NCAA Men’s Golf Tournament : Watts, Oklahoma State Place Individual, Team Titles on Line

Defending team champion Oklahoma State, led by defending individual champion Brian Watts, will be among the favorites at the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division I men’s golf tournament beginning today at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village.

Arizona, Arizona State, Clemson, Wake Forest, Texas and hosting USC are expected to challenge the top-ranked Cowboys in the 4-day, 72-hole tournament, which includes 32 teams of 5 men each and 23 at-large players.

Watts will try to become the first player to win consecutive individual titles since USC’s Scott Simpson in 1976 and 1977.

Billy Mayfair of Arizona State is expected to be Watts’ main competition.

Other top players include Kevin Johnson of Clemson, Bob Estes of Texas, Len Mattiace of Wake Forest, Michael Bradley of Oklahoma State and Larry Silveira of Arizona.