Augusta State looks to regain focus

Oliver Wilson walked quietly down the 16th fairway at Forest Heights Country Club on Sunday with his eyes focused on the grass below.

Just a month ago, Augusta State's golf team had its sights on being the No. 1 Division I team in the nation. After a 10th place finish in the Schenkel E-Z-GO Invitational this weekend, the Jaguars appeared to be a bit flustered.

"Individually, we've lost some confidence," said Wilson, the team's top player. "We still have a lot of improvement to make."

No. 2-ranked Augusta State won four straight tournaments before finishing 12th out of 15 teams in the Toyota Collegiate Championship in Las Vegas earlier this month. The Jaguars were looking to rebound at the Schenkel tournament, but instead lost ground to No. 1 Clemson.

The Tigers finished second to Wake Forest in the Statesboro, Ga., event. Clemson has not won a spring tournament, but also has not finished outside the top three in nine events this season.

"(Clemson) deserves to be ranked No. 1 right now," Augusta State coach Josh Gregory said. "They've obviously proven that the past few weeks the way they've played."

It's easy to see why Clemson is the top team in the land. The top four Tigers entered the Schenkel with a stroke average of 72.8 or better. Aiken's Matt Hendrix is second in scoring average at 71.75, behind highly-touted teammate D.J. Trahan (70.85).

"When it comes down to it, it doesn't matter who's No. 1," Hendrix said. "The national championship is four days of golf. Rankings don't count. You don't win a national championship unless you win a national championship. After that, then we can say who's No. 1."

When the newest Precept/Golf Coaches Association of America poll is released Wednesday night, Clemson will most likely still be No. 1. Augusta State is expected to drop several spots.

The Jaguars do not play again until they play host to the Cleveland Golf/Augusta State Invitational on April 5-6. Before then, Gregory said, Augusta State will spend the majority of its practice time focusing on the short game.

"We've got to get better from 120 yards in," Gregory said. "It's kind of showed the past two events. The last two courses we played were kind of short.

"We're going to wear out the wedge area when we get back."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 868-1222, Ext. 114.