galvanising Arrowzone (7-1) to glory in the Leonard Oram Retireme

MILTON, Ga. -- With Alabama getting set to play in the final of the NCAA mens golf championship for the second year in a row, coach Jay Seawell got a good-natured call from Nick Saban. Obviously, the Crimson Tides football coach knows a thing or two about winning national titles. "He asked, Do you want me to come over and coach your team?" Seawell said Sunday, breaking into a big smile. "I was like, Sure. Youve got a better record in championships than I do." No need. The Tide did just fine without Sabans help. Showing again its more than just a football school, Alabama won its first national title in mens golf with a dominating 4-1 victory over Illinois in match play Sunday. This championship was especially sweet for a team that lost to Texas in last years final. "Its been a long 365 days," Seawell said. "But that just makes it more special. It makes you appreciate it more." Bobby Wyatt got the Tide off to a rousing start in the first match at Capital City Clubs Crabapple Course north of Atlanta, winning the first seven holes on the way to a 6-and-5 blowout of Thomas Detry. Alabama didnt have to sweat it in the final match, either, as Cory Whitsett went 5-up by the turn and cruised to a 4-and-3 victory over Alex Burge. The middle three matches were much tighter -- each of them all-square at one point coming down the stretch, giving Illinois a glimmer of hope at improbably pulling out its first national title. But Trey Mullinax, after squandering chances to pull ahead with three-putts at the 14th and 16th, two-putted from 60 feet for a par at the 18th for a 1-up victory over Charlie Danielson. The Illinois player missed the green with his approach, chipped up to about 10 feet, but rolled the putt past the right lip of the cup for a bogey. When Mullinax knocked down his 3-footer, a huge roar went up from the predominantly Alabama crowd that could be heard by the other groups still on the course. After that, it ended quickly. When Burge missed a 15-foot par putt at the 15th, he conceded Whitsetts short bogey attempt to end that match. Up ahead on the 16th green, at essentially the same time, Scott Strohmeyer rolled in a 3-footer for par to beat Brian Campbell 3-and-2. "Roll Tide!" someone in the gallery shouted. Wyatts strong start helped calm his teammates. They knew the Tide already had one point in the bag, which meant the other four players merely had to split their matches. "Hes a really streaky player," Whitsett said. "When he gets hot, hes really hot. No one can beat him when hes firing on all cylinders." Even so, Wyatt never envisioned being 7-up as he walked off the seventh green. "It doesnt get any better than that," he said. "I just had to keep my head down, keep plugging along. I wanted to get to the finish as early as possible." Thomas Pieters, the 2012 individual champion, earned the Fighting Illinis lone point with a 1-up victory over Alabamas top-ranked player, Justin Thomas. That wasnt nearly enough to halt the Tide, which had been on a mission ever since the bitter loss to Texas a year ago. Alabama lost to the Longhorns 3-2 when, on the final hole, Whitsett came up short of the green and missed a birdie chip, then watched helplessly while Dylan Frittelli rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt to give Texas the crown. "I remember kneeling beside my bag," Whitsett said. "Its the worst Ive ever felt on a golf course." This was the best. "Pure joy," Whitsett said. The victory came nearly five months after Alabama routed Notre Dame in college footballs championship game, giving the school its third national title in four years in the sport that dominates most of the attention on campus. But the Tides athletic success goes far beyond the gridiron. Over the last two academic years, Alabama has also captured national championships in womens golf, softball and gymnastics. "We are a football school. No doubt. We dont have a problem with that," Mullinax said. "But I know the coaches on campus dont feel were just a football school. Weve got a lot of great athletes at Alabama. Were a great athletic school." The start of the match was moved up two hours because of the threat of an approaching storm, which was expected to hit the Atlanta area around mid-afternoon. There was no rain during the match, which ended just before noon under partly sunny skies. While Alabama was the nations second-ranked team, the Fighting Illini was a surprising finalist. They stunned top-seeded California 3-2 in the semifinals when Pieters defeated individual champion Max Homa on the second extra hole of their match. But Illinois couldnt pull off another upset. "Alabama had an edge to it today," coach Mike Small said. "We were up against a buzz saw." While the Fighting Illini has a bright future after sending out a lineup that included two freshmen and two sophomores, theyll have to make do next season without their top player. Pieters, a native of Belgium, had already announced his junior season would be his last before he turns professional. He broke down in tears after coming so close to adding a team title to the individual championship he won in 2012. "I dont think a lot of people expected us to be in the national championship," Pieters said. "We thought we could do it. We worked so hard to get to this moment. Its a shame we didnt get it done today. But Alabama played really, really well." BJ Blunt Jersey . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. Josh Norman Jersey . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. http://www.cheapredskinsjerseysauthentic.com/ . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. Deion Harris Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. JoJo Wicker Jersey . -- Jakob Silfverberg is making himself right at home with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his first four games.Kilmah moved a step closer to potential outing at Royal Ascot with a debut victory in the Chemtest EBF Novice Fillies Stakes at Newmarket. With trainer Mark Johnston operating at around 25 per cent with his current two-year-old crop, the 14-1 shot helped maintain that healthy strike-rate in the six-furlong event with a two-length success over last-time-out winner Seafront.Charlie Johnston, assistant to his father, said: She is a good looking filly and had been working well at home. She had been working with another filly that had won at Ripon on Friday, so we knew she was straight enough to do herself justice. She is a powerful beast.She just got a bit unbalanced into the dip, but as soon as she hit the rising ground away she went.She has definitely thrown her hat into the ring for Royal Ascot. If you win a Newmarket maiden at this time of year it is obviously on the horizon.Although Worlds Greatest (16-1) is unlikely to live up to her name she demonstrated what she is capable of when pitched in at the right level in the Streets Chartered Accountants Handicap, forming the first leg of a double for trainer Stuart Williams.Purchased out of the yard of Saeed bin Suroor for 13,000 guineas at the sales last summer, the three-year-old doubled her tally of victories since her move across Newmarket, taking the mile event by a neck to add to her win at Lingfield in January.Williams said: She won for us in the winter on the same day Realize won at Lingfield.This was her first run on turf for us and we had one run well enough last night so that encouraged us. Its always great to have a winner here.Upavon (100-30) completed Williams brace with a two-and-a-half-length victory under Milly Naseb in the Directa Hands And Heels Apprentice Series Handicap.Daphne (9-4) ended a quiet couple of weeks for trainer William Haggaas after carrying the colours of the Queen to glory in the newmarketracecourses.ddddddddddddco.uk Maiden Fillies Stakes.Despite holding entries in both the Investec Oaks and the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot the Newmarket handler is to take it a step a time following her short-head success in the mile-and-a-half affair.Haggas said: Its nice to have a winner, as its been tough. I am delighted that she has won and I think she will get better as the season goes on.Its hard to say if she will go for the Ribblesdale at this stage. I would say she might prefer slightly slower ground.It proved to be a day of firsts at the track as Exceeding Power gave trainer Martin Bosley his inaugural winner at the course in the Building Services Design Handicap.Partnered by promising 7lb claimer George Wood the 17-2 chance gained a first victory on turf when defeating Rouge Nuage by a length.Bosley said: I saw him (George Wood) ride a winner here for James Fanshawe at the Guineas meeting and I thought he looks a good kid.We were pretty fit and he was so well handicapped from the all-weather. It was a super ride by George. He rode him like I instructed, by keeping him in mid-division and not hitting the front too soon.Josephine Gordon moved another step closer to having her claim reduced from five to three pounds after gifting Ivan Furtado his first winner at the course when galvanising Arrowzone (7-1) to glory in the Leonard Oram Retirement Handicap.And the Ed Vaughan-trained Interconnection (7-1) appeared to appreciate the switch to a faster surface when running out a three-quarters of a length winner of the Edmondson Hall Solicitors & Sports Lawyers