Reband helps Sooners take lead into final round, Cowboys slip into seventh
Led by Garett Reband’s second-round score of 70, Oklahoma closed day two at the Cabo Collegiate with a three-stroke lead over the field and will seek its second victory of the season in Wednesday’s final round.
The top-ranked Sooners shot a 6-over 582 and lead No. 3 Florida State by three shots entering the final day at the par-72, 7,034-yard TPC San Antonio Oaks Course. Head coach Ryan Hybl’s lineup boasts a trio of golfers inside the top 15, with two more in the top 30.
Oklahoma State was led by senior Austin Eckroat with a 2-under 70 and shot its second consecutive round of 299, which dropped the Cowboys from fifth into a tie for seventh.
OU’s All-American redshirt senior Garett Reband bogeyed two of his first three holes but responded with four birdies and 11 pars to card a 2-under 70 and move into a tie for second. He sits at even-par at the tournament and three shots off leader Vincent Norman of Florida State.
“Reband had a nice round today, which was huge for us as a team,” Hybl said. “We didn’t get off to a great start this morning, but the guys hung in there, and we have a chance to do something great tomorrow.”
Reband, a York, S.C., product, has amassed 20 top-20 finishes, alongside 12 top-10s in his career. If he can take home medalist honors on Wednesday, it would mark the second win of his college career. Reband is joined in the top 15 by Patrick Welch, who led after 18 holes and is now T9, and Jonathan Brightwell, whose 36-hole score of 3-over is good for 13th.
Welch (146, +2) fired a 69 on Monday to take a lead into Monday’s second round, but a 5-over 77 on Tuesday bumped the junior into a tie for ninth. The 2019 All-America honorable mention is in line to notch the sixth top-10 finish of his career.
Brightwell sunk a pair of birdies on his back nine to move back to 3-over for the tournament, which places him in a tie for 13th with 18 holes left to play. The redshirt senior can collect the 13th top-10 placement of his career with a strong final round.
Logan McAllister closed his round with two birdies and three pars to shoot a 5-over 77 on Tuesday and grab a share of 23rd at 5-over after 36 holes.
Quade Cummins answered his opening-round score of 78 by firing a 73 to move up 19 spots from T49 to T30.
As a team, the Sooners seek their 19th top-five finish in their last 20 events and sixth consecutive top-five of the 2020-21 season. A team win on Wednesday would be the program’s 44th all-time and 26th under Hybl.
Wednesday’s final-round pairings will showcase some of the best collegiate golf in the country as No. 1 Oklahoma is matched up with No. 3 Florida State, No. 7 Arizona State and No. 19 Texas A&M with the teams teeing off from the first tee at 9 a.m.
The 54-hole tournament’s final group features Reband matched up with Texas A&M’s Sam Bennett (E, T2), Arizona State’s Mason Anderson (+1, T5) and leader Vincent Norman (-3, 1) of Florida State.
Oklahoma State’s 22-over total of 598 knotted it with Baylor and Arkansas. Eckroat climbed the board with his second-round 70, moving into a tie for fifth place at 145. After making the turn in even-par 36, Eckroat followed four consecutive pars with a birdie at the 14thbefore closing his round with a birdie at the last to move to 2-under for the day.
Freshman Bo Jin posted a 76 to finish the day tied for 27th place at 150, while sophomore Eugenio Chacarra was a stroke back at 151 after signing for a 75 to stand in a tie for 30th place.
Sophomore Aman Gupta’s 78 tied him for 44th place at 153.
Freshman Brian Stark rounded out the starting five with an 83, giving him a 158 total and sole possession of 73rd.
Freshman Hazen Newman is competing individually and carded a 76 to tie for 61st place at 156.
The Cowboys will begin their final round tomorrow at 8 a.m. and will be grouped with UTSA, Texas and Baylor. Live scoring for the event is available at golfstat.com.
Team Scores
1. Oklahoma—287-295=582
2. Florida State—298-287=585
3. Texas A&M—297-289=586
4. Arizona State—301-291=592
T7. Oklahoma State—299-299=598