Courtesy of Oklahoma Athletics
Yet another chapter in golf's version of the Red River rivalry was written Wednesday afternoon at the Maridoe Intercollegiate Invitational, where Oklahoma clipped Texas by a shot to win its first team title of the young season.
It's certainly not the first time the Sooners and Longhorns have battled tooth-and-nail down the stretch of a tournament with a title on the line and it definitely won't be the last, but this one went to OU, which shot a final round 7-under 281 to outdistance their arch rival by the narrowest of margins.
Before a national audience watching on the GOLF Channel, Oklahoma came from four strokes back to claim the title with a finishing score of 3-under 861 for a hard-fought win against a stacked field which included nine of the top-25 teams in the nation. The win is Oklahoma's 44th all-time and the 30th of the Ryan Hybl era, which started in 2009.
The seventh-ranked Sooners counted rounds by
Chris Gotterup (68),
Patrick Welch (71),
Drew Goodman (71) and
Logan McAllister (71) to pave their way to the title, while Texas junior
Mason Nome and senior
Cole Hammer each posted a 2-under-par rounds of 70 to pace the Longhorns Wednesday's charge.
It was Gotterup, a transfer from Rutgers, who sunk the tournament-winning par putt on the 18th green.
"We're young, hungry and have a lot to prove," Hybl said following the win. "They're working so hard and we know it's early in the year, but we really love what we're seeing out of our guys right now. I'm proud of our guys for fighting until the finish today."
Third-ranked Arizona State, which entered the final round with a nursing a two-stroke lead, finished third at 2-over 866 following a final round of 290 (+2).
Cameron Sisk of Arizona State and Texas Tech's
Baard Skogen tied for medalist honors at 7-under 209, with Sisk taking the title with a par on the first playoff hole.
The two-time Sun Devil All-American began the day with a two stroke lead after shooting a 6-under 66 on Tuesday, but a final round 73 left the door open to his pursuers, including Skogen, Gotterup and
Sam Bennett of Texas A&M, who all carded final rounds of 68.
It was Sisk's third collegiate victory, following 2019 titles at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate and the Sonoran Showdown. The win also earned him an exemption into the 2021 Houston Open in November.
Oklahoma Athletic Communications contributed to this report.
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Second Round Recap; Sept. 14
Arizona State and two-time Sun Devil All-American
Cameron Sisk moved to the top of the leaderboard Tuesday at the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational being held in Carrollton, Texas.
The third-ranked Sun Devils fashioned a 6-under second round score of 282 on Tuesday to move into the driver's seat heading into Wednesday's final round. At even par 576 at the 36-hole mark of the tournament, Arizona State enjoys a slim lead over No. 5 Texas (578) and No. 7 Oklahoma (580) heading into the final 18 holes.
Sisk carded the low round of the second round with a 6-under 66 to take a two-stroke lead over Baylor's
Johnny Keefer. After shooting an opening round 70 on Monday, the senior from San Diego made seven birdies in the second round en route to a 66 to move to 8-under 136 with one round remaining.
Texas'
Parker Coody moved into contention with a 4-under 68 on Tuesday, which leaves him four off the pace at 140 for the tournament.
The 15-team field at the season-opening Maridoe Collegiate Invitational includes nine squads that are ranked in the top 25 of the preseason Division I Bushnell Golfweek Coaches poll.
GOLF Channel will televise the last round of the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational beginning at 1:00 p.m. Pacific time on Wednesday.
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First Round Recap; Sept. 13
The Oklahoma Sooners lead a talented field after the first day of the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational being held in Carrollton, Texas.
The Sooners, ranked seventh in this week's Golf Coaches Association of America poll, shot a 2-over 290 on Monday at Maridoe Golf Club and hold a one-stroke lead over No. 25 Liberty (291) and are four strokes clear of No. 3 Arizona State and No. 5 Texas, which are tied for third place at 294.
Other Top-25 teams in the field include No. 8 Wake Forest, No. 9 Texas Tech, No. 16 Texas A&M, No. 21 SMU and No. 25 Liberty.
Connor Polender of Liberty has the first round lead after shooting a 4-under 68, good for a two-stroke lead over a trio of golfers including Chris Gotterup of Oklahoma, Cameron Sisk of Arizona State and Frankie Capan III of Florida Atlantic.
Polender had six birdies and just two bogeys on his Monday card for a tidy 4-under round. The junior from Lake Bluff, Ill. made the turn at even par, but had a near perfect back nine with four birdies and five pars to claim the first day lead. He birdied all four of Maridoe's par-5s.
Gotterup started the day on a high note, sinking an eagle on the par-five second hole to claim an early lead. He closed his front nine with a pair of birdies and bogeys to take a 2-under card into his second nine. A birdie on the 11th paired with a bogey on 15 and seven pars sent the transfer from Rutgers into the clubhouse with a season-low 70 and his fourth round of par-or-better this season.
"Maridoe is such a challenge every time you play it," said Oklahoma head coach Ryan Hybl of the par 72, 7,351 yard layout. "Our guys did such a nice job getting around the course today and battling. Chris (Gotterup) hit one of the best 2-irons that you'll ever see on No. 2 to a foot for eagle, and that really got him rolling. Logan (McAllister) played a perfect front nine for us. Drew (Goodman) really hung in tough all day. Hopefully we can limit our mistakes and take advantage of some opportunities tomorrow."
Oklahoma will tee off Tuesday at noon CT with Wake Forest (13th, +17) and Texas Tech (T9, +11).
Golf Channel will carry live coverage of Tuesday's round from 3-6 p.m. CT.
University of Oklahoma Athletics Communications contributed to this report