Sooners, Cowboys in hunt for match play berth
For the second consecutive season, the Oklahoma men’s golf team will compete in the final 18 holes of stroke play at the NCAA Championships. The Sooners ended the third round in a tie for second to easily make the 15-team cut at the end of 54 holes in Sugar Grove, Ill. Oklahoma State was in sixth place.
Playing as the No. 13 seed, OU posted a 284 (-4) in the third round to remain in second place for the second straight day at the par-72, 7,300-yard Rich Harvest Farms. The team has totaled 847 (-17) during the national tournament.
“Our guys did a great job of hanging in and finishing,” eighth-year OU head coach Ryan Hybl said. “We played 17 great, which is the hardest hole out here, and then followed it up with our best finish of the year on 18 with our four counters going 5 under. We have a great opportunity in front of us, and we want to go win a golf tournament.”
The Sooners are currently one stroke behind No. 3-seeded Vanderbilt, and OU is in a three-way tie with No. 1 USC and No. 12 UNLV. No. 7 Illinois rounds out the top five teams with a three-round 850 (-14).
The 30-team field was cut to 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team after Sunday’s round. One more round Monday will determine the 72-hole individual national champion.
After 18 holes on Monday, the field will be reduced once more to the top eight teams that will advance to the tournament’s match play competition to determine the team champion.
Senior Max McGreevy leads the Sooners after day three, sitting in a tie for seventh with a 54-hole 7-under 209. The Edmond native opened his round with birdies on the first two holes and produced three more on the day. McGreevy sunk a long putt for eagle on the final hole to earn a 4-under 68 for the round.
Sophomore Blaine Hale joins McGreevy in the top 20, holding a piece of 17th at 211 through three rounds. Hale pocketed five birdies en route to a 70 on Sunday.
Juniors Rylee Reinertson and Grant Hirschman are tied for 44th and 50th, respectively. Reinertson shot 74 to bring his total to 216 (E), while Hirschman carded a 72 to come within one stroke of his classmate.
Sophomore Brad Dalke struggled in the third round, shooting a 79 to drop to 66th place at 219 (+3) overall.
The Sooners will begin the final round of stroke play on Monday at 12:50 p.m. CT from hole No. 1. Live scoring will be available onGolfStat.com, and the Golf Channel will broadcast competition live from 4-7 p.m. CT with pregame coverage beginning at 3 p.m. CT.
Oklahoma State’s men’s golf team rose three spots, using a 283 during its third round to move into sole possession of sixth place at Rich Harvest Farms.
Through 54 holes at the par-72, 7,300-yard layout, the Cowboys stand at 12-under 852.
Texas’ Scottie Scheffler maintained his lead in the individual race, carding his third consecutive 68 to stand at 12-under 204 and two shots clear of the field.
OSU’s Viktor Hovland moved into the top 10, firing a 68 to climb 18 spots into a tie for 10th at 210. Beginning his day on No. 10, the freshman opened his round with four consecutive pars before posting birdies at the 14th and 16th. After carding a bogey at the 17th, Hovland eagled the par-5 18th to turn in 3-under 33. He got to 5-under par for the round with birdies at Nos. 2 and 5 before closing with a bogey at the ninth to post his 4-under total.
Sophomore Hayden Wood carded his low round of the event, a 2-under 70, to rise 17 spots into a tie for 24th place at 213.
Senior Zachary Olsen’s 72 moved him up 12 slots into a tie for 50th place at 217, while junior Kristoffer Ventura’s second consecutive 73 tied him for 71st at 220.
Sophomore Zach Bauchou carded a 74 on Sunday, giving him a 221 total and tying him for 76th place.
The Cowboys will tee off Sunday at 11:50 a.m. (CST) and will be grouped with Southern California and Illinois. Live scoring is available atgolfstat.com, while Golf Channel will have its television coverage of the event from 3-7 p.m. (CST).