Sooners to kick off spring season in Palm Springs at PGA West
The No. 11 Oklahoma men’s golf team heads west this week to start its spring campaign at The Prestige at PGA WEST. The three-day, 54-hole tournament will take place Feb. 20-22 (Monday-Wednesday) at the par-72, 7,156-yard Greg Norman Course at PGA WEST in La Quinta, Calif.
The Sooners are looking to carry the momentum from a strong fall season—which featured top-five team finishes in four of five tournaments, one team title and two individual crowns—into spring competition.
Eighth-year head coach Ryan Hybl said his squad is excited to begin its spring slate.
“It’s been a great offseason and we are ready to get back on the road,” he said. “Every week is important to us as we lead up to championship time later this spring. The Prestige is a great field, and our guys are ready to go.”
The OU lineup for The Prestige at PGA WEST will include senior Max McGreevy, junior Grant Hirschman, sophomores Brad Dalke and Blaine Hale and redshirt freshman Quade Cummins. True freshman Riley Casey will compete as an individual and be unattached from team scoring.
THE FIELD (GOLF STAT RANKINGS IN PARENTHESES)
Texas Tech (5)
Stanford (8)
Oklahoma (11)
San Diego State (14)
LSU (16)
Arizona State
East Tennessee State
Iowa State
Pepperdine
Saint Mary’s
San Diego
UC Davis
University of Stirling (Scotland)
OU LINEUP
1. Max McGreevy, Senior: Earned co-medalist honors at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate, his second career tournament win … Placed in the top 20 in four of five fall tournaments: the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate, the Carmel Cup (T8th), the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic (T12th) and the Gopher Invitational (T16th) … Finished the fall season with an even-par 71.20 scoring average … Named to the 2016 Division I PING All-America Third Team for his junior campaign.
- Blaine Hale, Sophomore: Recorded a 70.60 (-0.60) scoring average during the fall season, the lowest fall average in team events by a Sooner since Hunter Haas in 1998 (70.27; -1.18) … Earned two top-five finishes during the fall, tying for fourth at the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic and sharing fifth at the Gopher Invitational, the first top-five placings of his career … Shot a career-low round, 66, three times this year (Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational first round, Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic second and third rounds).
- Grant Hirschman, Junior:Claimed his first career tournament win at the Gopher Invitational, firing a birdie on the final hole to earn the title outright … Has recorded one other top-20 finish this year, tying for 14th at the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational … Tallied five rounds in the 60s in the fall season to finish with a 71.13 (-0.07) scoring average.
- Brad Dalke, Sophomore: Earned the sixth top-20 placing of his career after tying for 20th in the Carmel Cup … Runner-up at the 2016 U.S. Amateur … Represented Team USA at the World Amateur Team Championships Sept. 21-24, tying for 20th individually.
- Quade Cummins, Redshirt Freshman: Competed in four events during the fall, three times in the time lineup, with his best finish coming at the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational when he tied for 35th … In his OU debut at the Carmel Cup, took 41st place … Won the 2016 Oklahoma Amateur Championship.
Individual. Riley Casey, Freshman: Claimed 10th place the Gopher Individual tournament, his first career top-10 placing … Earned a share of 25th place in his collegiate debut at the Carmel Cup … Shot his first career round in the 60s, a 69 (-2), in the second round of the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic en route to a tie for 36th.
THE COURSE
The par-72, 7,156-yard Greg Norman Course at PGA WEST will serve as the site for The Prestige.
FORMAT
Fifty-four holes will be played over three days, and tee times will begin each day at 9:30 a.m. CT.
WEATHER FORECAST
Monday: Sunny with a high of 73 degrees and light and variable winds.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny with a high of 78 degrees and light and variable winds.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny with a high of 77 degrees and winds from the west, northwest at 5-10 mph.
OU’S PRESTIGE AT PGA WEST HISTORY
The Sooners are returning to The Prestige at PGA WEST for the first time since 2004, when the tournament took place at the end of the fall season. Oklahoma competed in the event twice from 2003-04, with its best finish coming in its second appearance, claiming fifth with a three-round 922 (+58).
LIVE STATS
Live scoring will be available on GolfStat.com.