Ringler: Stroke play determines how you get the chance, match play has the final answer

Again, the No. 1 team and the No. 1 seed are absent from the championship winner’s circle.

Top-ranked Vanderbilt struggled to even advance to match play this week. No. 2 Illinois falls again match play. Stroke-play champions and third-ranked North Carolina continue a trend that has seen the top team in stroke play lose in bracket play 13 out of 14 years.

Instead, we have two teams that were amongst the best all season long, just not at the top.

Florida and Georgia Tech played for the title. Florida and Georgia Tech are very good college golf teams. Florida won, becoming the second team in a row ranked No. 6 to win the national championship. In this match play format, that is where you want to be.

No. 1 seeds and No. 1 teams rarely win.

In sports, we know the No. 1s and No. 2s do not always win the title.

Why does this happen in college golf?

The reason is very simple. Stroke play determines the rankings. Stroke play determines the seeds.

The Gators did finish tied for second after 72 holes of stroke play, earning the No. 2 seed. The Gators were ranked 6^th by Golfweek entering match play.

However, stroke play does not determine the winner. Only how you get a chance to win. Match play is used, and that format brings teams closer together. Levels the playing field.

“(function() {var sc = document.createElement(“script”), scCnter = document.getElementById(“container-sdp-voltax-player-01evcfxp4q8949fs1e-5104”), done = false;sc.src = mm_video_data.endpointUrl + “/01evcfxp4q8949fs1e.js”;sc.onload = sc.onreadystatechange = function() {if(!done && (!this.readyState || this.readyState == “loaded” || this.readyState == “complete”)) {sdpVoltax[“01evcfxp4q8949fs1e-5104”].initializePlayer( {“id”:”01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6″,”playlist_id”:””,”player_id”:”01evcfxp4q8949fs1e”,”type”:”playlist”,”image”:””,”container_id”:”01evcfxp4q8949fs1e-5104″});done = true; sc.onload = sc.onreadystatechange = null; }};scCnter.appendChild(sc);})();”var sdpVoltax = window.sdpVoltax || []; sdpVoltax[“01evcfxp4q8949fs1e-5104”] = sdpVoltaxPlayerHandler().start(“01evcfxp4q8949fs1e-5104”);

It decreases the value of a dominant player. Instead of being several shots better, that top player can only be one point better in match play. And in 18 holes of golf, with players of NCAA Championship caliber, literally any player can beat the other any time out.

And sure, at times it can be more exciting. Not always. But, if you played a season full of dual matches, your…

Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Golfweek…

Ringler: Stroke play determines how you get the chance, match play has the final answer

Subscribe and Follow

Trending

Don’t miss

About VCP Golf