The NCAA News - News and Features

August 3, 1998

Division I -- I men's golf group revises criteria, selects future hosts

The Division I Men's Golf Committee voted to recommend a change in championships selection criteria, approved sites for future championships and regionals, and considered a change in the finals format at its June 22-25 meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

The committee voted to submit a recommendation to the Championships/Competition Cabinet to include results against common opponents and overall won-lost records in championships selection criteria.

The committee also voted to recommend the following for hosts of future championships: 2000, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; 2001, Duke University; 2002, Ohio State University; 2003, Oklahoma State University; and 2004, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Bids for the 2005 championships are due by February.

Recommendations for next year's regional competitions include the University of Rhode Island for the East regional and Ohio State University for the Central regional. A host for the 1999 West regional is yet to be determined.

Responding to a coaches survey, the committee considered format changes to expand regional competition so that every conference would have an automatic qualifier but decided not to take action at this time. The committee also is exploring a change in the championships format that would determine the individual winner after 54 holes of play and the team champion after 72 holes.

In other action, the committee voted to adopt the use of flags in the tee box area at this year's regionals to control and monitor pace of play. If deemed successful in helping the pace of play, flags will be used in future Division I championships.