With a busy summer schedule, the Alabama junior didn't have a chance to return to campus until the start of fall semester. More than two months separated Texas senior Dylan Frittelli's championship-winning birdie putt and the start of classes, but Whitsett was bombarded with "attaboy's" and words of encouragement as if it just occurred yesterday.
"Some of my friends told me they were following online and the live stream was going up on HD televisions," Whitsett said. "It was a big deal. It was great."
It soon sunk in.
This Alabama men's golf team wasn't alone at Los Angeles' historic Riviera Country Club, and it won't be throughout its quest to return to the NCAA Championships.
"It certainly helped me get over it a little bit," junior Bobby Wyatt said. "Certainly gave me the determination to get back there and win a national championship."
No. 3 Alabama begins that quest today when it opens its spring schedule at the Puerto Rico Classic, a three-day, 15-team tournament that includes six other ranked teams.
"Technically we're still fairly young," 11th-year Alabama coach Jay Seawell said. "In golf wisdom and golf years and experience, we're pretty experienced. I'm excited."
The core of Alabama's lineup features three of the nation's best golfers: Whitsett, Wyatt and sophomore Justin Thomas.
Thomas is coming off one of the best individual seasons in Alabama golf history, as he received the Haskins and Nicklaus Awards, which are presented annually to the national player of the year. He was also named the national freshman of the year and SEC Golfer of the Year after a season that included four tournament medals and nine top-10 finishes.
"What happened last year was great and a lot of fun, but it literally has nothing to do with what's going on this semester," Thomas said. "I learned a lot from it."
Seawell called Wyatt, Thomas and Whitsett his "three horses." From there, it's a bit uncertain, as Alabama looks for one or two golfers to fill the void left by Hunter Hamrick.
For this particular tournament, Seawell has redshirt freshman Tom Lovelady and senior Scott Strohmeyer filling out the rest of his lineup. Senior Lee Knox and junior Trey Mullinax are also options to play in those final two spots.
Seawell all but ruled out the possibility of freshmen Dru Love, Robby Prater and William Sellers participating this season.
"They're going to have to continue to learn to work every single day to be ready at any given time," Seawell said. "They're doing a great job. More than likely, they're going to have a hard time getting in this spring."
Alabama placed in the top 10 in all four tournaments it entered during the fall. The Crimson Tide won the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate (Vestavia Hills) in October and placed third at two others. Thomas won the Jerry Pate individual title and finished second at the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational (Windermere, Fla.).
Thomas and the rest of Alabama's golfers certainly appear ready to compete after months to think about just how close they came to winning it all.
"I'm just really looking forward to getting the season started," Thomas said. "Seems like forever since we played a college event."
Source: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/02/determined_to_get_back_to_ncaa.html
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