March means brackets -- even for TOUR players  It's March, so naturally it's time for the PGA TOUR to join in the Madness. PGATOUR.com had 15 players to fill out brackets for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and just who did they think would be serenaded by "One Shining Moment" after winning the final game in Atlanta?  (AP)
While no clear favorite emerged from the TOUR pros' brackets -- the players felt a handful of elite teams who could hoist the trophy-- four picked Roy Williams and his talented young North Carolina team to win. Mark Wilson, Davis Love III, Mike Hulbert and Troy Matteson think the 2005 National Champs can win their second title in a three-year span. Three golfers-Camilo Villegas, Doug LaBelle and Charles Warren-feel that the University of Florida, which returns all five starters from the 2006 National Championship team, can go back-to-back-to-back as National Champions in basketball, football and basketball. Three others, including Zach Johnson, Nick Watney and Heath Slocum, predict a six-game win streak and subsequent championship for the University of Kansas Jayhawks. North Carolina, Kansas and Florida are all No. 1 seeds in the tournament, with Ohio State University rounding out the four. Only one player, Johnson Wagner, chose Ohio State to redeem themselves for their loss to Florida in the football National Championship game by beating the Gators for the basketball title. While few see Ohio State winning the whole tournament, OSU was the most popular pick to get to the Final Four, as two-thirds of the participants think the Buckeyes, with basketball prodigy Greg Oden, at least have the talent to make it to Atlanta. Historically elite teams UCLA and Georgetown got one vote and two votes, respectively, to emerge as national champions. Charley Hoffman went with UCLA, while Tripp Isenhour and Joey Sindelar picked Georgetown. There were almost a dozen other colleges that the golfers thought could make it to the Final Four but didn't have much shot at taking it all this year. Not many foresee a Cinderella Story at the Final Four this year, a la George Mason in 2006. Hoffman's bracket called for several surprises -- he has Nevada, a seven seed, and University of Southern California, a five seed, making it to the Final Four--but it seems the California boy went with West Coast schools, especially since he picked a UCLA v. USC final-game showdown. Three others also picked with their hearts, as Florida Gator Villegas and Tar Heels Love III and Wilson adopted the "can't pick against your own school if they are a one seed" mentality and chose their alma maters to go all the way. Ohio State University Athletic Hall of Famer Sindelar, however, did not think a National Championship is in the stars for his Buckeyes, surprisingly picking Notre Dame, a six seed, to lose to Georgetown in the finals. Sometimes the golfers chose with their heads, sometimes their hearts. Some picked their alma maters, while others went with conference foes. But one thing is certain -- the only certainty in college basketball is that there will be surprises and upsets that few saw coming. Check back each Monday over the next three weeks as PGATOUR.com tracks how the golfers are faring in their selections. |
