Sometimes you don't have to be in a collegiate event to get a little rivalry going.
That was the case in Oklahoma, as one of the first in a busy summer of Oklahoma Golf Association events took place at The Territory Golf Club in Duncan.
In the end, two young players from the hotbed of golf in Edmond -- Ryder Cowan and Jordan Wilson -- found themselves tied and heading for extra holes.
"Me and Ryder are pretty good buddies," said Wilson via text. "I've known him for about four years now. We play at the same club so have quite a bit of experience competing against each other."
The University of Oklahoma commit Cowan had double-bogeyed the final hole to finish at 16-under, while Oklahoma State's Wilson -- who just finished his sophomore year -- finished birdie-birdie-par to force the playoff.
The scores reflected the talented field -- especially the two Edmond junior stars -- who took advantage of the perfect scoring weather and Territory Golf Club conditions.
And after Cowan and Wilson traded barbs all day, the tournament came down to the final three holes.
"I birdied 16 with a 20-footer and he made his putt for birdie to cap me," said Wilson, who biride the 225-yard 17th to get within two, stiffing his tee shot to six feet and converting the putt.
A two-shot deficit is certainly better than three, and Wilson seized the opportunity.
"I played aggressively with driver on 18 because I was thinking birdie the whole way," said Wilson. "I think that impacted his decision because he had both driver and 3 wood with him and decided to hit driver which was a hook into the weeds -- fortunately the spotter found it for him."
"I made a mess of 18, and he had all the momentum," Cowan admitted to Golf Oklahoma. "I went in and washed my face and tried to regroup. I knew he was playing well and had to shake that off."
After pars on the first two playoff holes, Cowan birded the third, after stiffing his approach shot from 135 yards to two feet, inside of Wilson's approach to 6 feet. When Wilson missed, Cowan cooly rolled his putt home for the victory.
View results for Oklahoma Stroke Play
ABOUT THE
Oklahoma Stroke Play
Open to amateurs who are residents of Oklahoma,
or
full time students of an Oklahoma College or
University. Participants must be a member of the
OGA.
Format is 54 Holes of stroke play. There
will be a cut to the low 30 and ties after 36 Holes of
stroke play.
View Complete Tournament Information