GolfChannel.com previews the 2019 spring season in men’s college golf, from teams and players to watch to picks to win. Here we dive into the ACC:
ACC
Championship info: April 18-20, Old North State Club, New London, N.C.
Recent champions: Georgia Tech (2018), Duke (2017), Clemson (2016), Georgia Tech (2015), Georgia Tech (2014)
Team rankings: Georgia Tech (2), Duke (3), Wake Forest (7), Clemson (12), North Carolina State (26), Louisville (27), North Carolina (30), Florida State (39), Virginia (50), Notre Dame (78), Virginia Tech (108), Boston College (167)
Midseason All-Conference Team: Alex Smalley, Sr., Duke (5); Luke Schniederjans, Jr., Georgia Tech (8); Chandler Eaton, Jr., Duke (9); Matthias Schmid, Soph., Louisville (13); Eric Bae, Jr., Wake Forest (14)
What to watch: Georgia Tech is the favorite to repeat as ACC champion and win its fourth title in six seasons. The Yellow Jackets, led by junior Luke Schniederjans and his 68.78 scoring average, boast five players with scoring averages of 71 or better and won twice in the fall as they look to get back to the NCAA Championship after missing out at regionals last spring. … Duke is another strong contender to win the ACC. Led by fall tournament winners Alex Smalley and Chandler Eaton, the Blue Devils, a national semifinalist last season, won twice this fall. … Wake Forest is back in the conversation thanks to the emergence of freshman Kengo Aoshima, who finished T-14 or better in each of his four fall starts. … Clemson senior Bryson Nimmer got off to a strong start this fall with two wins and a runner-up finish in his first three events. … North Carolina State junior Stephen Franken has built off a strong sophomore season, ranking 24th in the country. … Louisville sophomore Matthias Schmid is a legitimate Haskins Award candidate. … North Carolina and Virginia are still top-50 programs despite losing a ton of talent from last season.
Pick to win: Georgia Tech