The most anticipated 2005 season opener occurred Monday.

The team that started its season without any fanfare or jubilation is the defending Western Athletic Conference champion Tulsa men’s golf team, or that’s what they call themselves. The Golden Hurricanes have no championship banner, no gaudy trophy in a glass case and now they aren’t even in the same conference.

With the final group playing the 18th hole at last year’s WAC Championship Tournament, Tulsa sophomore Brett Myers bogeyed the par-4 to put them in a tie after 54 holes with Southern Methodist.

Tulsa Head Coach Bill Brogden and SMU’s Jay Loar agreed to share the championship, but league officials told them that was unacceptable.

Brodgen decided to forfeit the playoff and the championship, since the next possible departure was Friday. What’s the difference right, I mean, this is a conference title we are talking about? Brodgen knew leaving on Friday would force his players to miss final exams that were scheduled to begin the day before.

“I didn’t see the value in going to a playoff under the circumstances that faced us,” Brogden said as he left the course. “I hated to do this but it was something I felt we had to do.”

Tulsa was given an at-large bid to the NCAA Regionals and eventually qualified for last year’s NCAA Championships. Golf Digest ranked them as the 24th best men’s golf program in the country in its preseason issue and by the way, every player passed their finals with flying colors.

Meyers, now a junior, sits 4th in the Kansas Invitational with a two-day total of 140 (71-69). You think he wanted to tee it up again soon? Every one of the five starters from that WAC Championship team is back and ready to win its league outright. The only problem is that Tulsa is now a member of Conference USA and will travel to Mobile, Ala. for the tournament. Wanna talk about a once in a lifetime decision? Brodgen made it and his players are out to prove that not only was it the correct one but they can be the first collegiate golf team ever to win back-to-back titles in different conferences (well, sort of).

Matthew Stevens is a junior journalism major. You can reach him at [email protected]