Van Driver Saga Threatens To Overshadow NCAA Final!

I see there were articles at Golfweek.com, GolfDigest.com and GolfChannel.com on Wednesday's marquee Division I NCAA final between Alabama and Oklahoma State, and all focused on the albeit somewhat fascinating drama of former OSU coach Mike McGraw now working as Alabama's assistant to head coach Jay Seawell.

Since this is the first televised final in some time and the first under the match play format where coaching actually plays a key role in par-3 club selection and keeping players abreast (or not) of other matches, I'm sure Golf Channel will be all over this drama.

While I joke about calling coaches van drivers, the new format puts a huge amount of pressure on them to balance a number of elements during the final five matches. Still, this one should be about the players, just as Tuesday's thrilling semis were about some amazingly tight matches.

Just to give you an idea of the quality on display tomorrow, according to Ryan Lavner, all ten players are ranked in the top 110 nationally.

Coverage of play from Prairie Dunes starts at 4 pm. ET with a replay after the postgame coverage.

There is also this Twitter Tracker at GolfChannel.com and this tracker at Golfweek.com.

Golfweek's Lance Ringler also offered this scouting report on the finalists and Ryan Lavner even made predictions.