Men’s golf finishes 9th at NCAA Championship

CARLSBAD, California:The Oklahoma men’s golf team had its season end on Monday at the NCAA Championship when the Sooners finished one shot outside of the eight-team cut to miss match play, after piecing together two of the field’s top rounds over the final two days of play.

The Sooners (9, +26) secured the ninth position at the tournament, marking their 21st top-10 finish in the event’s history and their seventh in the previous eight years.After closing a five-shot hole early in the round, OU moved up to seventh place, but Georgia Tech overcame the Sooners by one stroke at the par-72 Omni La Costa’s North Course, and they were unable to hold onto the final spot.

“I’m incredibly pleased of our team’s fighting over the past two days,” Ryan Hybl, the head coach, remarked following the round. Naturally, we’re sad to see the ride end, but these guys showed everyone what Oklahoma golf is all about with their bravery and tenacity. You can either give up or fight when your back is to the wall, and our lads gave it their best.”

Finishing at 6-under par, Illinois trounced the field by 16 strokes to secure the top seed in match play. They were the only team below par. Hiroshi Tai (-3) of Georgia Tech won the individual national championship by defeating seven players who ended at 2-under.

Throughout the week, Oklahoma’s top player was sophomore Jake Summy (T27, +5), who tied for 27th place at 5-over par. Following two birdies and bogeys, the Keller, Texas, product was even for the day until a bogey on the 18th hole caused him to drop a few spots in the leaderboard.

On Monday afternoon, All-American Ben Lorenz (T35, +7) concluded his undergraduate career with a tie for 35th place result and a top-15 rating in the PGA TOUR U rankings. Lorenz secures a spot on the PGA’s America’s Tour for the remainder of the season by finishing in 13th place in PGA TOUR U. The product of Peoria, Arizona, participated in 36 tournaments as a Sooner, winning three career titles and racking up 106 rounds of play.

With a final round score of 7 over par, Drew Goodman (T35, +7) paired up with Lorenz in 35th. His eagle on the 11th hole, which moved OU within striking distance of the cut, was the high point of his 2-under 70 on Monday. The junior is among the best seniors in the nation going into the upcoming campaign.

Ryder Cowan (T67, +14) concluded his collegiate golf career with a T67 result at the NCAA Championship as a true freshman. Although he shot 73 (+1) on Monday, the Sooners were able to mount a comeback thanks to his three front-nine birdies and eagle on the 13th.

Luke Kluver (SUB, +19) completed the OU lineup in the last round with a 78 (+6). After starting his undergraduate career at Kansas, he plays 101 rounds and finishes with two victories and twelve top-10s.

Oklahoma won three games as a team throughout the season, including one at the Rancho Santa Fe Regional final to secure the program’s 13th consecutive championship—the second-longest streak in the country.

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