Sept. 1, 2017
By Tyler Carter
The No. 13 Auburn men’s golf team is hoping to start the 2017-18 season strong and continue the team’s years of success.
Being one of only six teams in the country to make six consecutive NCAA tournaments seems like a coach’s dream, but ninth-year coach Nick Clinard thinks that this is one of the best teams that he has ever had.
“I think our skill set this year is as high as I’ve had in quite a while from a pure talent perspective,” said Clinard.
The Tigers are ranked No. 13 nationally in the preseason.
“I think it’s fair to start out,” said Clinard on the ranking. “With such a young team, I think our skill set probably says we’re a top-five team in the country. It’s just a matter of how much we can mature individually and as a group as the year goes on.”
Auburn has one senior and five freshmen on the roster.
“They are arguably the best, if not the best, recruiting class in the country,” said Clinard.
Freshman Brandon Mancheno, a Jacksonville, Fla., native, played in the 2017 U.S. Amateur after finishing as the medalist in US Junior stroke play and was ranked as the No. 15 best prospect in the nation. He was a two-time Rolex AJGA All-American.
Andrew Kozan, a West Palm Beach, Fla., native, was a two-time Rolex AJGA All-American and ranked as the No. 17 best prospect in the nation. Marcus Svensson was the No. 1 ranked player in Sweden and was a member of the prestigious 2016 European Junior Ryder Cup Team.
Wells Padgett, a Wichita, Kan., native was ranked 35th in the nation while Jake Milanowski, a Peachtree City, Ga., native, was the No. 81 ranked prospect.
“They all have the ability to come in and set the bar, and I think the upperclassmen are realizing that these guys are for real,” said Clinard.
Returning centerpieces of this team include senior Ben Schlottman, who was an All-America selection as a freshman, junior Trace Crowe, an All-SEC pick last year, and sophomore Jovan Rebula, who twice earned SEC Freshmen of the Week honors.
Being the only senior, Ben Schlottman is now in a leadership role. The Advance, N.C., native became the first freshman in school history to earn All-America honors. He looks to carry his progress into a successful senior campaign.
Having a team-best 71.82 stroke average last year en route to All-SEC honors, Crowe aims to keep his momentum in his junior year as he will continue as one of the key players in this lineup.
Rebula had a 72.24 stroke average as a freshman and had three top 10 finishes and a team-best t-23rd finish at the NCAA Championship.
“Jovan’s a very mature young man,” said Clinard. “He comes from a pedigree with his uncle (Ernie Els) playing on Tour for years. He has an opportunity to be an All-American.”
Clinard also heaped praise on junior Jacob Solomon, who lost in a playoff for the 64-man match play portion of the 2017 U.S. Amateur.
“Jacob had the best summer of anyone on the team,” said Clinard. “He carded a pair of 72s in the 2017 U.S. Amateur at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.”
Other pieces of the Tigers include Guntersville, Ala., native Reagan Harrell, who posted a career low of 66 in the final round of the Tiger Invitational, Graysen Huff, from Eagle, Idaho, and Ryan Knop, who transferred from UC Davis prior to last season.
The Tigers open the season Sept. 8-10 at the Carpet Capital Collegiate in Dalton, Ga., followed by three more fall tournaments with the Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas Sept. 24-26, Jerry Pate National at Old Overton in Vestavia Hills, Ala., Oct. 9-10 and the Tavistock Invitational at Isleworth C.C. in Windermere, Fla., Oct. 22-24.
Auburn opens spring play at the Amer Ari Invitational in Hawaii Feb. 1-3 followed by the All-American in Houston Feb. 16-18, hosting the Tiger Invitational presented by Jason Dufner at Grand National Mar. 4-6, the John Hayt Invitational at Sawgrass C.C. in Ponte Vedra, Fla., Mar. 18-19, Hootie at Bulls Bay in Awendaw, S.C., Mar. 25-27 and the Gary Koch Inviational in Gastonia, N.C., Apr. 9-10.
The SEC Championship returns to Seaside GC in St. Simons Island, Ga., Apr. 26-29 followed by the NCAA Regional May 14-16 and the NCAA Championship at Karsten Creek in Stillwater, Okla., May 25-30.