The South Carolina men's golf team made the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season in 2015, and plenty of key pieces from last year's bunch return for the upcoming campaign. However, the team will have to move on from Matt NeSmith, South Carolina's low individual in eight of the 12 tournaments the graduated senior played last season.
Competing without someone who led the team with a 71.24 18-hole scoring average would be difficult for most programs around the nation, but South Carolina has the talent to carry on. Behind NeSmith, the top three Gamecocks in terms of scoring average return for the 2016-17 season, including junior Keenan Huskey, who leads the returners with 19 under-par rounds from last season.
Huskey, a 2016 PING All-Southeast Team selection, will have help from sophomores Will Miles and Scott Stevens, each of whom posted averages under 73 in their first season in Columbia.
Stevens' 68 in the final round of the NCAA Tournament was crucial for getting the Gamecocks into match play, where the season ended with a 4-1 loss to Illinois. Stevens claimed the only victory for South Carolina in match play, beating Dylan Meyer 4&3.
With key players returning and three highly recruited freshmen coming in, the Gamecocks have a solid foundation to build on to offset the departures of NeSmith, Will Clarke and Sean Kelly, who contributed a combined 50 rounds under par in 2015-16. Having made NCAA regionals in 20 of the last 21 seasons, South Carolina can expect another solid season this year.
Players to watch
Will Miles — Outside of Huskey and Stevens, Miles is most primed for a breakout season. With three seniors leaving, Miles, who had three top-10 finishes in seven events last season, should be a key part of South Carolina's five-man lineup.
Ryan Stachler — Stachler wasn't a key part of the Gamecocks' rotation in this past season, which made it all the more surprising when the 19-year-old qualified for the 2016 U.S. Open. Even though he didn't make the cut at Oakmont, the sophomore gained a valuable experience that should serve him well this season.
Mark your calendar
Sept. 9-11 Carpet Capital Collegiate — The Gamecocks will open the season with Georgia Tech's Carpet Capital Collegiate, where plenty of powerhouses will be present. South Carolina finished third in the event last year, but with top teams such as LSU, Auburn and Georgia Tech in the field, the season-opening tournament will show how the Gamecocks stack up to elite competition.
April 21-24 SEC Championship — The SEC has some of the best teams in all of college golf, and the Gamecocks struggled at Sea Island Golf Club last year, limping to a 10th place finish. It's a long way away, but to build momentum into what the team hopes will be another NCAA Tournament run, South Carolina has to put together a stronger performance at the conference tournament.