Fresno State Athletics
First Godzilla, Now Nick Watney
6/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
June 18, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. - The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), the professional association of men's college golf coaches, announce the players who will represent the United States in the USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship. The competition will be held July 3-5 at Verde Sano Country Club in Sanooshi, Tochigi-ken, Japan.
The 2001 U.S. team members are: Anthony Arvidson, Oregon State, Ricky Barnes, Arizona, Natalie Gulbis, Arizona, Hunter Mahan, USC, Alan Morgan, LSU, Kevin O'Connell, Greensboro College, Bryant Odom, Georgia, Rob Oppenheim, Rollins College, Stacy Pramannsudh, Tulsa, Summer Sirmons, Georgia, Natalie Tucker, Indiana and Nick Watney, Fresno State.
The selection in only one of many honors for the standout Bulldog sophomore this season. Watney finished tied for 13th in the 2001 NCAA Championships after being one of two players to individually qualify at the West Regional. He was named to the GCAA PING All-American second team as well as the 2001 WAC Player of the year. This is the second summer of national-caliber play that Watney has been a part of. Last summer, he qualified at the U.S. Amateur in August.
The U.S. Team is comprised of eight men and four women who will compete against their Japanese counterparts in the three-day match play. The GCAA All-America committee selected the eight male representatives (including a player from Divisions II and III). The National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA), the professional association of women's college golf coaches, named the female members of the U.S. team.
Coach of the U.S. men's team is Arizona Director of Golf, Rick LaRose. LaRose guided the Wildcats to a third-place finish in the 2001 NCAA Championships, and a second-place finish in the NCAA West Regional.
Coaching the U.S. women's team is Arizona Women's Golf Head Coach, Greg Allen. In his first year at Arizona, Allen's 2000 squad won the national championship. His 2001 team finished the season ranked second in the MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings.
The USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship began in 1975, and has taken place every year since, except 1991. Former U.S. players include Curtis Strange, Brad Faxon, Juli Inkster, Davis Love III, Steve Stricker, Bob Tway and Scott Verplank. The United States leads the series in this Walker Cup-style event, 18-6.
Daily coverage of the 2001 USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship can be found on the official web site of the GCAA, collegiategolf.com, as well as the Fresno State web site, gobulldogs.com, during the competition.
