The season has just begun, and its way too early to tell who will be crowned National Champion in June. But if this week at The PING/Golfweek Preview is any indication, the defending champs and No. 1 team in the land may very well be the team to beat.
The Georgia Bulldogs breezed through their first event of the year by 15 strokes, as they lapped many of the best teams in the nation. Four players return from last years title group; add to that the nations best freshman in Brian Harman, and the boys from Athens are poised to become the first team to repeat in two decades.
Harman, a member of this summers U.S. Walker Cup team, shared medalist honors, and quickly made the impact many were expecting of him.
Georgia head coach Chris Haack on Harmans debut: Hes a talented young man, and we knew he had this kind of potential when we recruited him.
If you ask me, this is Haack playing possum. He knows -- as do many others -- Harman could end up being the best player on his team.
Michael Green, another freshman for the Bulldogs, posted a top-10 finish, and adds to the depth this extraordinary team has. Chris Kirk, Brendan Todd and Kevin Kisner have all been All-Americans, and will continue in the form we are accustomed to seeing from them.
But to play devil’s advocate on handing the trophy to the Dawgs, look no further than a season ago. Oklahoma State dominated the landscape all year long, winning seven team titles, and then struggled to make the 54-hole cut at Nationals, finishing well out of the mix.
It doesnt take a genius to pick Georgia, but I had this team pegged for success this season a long time ago. And there is no reason to stray from that notion now.
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