Sept. 16, 2009
COLLEGE STATION - Defending national champion Texas A&M is ranked No. 4 in Golfweek's season preview.
The Aggies return three starters from last year's team that defeated Arkansas, 3-2, in the NCAA finals.
"A&M can win the national title if Andrea Pavan, the team's lone senior, steps into the leadership role vacated by NCAA Championship hero Bronson Burgoon, and freshman Cameron Peck, the 2008 U.S. Junior champ, lives up to his billing," Golfweek's Ron Balicki wrote. "There will be a lot of competition to crack the top five."
Returning starters besides Pavan are juniors John Hurley and Conrad Shindler. Junior Nacho Elvira, an All-America pick in 2008, is also back.
Peck, the 2008 National Junior Player of the Year, is rated as the nation's 10th-best player and the top freshman.
"Peck, the 2008 U.S. Junior champ, closed out his summer with a 69 in U.S. Amateur stroke play, one of only four sub-par scores at Southern Hills among the 312 players," Balicki wrote. "Not a bad way to enter your freshman year."
Stanford is ranked No. 1, followed by Oklahoma State and Washington. Rounding out the top 10 are Arizona State, Illinois, Georgia, Augusta State, Alabama and Texas.
A&M continues its fall season at the NCAA Preview Sept. 27-28 in Seattle.
GOLFWEEK'S PRESEASON TOP 25
1. Stanford
2. Oklahoma State
3. Washington
4. Texas A&M
5. Arizona State
6. Illinois
7. Georgia
8. Augusta State
9. Alabama
10. Texas
11. Duke
12. LSU
13. Arkansas
14. TCU
15. UCLA
16. USC
17. Georgia Tech
18. Florida
19. South Carolina
20. Tennessee
21. Clemson
22. Oregon
23. Colorado State
24. California
25. Florida State