuff when you get a chance to go out there. You can sense they all believe in each other and that makes it a lot easier… There's been a sense of confidence and also a sense of calm. That typically leads to a better performance.”

Bradley on the Baton Rouge Regional:

“There are obviously a lot of really good teams, according to rank. I think the Bermuda grass is very similar to what we play on in Florida. That familiarity I think kind of levels the playing field to an extent for us… We're going to have to play great golf regardless of what region we got shipped to, but I really couldn't have asked for a better region for our guys – proximity-wise, type of grass, heat. I think all those are things we're accustomed to and help us.”

Bradley on USF's approach heading into a tough regional:

“I think we're going to approach it similar to how we approach any golf tournament. The goal is to prepare and try to win the golf tournament. The top five advance, but I think if you go in with the mindset of just trying to advance, then maybe you won't have the same sharpness or attention to detail. We want to go and try to win this golf tournament. Obviously, LSU has a huge advantage on its home golf course. Having won the national championship two years ago, they're a good team. But you go into every golf tournament wanting to win it and that's going to be our goal.”

Tee Times

USF is paired with Kentucky and Jacksonville for Monday's first round. Singh will lead off the lineup from the first hole starting at 9:55 a.m. (EST).

Teams and individuals will be re-paired according to score after the first and second rounds.

 

About USF Men's Golf

USF men's golf returns three players from the 2015-16 team that made program history with a return trip to the NCAA Championship. The Bulls have won the past three American Athletic Conference Championships in head coach Steve Bradley's first three seasons with the program. Follow @USFMGolf on Twitter for the latest information concerning the program.

[Mama_Bull]

USF played much better during the Spring than in the Fall.

 

USF Ranking:

Fall 2016: #75

Spring 2017: #36

USF is improved its ranking by 39 places.

Our current  9th seeding is based on a #53 ranking for the year.

Of course, other teams in our regional might also have improved or not in the Spring period.

You can see how all teams did here:

http://golfweek.com/2017/05/14/fall-versus-spring-ranking-for-every-d-i-mens-college-golf-team/