[Hulk01]

Following up on our frequent criticisms of the NCAA's use of five-player, 18 hole match play to determine the national championship:

The PGA Tour uses 72 hole stroke play to determine a tournament's champion, and the NCAA uses 12 rounds (best four scores of five players for each round times three rounds per player) to determine its final final eight teams.

Yet the team that wins three 18 hole matches of the five total matches wins the NCAA championship.

Which brings us to today's men's US Amateur semifinals.  The eight men ranked as following in the world:

12, 16, 29, 91, 121, 198, 362, and 4292.

So: is best of five, 18-hole match play a fair way to identify the best team in the country?

[Hulk01]

Following up on our frequent criticisms of the NCAA's use of five-player, 18 hole match play to determine the national championship:

The PGA Tour uses 72 hole stroke play to determine a tournament's champion, and the NCAA uses 12 rounds (best four scores of five players for each round times three rounds per player) to determine its final final eight teams.

Yet the team that wins three 18 hole matches of the five total matches wins the NCAA championship.

Which brings us to today's men's US Amateur semifinals.  The eight men ranked as following in the world:

12, 16, 29, 91, 121, 198, 362, and 4292.

So: is best of five, 18-hole match play a fair way to identify the best team in the country?