Sooners move up to third in Puerto Rico with strong final round, Johnson takes second
Photo: Riley Casey
The No. 6 Oklahoma men’s golf team finished in third place out of 15 teams at the Puerto Rico Classic. The three-day, 54-hole tournament was held at the par-72, 6,902-yard River Course at Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
The 15-team field featured seven ranked teams in the Golfweek top 50, including three in the top 10.
In their final round of their first spring tournament, the Sooners finished with a 280 (-8) to match Georgia and Purdue for the lowest team total on Tuesday. OU finished with a three-day total of 852 (-12).
Georgia won the team title over Georgia Tech in playoff, after both teams finished with a 54-hole total of 848 (-16). NC State claimed fourth place at 856 (-8), while host Purdue took fifth at 859 (-5).
“They were definitely some positives for us during the first tournament of the year,” OU head coach Ryan Hybl said. “We did not execute well enough the first two days, which made it difficult for us today, but our guys fought hard.
“Riley Casey had a great final round today and it was good to see him get back to hitting like he normally does. Garett (Reband) and Quade (Cummins) had solid weeks for us and all of these guys are ready for a great spring.”
Juniors Quade Cummins and Garett Reband led the Sooners, sharing seventh place with a three-round 212 (-4). Reband logged four birdies during Tuesday’s final round to card a 70 (-2). Cummins picked up his ninth career top-10 finish, posting an ever-par 72 in the final round.
Riley Casey provided the Sooners with their best individual round of the day, finishing with a 67 (-5). Casey closed out the event, tying for 13th place at 213 (-3). The junior claimed his fourth top-20 finish of the season.
Freshman Patrick Welch carded a 71 (-1) during the final round to tie for 26th place with a three-day total of 217 (+1).
Senior Blaine Hale tied for 43rd place at 218 (+5). Hale recorded an even-par 72 to close out the event.
Playing individually at the par-71, 6,716-yard Ocean Course, redshirt junior Thomas Johnson earned a second-place finish with a 54-hole 212 (-1). Johnson recorded a 72 (+1) during Tuesday’s final round. Johnson’s 54-hole total also set his career-low score.
The Sooners continue their spring schedule on March 3-5 at the Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas.