The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
McDowell Heads to C-USA Championship Ranked at the Top
4/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
April 12, 2002
BIRMINGHAM ? UAB men's golfer Graeme McDowell is getting ready to head to the Conference USA Championship ranked at the top of two collegiate golf polls. McDowell ranks No. 1 in the Golfstat Cup poll and No. 2 in the Golfweek Sagarin Performance Index rankings.
At the end of every season, the Golfstat Cup is awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average in college golf. Currently, McDowell ranks as the No. 1 player in college golf with a 69.9 scoring average. He is just ahead of Florida's Camilo Villegas (70.44) and Clemson's D.J. Trahan (70.43).
His scoring average ranks up with some of the best players in the world. Former winners of the Golfstat Cup include Tiger Woods ('95-96 - 70.61), Matt Kucher ('97-98 - 70.8) and last year's winner Bryce Molder (69.43).
In the Golfstat statistical analysis categories, McDowell ranks first in par 5 scoring with a 4.48 average and second in subpar strokes per round with 4.64. He is fourth in greens in regulation with a .761 percentage.
In the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, McDowell sits in second at 69.0. He is close behind Villegas who owns the top spot with 68.89. In the same poll, UAB ranks 27th as a team.
The junior from Portrush, Northern Ireland has no doubt had his best season of the year and has been instrumental in the Blazer's success as a team. McDowell has won five tournaments, shot 20 subpar rounds and has a 69.8 scoring average. At the Conrad Rehling Alabama Invite in March, he had his fourth career hole-in-one to win by two strokes. As a team, the Blazers have one win and four second place finishes.
McDowell and the Blazers will compete in the C-USA Championship in Navarre, Fla. on April 22-24.
