Trimble’s bittersweet summer continues with OGA Mid-Amateur title
By Ken MacLeod
On the golf course, it’s been a great last few months for Blake Trimble. First the 42-year-old coach and former pro guided Oklahoma City University to the NAIA National Championship, won individually as well by OCU’s Christian Yanovitch.Shortly after he was named NAIA Coach of the Year.
Then, with plenty of time to practice at his home course Oak Tree National, he rolled to his first significant victory since regaining his amateur status four years ago, winning the Oklahoma Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship Wednesday at Battle Creek Golf Course in Broken Arrow after a closing 4-under 68 moved him to 11-under-par for the 54-hole event.
That was good for a three-shot victory over fellow Oak Tree National member Conrad Walcher, who closed with a 69. Those two were well clear of Cole Stephenson and Kyle Hudelson, who tied for third at 2-under.
Off the course, it’s been a roller coaster for Trimble. OCU infamously announced last fall that it was disbanding its hugely successful men’s and women’s golf programs, which had won a combined 19 national championships (now 20, including 12 by the men). Trimble recently stopped getting paid by OCU and is now looking for a new career that will keep him in Oklahoma City, where he has two young boys ages 2 and 3.
For both Walcher and Trimble, the games they regularly compete in at home – often with more than a dollar or two on the line – probably made the OGA Mid-Am field a bit less intimidating.
Walcher described a recent road trip to Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club that had him facing off with Viktor Hovland, Austin Eckroat, Max McGreevy, Quade Cummins, Zach Bauchou, Michael Gellerman and Thomas Johnson. Back home at OTN he plays frequently with Josh Creel, Heath Myers, Nick Heinen, Hayden Wood and a variety of the state’s professionals and top amateurs.
“I got killed that day,” he said. “But yeah, there’s always a good game out there. A great way to keep your game in shape.”
Trimble played collegiately at Southern Nazarene and then played professionally, including some status on the Korn Ferry Tour, for 11 years before going into coaching. The first event he entered since regaining his amateur status was the recent qualifier for the OGA State Amateur and he will be competing July 27-30 at OKC Golf & Country Club.
“It’s been a very bittersweet time for me,” said Trimble “If you’re going to go out, that was the way to go out. National champions, coach of the year. And all my kids have found other places to play, so I’m happy for them. But I was hopeful something might change with our school, because it was receiving quite a bit of backlash for dropping the program. But they weren’t going to change their minds.
“So whatever God has in store for me, I’m hopeful it’s the right opportunity.”
Meanwhile he’ll continue practicing with the sharks at Oak Tree where he says “the friendship dues are too high for me,” meaning the games can get a bit rich for the temporarily unemployed. But after his solid performance at Battle Creek, which included 18 birdies over the three rounds, he could be a strong candidate for another title in two weeks.
He held a four-shot lead over Walcher going into the final hole, but then lost his drive to the right on the dogleg right 18th hole. He still managed a bogey to finish at 11-under. Walcher was at 9-under and left to rue a second-round 73 sandwiched by rounds of 66 and 69.