NEW YORK, NY—The latest Golf World/NIKE Golf Division I Coaches’ Poll has been released, combining the resources of Golf World magazine, NIKE Golf and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). The complete results, including results from Divisions II, III and the NAIA, will appear in the April 11, 2011 issue of Golf World.  With victories at the Duck Invitational and the Insperity Augusta State Invitational, Oklahoma State maintained its place atop the Golf World/NIKE Golf Division I coaches’ poll.

The Cowboys earned 20 of the 22 first-place votes and has been in the No. 1 spot in every poll during the 2010-11 season. OSU’s latest two victories both came without arguably their top player in the lineup, as Peter Uihlein sat out the two events to play in two pro tournaments, including this week’s Masters. Oklahoma State has won three times with Uihlein out of the lineup and six times overall.

The No. 2 and No. 3 teams, UCLA and Alabama, also held on to their places in the poll, each earning one first-place vote. The Bruins opened the spring with a victory at the Battle at the Beach and haven’t finished worse than fifth in any stroke-play event. The Crimson Tide have claimed five tournament titles in 2010-11, including a victory at last week’s Linger Longer Invitational.

Rounding out the top five are Georgia Tech and Florida, the two teams swapping spots from the previous poll.

Two new teams appear in the top 10: No. 6 Augusta State and No. 9 Texas A&M. Augusta, the defending NCAA champs, won their first tournament of the year at the General Jim Hackler Invitational and then finished second in the Hootie at Bulls Bay event. Texas A&M was victorious at the Wyoming Desert Classic.

One new school appears in the top 25: No. 24 Ohio State, which returns to the poll for the first time since April 2002 after winning last week’s FAU Spring Break tournament.

Visit Golf World Senior Writer Ryan Herrington’s “Campus Insider” blog to find out the latest on collegiate golf: http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/blogs/campusinsider.


Division I - April 6, 2011