Your 2022 picks: Our top 10 college golf stories (No. 1 is about John Daly’s son and his NIL deal)

While post-pandemic college tournament golf settled back into something more familiar in 2022, at least in terms of scheduling, the new frontiers of NIL, LIV Golf and the transfer portal made this anything but a typical year.

And while the infrastructure of the game continues with a major overhaul, the best stories of the year again came from big personalities, storied institutions and some masterful play on the course.

As we continue the countdown to 2023 by offering up a snapshot of our best stories from the year, take a scroll through some of the biggest stories from the world of college golf in 2022 (photo galleries and preseason watch lists were not included in this listing).

10

Howard men's golf builds on Steph Curry's support to become nation's top HBCU program, and they're still growing

The Howard men’s golf team after winning the 2022 MEAC Championship. (Photo: MEAC Media Relations)

Greg Odom Jr. thought head coach Sam Puryear was blowing more smoke than a chimney when he was being recruited to play golf at Howard University.

“Getting recruited, I thought he was bluffing. I’m on the phone with him, he’s like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna win championships, you’re gonna get this, you’re gonna do this,’” recalled Odom Jr., who was a sophomore at Memphis at the time. “When you actually walk up on the tee of a PGA Tour event and you walk to the podium after winning a championship, you look back and it’s just, ‘Wow, everything happened.’”

Here’s more on this program.

9

PGA Tour University's second class sends 15 college players on path to professional golf

Cole Hammer celebrates making a birdie putt on the 18th hole to win his Foursomes match at the 2021 Walker Cup at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida on Saturday, May 8, 2021. (Photo: Scott Halleran/USGA)

The second class of PGA Tour University graduates was finalized following the completion of stroke play at the 2022 NCAA Div. I Men’s Golf Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, with the top 15 players in the standings earning status on varying professional tours.

The top-five players in the PGA Tour University standings received Korn Ferry Tour membership and were exempt into all open, full-field events beginning with the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD SYNNEX. The players are also exempt into the final stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Here’s more on the class.

8

Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra explains flip-flop decision to bail on Oklahoma State and PGA Tour for LIV Golf

Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra of Oklahoma State reacts after making his putt on the 10th hole during the final round of the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club – Raptor Course. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic)

In April, Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra shocked the amateur golf world when he announced his plans to forfeit his PGA Tour University status and return to Oklahoma State for another year of college.

Two months later he shocked the professional golf world when he announced he was turning professional to join the Greg Norman-led and Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series. The 22-year-old Spaniard made his debut at the Portland event and explained his reasoning for his change of heart.

Here’s a look at what he said.

7

College golf coaching carousel: These coaches in new spots had something to prove in 2022

The national championship trophy is seen during the Division I Women’s Golf Championship held at the Grayhawk Golf Club on May 25, 2022, in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

The college golf coaching carousel was spinning fast last summer, and after a busy off-season, some familiar faces found themselves in new places for the fall.

Longtime assistants finally got a chance to lead a program. Former head coaches are taking another shot at success with a different school. Some coaches even moved up from Division II to Division I.

Here is a look at some of the coaches in new positions who had something to prove in the 2022-23 season.

6

After controversy, Vanderbilt's Gordon Sargent takes East Lake Cup stroke play

Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent won the individual men’s stroke play title at the East Lake Cup. (Provided photo)

Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent and Texas A&M’s Blanca Fernández García-Poggio won the individual stroke play titles at the East Lake Cup on Bobby Jones’ home course in Atlanta.

But there was drama in deciding the men’s individual winner, and it occurred not on the course, but in the scorer’s tent.

Here’s the way the story unfolded.

5

University of the Southwest golf teams involved in fatal, head-on crash in Texas killing nine people, including six students and a coach

The Rockwind Community Links hosted a memorial after five students and a coach from the University of the Southwest were killed in a crash on March 15.

Both the men’s and women’s golf teams from the University of the Southwest were involved in a fatal bus crash.

A 17-passenger van carrying the golf teams collided with a pickup truck head-on after the truck veered into the van’s lane in western Texas, killing people in both vehicles. Tyler James, in his first season as the coach of both teams, was killed, as were six students and two others in the truck.

4

Club 60: Meet the players who have signed for a 60 in college golf

Paul Casey of Arizona State.

There’s an elite, exclusive club in the world of college golf where new members are rarely admitted.

The cost to get in? A once-in-a-lifetime round. While no player has ever crossed the scoring threshold into the 50s, 17 men’s players have signed for a 60.

Here’s the list we compiled earlier this year.

3

Explaining the weird and rare rules violation in the final match of Stanford's NCAA Championship win over Oregon

Stanford’s Rose Zhang at the 2022 NCAA Championship. (Photo: Darren Reese/TGA)

A rare and unfortunate rules violation occurred late in the final match of the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship.

While it didn’t necessarily decide the clinching match that earned Stanford its second title in program history, it certainly didn’t help in Oregon’s quest for its first.

Here’s what happened. 

2

Check out these college golf practice facilities

Michigan State Lasch Family Golf Center (MSU Athletics)

There’s been an arms race of sorts brewing in college athletics, especially over the last two decades.

Across the nation colleges and universities have been beefing up their golf practice facilities, producing some incredible practice areas for their student-athletes that you have to see to believe. From all the latest video technology to locker room entertainment, golf facilities are becoming the place to be on campus.

So, your friends at Golfweek showcased a database of college golf facilities.

1

John Daly's son — who had played one college golf team tournament — signed NIL deal with Hooters

John Daly II and dad John Daly during the second round of the 2021 PNC Championship on Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021, in Orlando. (AP Photo/Scott Audette)

John Daly II had played exactly one team tournament for the University of Arkansas and posted just a single round under par during that event, but that didn’t stop the freshman from signing a name, image, likeness deal with Hooters.

The son of two-time major champ John Daly played in one tournament last fall for the Razorbacks, posting scores of 83-68-78 at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational in October. He also played in an individual event.

Here’s more on the deal.