Staff Photo by Allison Kwesell Baylor School graduate Harris English, center, walks with the other Georgia Bulldogs to the 16th green during the practice round of the NCAA East Regional golf tournament at Council Fire Golf Club.

A stellar regular season helped the University of Georgia earn the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament and the No. 1 seed in the East Regional.

That success now means little.

The Bulldogs and 26 other teams begin competition today at Council Fire Golf Club in order to find 10 teams that will advance to the NCAA championship in two weeks.

“We strive for a good ranking all year because it helps in our regional selection,” said Georgia junior Brian Harman. “All of that is out the door. We’re trying to get through here and get ready for nationals.

“That’s what we get ready for all year.”

Even though the Bulldogs are the top-seed, they don’t get a bye into the championship tournament. They and the other top-seeded teams here must still finish in the top 10.

Georgia, No. 2 Charlotte and No. 3 South Carolina are virtual locks to advance — even if their coaches don’t see it that way — based on sheer talent and experience.

“Nobody skates through regionals,” Charlotte coach Jamie Green said. “I don’t care if you’ve been ranked No. 1 all year long, nobody comes into a regional and assumes anything.

“If seeds mean anything, it’s just about what you’ve done before and doesn’t affect this week.”

The remaining seven spots — led by No. 4 Duke and No. 5 University of Tennessee at Chattanooga — are up for grabs between about 15 teams where the margin of difference could be a couple strokes or less.

“It’s neck-and-neck, and that’s why I don’t look at seeding,” said Ole Miss coach Ernest Ross whose team has the No. 9 seed. “Seeding is of no factor. Starting (Thursday) it’s all about playing.”

Coaches have various opinions as to how difficult the course will be paying, especially in comparison to the Scenic City Invitational last fall that Charlotte won at 29-under-par.

Greener and wetter conditions will make Council Fire play a tad longer than the fall, but there are 27 teams here instead of 15 and the field is much deeper.

“In some ways, it’s a bit easier because you can keep the ball in the fairways because they’re softer,” said Mississippi State coach Clay Homan whose team tied for sixth in the Scenic City Invitational, and practiced in the rain Wednesday. “On this course, wedge-play and putting are at a premium. “The 10 teams that move on are going to have to wedge and putt the ball well all week.

“If a team has a bad putting week, I don’t see how they can overcome that.”

Teams will have to overcome the Bulldogs if they want to claim the regional championship. Georgia won the East Regional last year at The Golf Club of Georgia and have no plans or giving up that title. But the course and the field will have to be conquered.

“There’s going to be a premium on making a lot of birdies this week which doesn’t set up good for us,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “If it becomes a putting contest, that’s not good for us because that’s not our strength. That would bring us down and some other teams up.”

Which teams, are just a guess.

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