We saw the last Midwest regional come down to the wire and this weekend, at Eagle Crest, the stakes are even higher. Last month, Michigan broke away from their overnight lead with Ohio State to take the victory, while Miami of Ohio climbed all the way to second place after some great Sunday finishes. After the first regional, the Nationals picture has Michigan with 6 points, Miami with 3 points and OSU with 1 point.
The teams from Michigan State and Dayton are trying to climb into the Nationals talks, but they will need some help from the leaders after finishing just outside the top three last regional. For the others, they are looking to improve this time around and hopefully place in the top three to gain some momentum going into next season. After good Sunday finishes last tournament, Ohio and Cincinnati seem poised to such that. We have the teams from Western Michigan and Xavier returning to field this week and they are looking to contend right away. There are many dynamics to this weekend as teams vie for a trip to Nationals and this means that tensions could run high.
Eagle Crest is a Karl Litten design that will provide a brutal test of golf with plenty of opportunities to make big numbers. It will be crucial to stay patient and keep the ball in play. Another island green will be seen this weekend as the players deal with the signature sixteenth hole. The course measures in at just over 6700 yards which adds another dimension this the already difficult design. This challenging test sets the stage for an exciting weekend of golf. If you are interested in staying updated on what’s happening in the tournament make sure to follow @NCCGAMidwest and @NCCGAPresident.
