Official publication of the Oklahoma Golf Association
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TABLE OF CONTENTS J UNE /J ULY 2019
36
VOLUME 9 ISSUE 3
14 The Goods Tom Bedell looks at a new upscale golf magazine as well as the latest books on the sports. Henry Clay cigar reviewed.
16 Chip Shots Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff collected every award and trophy imaginable in their record-setting seasons for Oklahoma State.
40 20
44
46
Features 20
Southern Hills’ restoration is better than the planners had hoped.
26
Orville Moody remains the only Oklahoman ever to win the U.S. Open
30
Melissa Luellen honored for amateur, professional and coaching careers.
33
Oklahoma City golfer shoots age an astounding 1,000 times
Competition 34
Stars shone brightly in high school state championships
36
No national title for Cowboys or Sooners, but much to be proud of for state teams
40
Logan McCracken has incredible start to season on All Pro Tour.
33 Departments 6 10 10 11 12 42 43 44 45
Letter from the Publisher OGA ED Mark Felder WOGA ED Susan Ferguson Rules, Gene Mortensen USGA by David Thompson Architect’s Corner: Colton Craig Instruction: Tracy Phillips Fitness: Clint Howard Schedules and results
On the cover The dramatically different look on the 18th hole at Southern Hills following the restoration. Photo by Mike Klemme.
Support junior golf by contributing to the OGA Foundation Call 405-848-0042 for more information 4
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GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
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JUNE/JULY 2019
FROM THE PUBLISHER KEN M AC LEOD
The sun will come out, according to the optimists Courses from Karsten Creek and LakeDavid Jones watched helplessly as floodwaters from the raging Arkansas River side GC in Stillwater, where seven inches slowly covered five holes of the River of rain fell in a day, to Mohawk Park in Course at The Club at Indian Springs. That Tulsa, build in a flood retention area, exwas on Wednesday, May 22, two days af- perienced dramatic flooding, fortunately shorter-lived than ter torrential rains in the Club at Indian Kansas filled up the Springs. basin that flows into Pat McCrate, dithe Arkansas River rector of golf at Laand subsequently Fortune Park, said Lake Keystone, causMay of 2019 was the ing flooding in and worst May in terms around Tulsa and of rounds and revdownstream commuenue since at least nities not seen since 2003. The course 1986. took on 15.5 inches Jones, the superof rain, lost 14 days intendent who has of play and had all worked at the club but one Saturday affor 18 years, knows fected by rain. full well that having Southern Hills a golf course underCountry Club comwater is a trifle completed its extensive pared to a home and Above, The Club at Indian Springs restoration – the there were thousands after the Arkansas River flooded, cover story of this isof citizens in worse while below Lakeside Memorial in shape. Yet superinten- Stillwater after seven inches of rain sue – despite losing numerous work days dents pour their heart in 24 hours. to rain. Opening and soul into their day ceremonies were courses and seeing rained out after the his sit for over a week first group had played under 2-to-3 feet of for less than an hour. water was stressful We detailed previenough. ously how bad the By the followgolf weather has been ing Wednesday, the in Oklahoma stretchCorps of Engineers ing back to Octohad reduced the outber. April seemed flow from Keystone a to break the string, bit and the waters bebut May has been a gan to recede. Jones hoped to have all of his holes back open by washout. Even when open, if golfers can’t early June. What shape the turf would be take carts off the path, many won’t play. McCrate had a women’s event scheduled in – alive or dead – he was waiting to see. “I’ve heard it doesn’t kill the grass as long for late May with more than 40 signed up as it can get some sunlight, but I’ve never to play. Once they learned that carts were been through this before,” he said. “I don’t on the path, only nine played. Running a golf course is enough of a want to have to sod the course.” Located only 300 or so yards from the challenge in good weather, but Mother Nariver, Indian Springs is one of only a few ture can stop piling on anytime now. All courses to be hurt by prolonged flooding. clubs, public and private, need an extended Many others, and particularly public cours- stretch of playable weather and hopefully es, have been adversely affected by one of we’ll all be out in support and to get some the wettest months in Oklahoma history, rounds in – without wearing waders and worrying about water moccasins. not to mention high winds and tornados. 6
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Volume 9, Number 3 Golf Oklahoma Offices Southern Hills Plaza 6218 S. Lewis Ave., Ste. 200 Tulsa, OK 74136 918-280-0787 Oklahoma City Office 405-640-9996
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Publisher Ken MacLeod ken@golfoklahoma.org
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COO/Marketing Director A.G. Meyers agm@golfoklahoma.org Art & Technology Director Chris Swafford chris@golfoklahoma.org Subscriptions to Golf Oklahoma are $15 for one year (five issues) or $25 for two years (10 issues). Call 918-280-0787 or go to www.golfoklahoma.org. Contributing photographers Rip Stell, Bill Powell Golf Oklahoma PGA Instructional Staff Jim Woodward Teaching Professional, Oak Tree National jwoodwardgolf@sbcglobal.net, 405-348-2004 Jim Young Teaching Professional, River Oaks CC 405-630-8183 Tracy Phillips Director of Instruction, FlyingTee vt4u@yahoo.com, 918-352-1089 Maggie Roller Director of Instruction, Cedar Ridge CC maggie.roller@sbcglobal.net, 918-261-1441 Jerry Cozby PGA Professional jerrycozby@aol.com, 918-914-1784 Kyley Tetley, PGA Professional The Golf Studio 918-232-6564 Oklahoma Golf Association 2800 Coltrane Place, Suite 2 Edmond, OK 73034 405-848-0042 Executive Director Mark Felder mfelder@okgolf.org Director of Handicapping and Course Rating Jay Doudican jdoudican@okgolf.org Director of Junior Golf Morri Rose morose@okgolf.org Copyright 2019 by Golf Oklahoma Magazine. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from Golf Oklahoma. Golf Oklahoma is published by South Central Golf, Inc.
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GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
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MARK FELDER
OGA Executive Director
FROM THE OGA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Lending a hand to deserving golfers Awarding scholarships is always a rewarding process for the Oklahoma Golf Association, as going over the applications makes you realize just how many extraordinary young men and women are associated with golf in our state. The OGA Foundation is awarding $32,500 in scholarships for 2019 as follows. The four named scholarships are $5,000 each and all others $2,500. The Bill Barrett Memorial Scholarship, Hunter Askew, Purcell. The Roy Oxford Memorial Scholarship, Jade McCurdy, Purcell. The Corky Billen Memorial Scholarship, Mason Hadley, Bethany The Gene Mortensen Scholarship, Peyton Burns, Kingfisher. Other scholarship winners are Blayne Barker of Durant, Emma Shelley of Bartlesville, Grace Griggs of Edmond, Grant Murphey of Oklahoma City and Kennedy Maybee of Jenks. Congrats to all of the recipients and to all who applied. The OGA is looking forward to its signature events this summer, including the 2019 OGA State Amateur
Championship returning to Oak Tree National on July 22-25. The OGA Stroke Play Championship will be right across the street at Oak Tree Country Club on June 24-26. The tournament season got off to a less than rousing start when the annual OGA Four-Ball Championship had to be rescheduled and moved to a new facility. We will let everyone know the new date and time when it is finalized. Bob Phelps, our new tournament chairman, is forming a committee to research increasing participation in the OGA mid-amateur and senior events. Anyone with constructive ideas can send them to Bob at rphelps@okgolf.org. Junior events are full to overflowing. We were excited this year that every state high school girls champion from the five classes participated in the OGA Girls Junior Championship. All the top boys were also on hand at the event, sponsored for the first time by Edmond professional golfer Taylor Moore. Our great thanks to Taylor for truly elevating the status of the state junior.
SUSAN FERGUSON
President WOGA
Hunter Askew
Blayne Barker
Peyton Burns
Grace Griggs
Mason Hadley
Kennedy Maybee
Jade McCurdy
Grant Murphey
Emma Shelley
WOMEN’S OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION
Mark date for WOGA Junior Fundraiser Congratulations to our 2019 day. We also are accepting sponsorship lev- pionship Flight to girls ages 12-18, with WOGA Scholarship winners – Bixby’s Em- els, from $2,000 for a major sponsorship, verifiable GHIN handicaps of 10 or less. ily Anglin, Cordell’s Megan Brown and to Tee Sponsorships at $150. All sponsors The tournament now has AJGA Perforwill receive numerous benefits, including mance Based Entry status and is a Junior Putnam City North’s Erin Leazer. Golf Scoreboard ranked tournaWe wish all the winners and apment. Other flights are available for plicants best of luck in their future ages 8-18. For more information, endeavors. email Louise Blumenthal Johnson Be sure and mark Monday, June 17, at jrchampionship@woga.us or call on your calendar for the seventh an405-833-2776. nual WOGA Fundraiser Team TourAdditional dates to save for upnament, benefiting WOGA’s Scholcoming WOGA tournaments are arship and Junior Grants programs. our Stroke Play on June 10-11 at HillThe tournament will be held at the crest Country Club; our 101st State beautiful and historic Quail Creek Emily Anglin Megan Brown Erin Leazer Amateur on July 22-25 at Oak Tree’s Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City. The entry fee is $600 per four-person signage throughout the Fundraiser and the Country Club East Course; our Four-Ball team, and includes breakfast, an awards 69th Junior Girls Championship, which Partnership on Aug. 19-20 at Shangri-La; will be June 18-19 at Quail Creek. All dona- and our annual WOGA Cup Club Team on luncheon, and prizes to the top teams. Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at Oakwood Country Club Auction items, including golf packages to tions are tax deductible. Entries are being accepted for the 69th in Enid. Please visit our website at www. some of Oklahoma’s most prestigious golf courses, and other golf memorabilia will Oklahoma Junior Girls Championship. woga.us for all entry and tournament inbe available for bidding throughout the The tournament is expanding the Cham- formation. 10
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GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
GENE MORTENSEN
OGA Rules Director
OKLAHOMA GOLF ASSOCIATION NEWS
What you can and can’t do on the green Let’s review some of the applicable Rules when your ball comes to rest on the putting green. A ball is on the green when any part of it touches the green. The green is a specific area which is prepared for rolling the ball in the direction of the hole so certain different Rules are in place to assist in that endeavor by allowing the player to brush aside sand and loose soil, repair damage to the surface, and clean the ball. When we talk about repair of damage we mean that caused by a person or outside influence such as: (1) shoe scuff marks, spike marks, shoe indentations; (2) old hole plugs, turf plugs, indentations from equipment; (3) animal tracks; and (4) embedded objects such as stones and acorns. You may not repair aeration holes and bare or diseased areas. The player must not test any green by rubbing the surface or rolling a ball except when the green being tested is one which has been previously played. If the ball moves for no apparent reason, or by natural forces (gravity, wind, earthquakes), the ball is played where it
GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
lies from the new location and there is no off the green. One major change is that the player is penalty. If the player or any other person accidentally moves the ball, the ball must permitted to leave the flagstick in the hole be replaced and there is no penalty. If the while putting and if the ball hits the flagplayer has lifted the ball for any reason and stick there is no penalty. If the flagstick is left in the hole, replaced it, all acthe player must cidental movenot deliberately ment thereafter move it to afis attributable to fect where the the player and ball in motion the ball must be might come to replaced. rest. One benefit When the playhere is that the er putts and acciflagstick acts as a dentally hits any backstop for the person, animal or moving ball and movable obstructhis might result tion on the green, in reducing the the stroke is cannumber of putts. celed and the ball Fixing spike or ball marks is fine. In any discusmust be replaced on the original spot. When there is inter- sion about the green I would be remiss if ference by an abnormal course condition I didn’t make the following plea – we all (temporary water, ground under repair, benefit when the greens are in pristine conetc.) the player may take free relief by plac- dition so it behooves us to help keep them ing a ball on the spot of the nearest point of that way. Always repair your ball mark – complete relief, which can either be on or plus one other.
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11
DAVID THOMPSON
USGA Regional Affairs Committee
presented by
PGA Tour, we’re waiting on you
I
too much time. The Rules of Golf prescribe to complete the round. So, what if you have a maximum of 40 seconds to play a shot a couple of players or more in the group that do that? Okay, beginning when we will round it the player can off to about 30 play without inminutes. terference. That The NCAA includes preparaand USGA tion like shootamateur chaming the distance, pionships reading the line have adopted of your putt, a checkpoint etc. Let’s do the system that math. If a player requires playthat shoots 80 Emulating the pros isn’t stepping up the pace. ers complete and takes an average of 10 extra seconds for every shot, that play of holes in a designated time. These is 800 seconds or just over 13 minutes added checkpoints are typically after the completion of the 4th, 9th, 13th and 18th holes. If a group fails to complete these holes within the designated elapsed time or be closely behind the preceding group, the offending group is issued a warning after the first missed checkpoint. If the group misses a second checkpoint time, players may be penalized one stroke and an additional two strokes if a third checkpoint is missed. Officials on the course monitor the individual play to determine if the slow play is attributable to the group as a whole or maybe only one or two members of the group. This system is not in place to penalize players, but rather to hold players responsible to play their round in a reasonable time. Accountability is in the hands of the players with the consequence of failure being penalty strokes. My observation is that pace of play is typically faster after word spreads that a player or group has been penalized for their slow play. Sadly, it is only then players understand the system is being enforced. Whether you’re starting a new practice or expanding an existing one To return to the question, who is doing something about slow play? The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), NCAA and USGA. Maybe the professional tours should look to those groups. Will it happen • Checking and savings • Working capital lines of credit on the tours? I don’t believe it will until the • Mobile banking app • Equipment & real estate loans players demand it. Then, the tour officials • Loans and lines of credit • Medical practice loans will be required to follow the directives • Home loans • Treasury services from their bosses (the players). The PGA Tour has a system to fine playMove UP to Better Banking! ers after several bad times during the year. Fines are seldom and so insignificant that Call Lew Erickson at (918) 392-7468 or send an email to Lew.Erickson@FirstOklahomaBank.com. they provide no deterrent to slow play. One penalty shot in a tournament could mean a Midtown: 4110 S. Rockford Avenue, Tulsa | South: 100 S. Riverfront Drive, Jenks difference of thousands or tens of thousands FirstOklahomaBank.com in payout. That will get attention from the players and slow play will be no more.
t seems like everybody is talking about slow play, but who is doing anything about it? Certainly, we are not seeing much, if any, action from any of the professional tours. Maybe there is hope as we are hearing complaints from some major players. It is going to require the players’ board to demand that the tour rules officials enforce pace of play and issue penalties to deserving offending players. Those officials work for the tour (the players) and don’t want to upset their boss with a penalty. So, unless the players’ board takes action to require the officials to action, little will happen. College players watch the tour players on TV and begin to copy bad habits that require
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13
The JUNE/JULY
GOODS
Some things we like to do before and after the round
The Bookshelf
Companions on the couch or on the course by tom bedell
W
here better to have a literary discussion than at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City, where the lettered ghosts of Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, Robert Sherwood, Heywood Broun and others of the famed Round Table hover nearby the dining room linen? More than a dozen years ago Thomas Dunne, then an editor with the now-departed Travel & Leisure Golf magazine, had a long lunch at the Algonquin with Canadian golf writer Lorne Rubenstein about creating a different, more literary breed of golf journal, where one would never encounter yet another cure for the slice or appraisals of a revolutionary new line of hybrids. In short, a magazine of distinctive writing and illustration that would be collectible, as opposed to disposable. Turns out Rubenstein had been having similar conversations, and presumably lunches, with other golf writers, including Lawrence Donegan, a Scotsman perhaps as well known as a musician. The gestation period may have been lengthy, but toward the end of 2016 Donegan and Dunne began working together to produce “McKellar, A Golf Companion.” Paul Craven, who had worked with Dunne on T&L Golf as art director, also came on board. The first, 80-page issue, Spring 2018, included a moving reminiscence by Rubenstein of the late Canadian PGA Tour pro, George Knudson. A second issue (96 pages) came out this spring, and Dunne hopes the third will appear this fall. The magazine is driven 14
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solely by the readers; no ads appears in either issue, other than a mild subscription pitch.
(Easily enough accomplished by heading to the website, www.mckellarmagazine.com. Each issue is $14, or the pair for $21.) (I had hoped to simultaneously review “The Golfer’s Journal,” a quarterly which sounds similar in aim and has produced seven issues, but no review copies were forthcoming.) The magazine is named after Scotsman Alexander McKellar, who worked as a butler and tavern keeper in Edinburgh in the 18th and 19th centuries (he died in 1813). McKellar’s local renown was due to his obsessive golf habit, a compulsion as strong as his game was weak. He was so unwilling to tear himself away from the links he would often play in the gloaming, by lantern. McKellar, the magazine, captures this spirit with brio. Its main pulse seems to beat in the so-called Golden Age of Architecture, with due reverence for the classic courses, not as artifacts, but as ongoing examples of excellence. Hence pieces, just to take the current issue, on Shinnecock Hills, Portmarnock and Royal North Devon. But there are also articles on the more recent past—a nod to the television innovations wrought by “Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf,” an appreciation of Australian great Kel Nagle. And the modern gets its due with a report on a round with former U.S. Poet Laurete Billy Collins, an interview with Dottie Pepper, an eye on a new Georgia course by
Gil Hanse, the Ohoopee Match Club in Cobbtown. There’s plenty more, close to 20 pieces in each issue. I read both cover to cover, but I don’t necessarily recommend such gorging. The mix of long form and shorter articles would best be savored at leisure. So far it’s a mostly male club, only one woman among the some 28 writers featured in the two issues. I’ve played golf with only four of them, so I think I can say without undue prejudice that the prose is indeed top-notch without being esoteric, the illustrations evocative, the pleasures long-lasting. Maybe even if you binge. Loopers: The Caddies’s Long Walk By fall there may be some streaming opportunities to see “Loopers: The Caddie’s Long Walk,” an 80-minute documentary that has been nibbling its way onto screens on the festival circuit. But the film will have a limited release in select U.S. cities this summer, about 60 theaters worth, and it would be worth the effort to see it on the big screen. (Most showings will be in June and July. Check the website www.loopersmovie. com for details.) For one thing, the locales are gorgeous, if familiar temples of golf—Ballybunion, Lahinch, Carnoustie, St. Andrews, Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes—and they never looked better. But the film isn’t a travelogue as much as a succinct history of golf from the standpoint of caddies, caddymasters and players, amateur and pro, who have utilized caddies. Which by my reckoning should be just about all of us who have ever played the game. The film was directed by Jason Baffa, best known for three previous documentaries about the surfing subculture. His occasional collaborator, Carl Cramer, wrote and edited the film, which takes a fairly basic approach to the subject that even GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
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non-golfers can grasp. There’s not a lot in the movie that is going to come as news to players, but that grossly undersells it; there’s plenty in here to fascinate. The professional stories alone are compelling, told with a blend of talking heads and archival footage. So we see and hear about some of the great partnerships in golf: Nick Faldo and Fanny Sunesson, Tom Watson and Bruce Edwards, Tiger Woods and Fluff Cowan and Steve Williams (no Joe LaCava, alas), Phil Mickelson Bill Murray and Jim “Bones” Mackay, to the more recent Jordan Spieth and Michael Greller pairing. This can get a little emotional, as with Ben Crenshaw and his Augusta National caddie Carl Jackson, during Crenshaw’s Masters win in 1995 days after the death of mentor Harvey Penick, and when both Crenshaw and Jackson retired from the tournament in 2015. There’s a healthy amount on the Masters caddies, thanks to commentary from one of the producers, Ward Clayton, author of the 2004 book, “Men on the Bag: The Caddies of Augusta National.” But the poignancy stretches well beyond the professional ranks. There’s the saga of Greg Puga, who grew up in East Los Angeles, went on to caddie at Los Angeles’ BelAir Country Club and qualified as a MidAmateur winner to play in the Masters, alongside Crenshaw. And a smattering of heartfelt tales from Evans Scholars Foundation winners, cases of caddying leading to substantially altered lives, for the better. If giving full brief to the breadth and depth of the caddie’s role, the film has some fun, particularly in outtakes as the credits roll, with the old trope of the basic requirements of the job: “Show up, keep up, shut up.” And former caddie Bill Murray is on hand, narrating with relative restraint, as well as scoring some screen time talking about his former caddie days. Naturally, a clip of his “Caddyshack” ramble about looping for the Dalai Lama is included. So the film also has that going for it. Tom Bedell once told a looper, “You must be the worst caddie in the world.” The caddie replied, “No sir, that would be too much of a coincidence.” GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
Henry Clay, statesman's cigar Henry Clay was one of America’s most noted statesmen in U.S. history, known as “The Great Pacificator”. His ability to arrange compromises resolved three disputes between the states and prevented a civil war. Clay rose to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in the early 1800’s, was known above all, as a staunch U.S. nationalist. The Henry Clay Cigar brand was created in the 1840’s by a Cuban tobacco magnate, the Spanish emigrant Julián Álvarez Granda and is thought to be the oldest Cuban cigar brand. The name was proposed by Alvarez when he was in the service of an employer and he maintained it once he was in business for himself. The brand was eventually sold and later died out around the time of the Great Depression. The Henry Clay brand wasn’t revitalized until the late 1990’s by Tabacalera de Garcia, in the Dominican Republic. The label on the box shows the original Henry Clay factory in Havana.
Today a Henry Clay cigar boasts a traditional Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper which adds bolder strength while maintaining medium body. The smoking experience comprises of black pepper, cocoa, molasses and butterscotch. A few years back Henry Clay released a Stalk Cut blend which takes its name from the tobacco leaves being harvested from the entire plant at once verses removing the leaves in pairs at weekly intervals. This method allows more strength to develop in the tobacco leaves giving the Henry Clay stalk cut a fuller body with tasting notes of dark chocolate, dried fruits and dried nuts. The newest blend to brandish the Henry Clay band is the War Hawk, aptly named and goes against its own tradition by not using a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The creamy flavor and eloquent spices that the cigar envelops is hidden behind a golden Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper.
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15
CHIP JUNE/JULY
SHOTS
News around the state Sponsored by
Hovland or Wolff? Awards don't settle debate Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland, the better year,” said OSU coach Alan Brat- in amateur, college and professional golf. In ton. “They are both going to be excellent order to determine the finalists, each comwhich would you say had the better year? All Hovland did was win the U.S. Ama- professionals who could very well be stars mittee member cast a ballot that ranked the group of 10 semifinalists from 1-10. teur, three college events, be named Big on the PGA Tour.” With his distinction, Hovland be12 Player of the Year, win the Silver comes the fourth Cowboy to garner Cup for low amateur at The Masthe award since it revised its criteria in ters, compete in two other PGA Tour 2002 to its current standard of honorevents and win both of his matches at ing the outstanding amateur and colthe NCAA Championships after the legiate golfer. He joins Hunter Mahan Cowboys advanced to match play. (2003), Rickie Fowler (2008) and Peter Wolff counters with a Cowboy reUihlein (2011) on the list of OSU’s record six victories, including the NCAA cipients of the award. individual title by five shots, shooting The native of Oslo, Norway, be10-under on the exceedingly difficult came the fifth Cowboy to win the Blessings Golf Club. U.S. Amateur Championship title, doThe two most presitigious player ing so at historic Pebble Beach Golf of the year awards did not settle the argument, with Hovland winning Dynamic Duo: Viktor Hovland, winner of the Ben Ho- Links. Hovland tied the record for the the Ben Hogan Award and Wolff the gan Award and the Silver Cup, and Matthew Wolff, fewest holes played in a U.S. Amateur since 1979 in the process. Hovland Jack Nicklaus Award. Wolff gained Jack Nicklaus and Fred Haskins awards. also tied for 40th at the PGA TOUR’s the edge in heavyweight awards The Ben Hogan Award is given annually 2019 Arnold Palmer Invitational and was in when he won the Fred Haskins Award as to the top men’s college golfer taking into ac- the field at the TOUR’s Farmers Insurance college’s best player in early June. “I gave the edge to Viktor all year but Mat- count all collegiate and amateur competitions Open at Torrey Pines Golf Club. A sophomore, Wolff set the school’s sinthew winning the NCAA Championship over the past 12 months. The selection commay give him a slight edge as to who had mittee is made up of 30 leaders and experts gle-season record for wins in a season with
16
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GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
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six, including his five-shot victory at the NCAA Championship. With his win, Wolff became the ninth Cowboy to win an individual national championship. The Agoura Hills, Calif., native opened the year with four consecutive full-field victories, winning The Carmel Cup, Fighting Illini Invitational, Royal Oaks Intercollegiate and Amer Ari Invitational. He added his fifth win of the year at the Valspar Collegiate. Wolff, who was also named a first-team All-American earlier this week, joins current OSU head coach Alan Bratton (1994), Charles Howell (2000), Hunter Mahan (2003) and Pablo Martin (2006) as Cowboys to win the award. Wolff was the eighth Cowboy to win the Fred Haskins Award for which Hovland was also a finalist. Wolff joins Lindy Miller (1978), Bob Tway (1981), Willie Wood (1982), Scott Verplank (1986), Charles Howell (2000), Hunter Mahan (2003) and Pablo Martin (2006) as winners of the prestigious award. Upon being named the winner of this year’s award, Wolff will receive an exemption to compete in the PGA Tour’s 2019 Military Tribute Greenbrier Classic in September.
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AJGA, First Tee events need you! The Gateway Mortgage Group Tulsa Ju- First Tee of Tulsa Open nior-Am Fundraiser, a benefit for the Tulsa You’ve read the stories about the fantastic AJGA event Aug. 6-8 at the Oaks Country restoration of Southern Hills Country Club. Club, is Aug. 5 with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Here is your chance to play the historic A group of three golfers can play with one course, site of seven major championships of the junior participants for $1,500, including with the 2021 Senior PGA Championship on a sleeve of TaylorMade golf balls, a golf shirt the horizon. Come out and support the First and hat for each golfer. There are also Gold Tee of Tulsa and all the wonderful work it and Silver partnerships available from $5,000 does with young children throughout Tulsa and $2,500, respectively, and the surrounding with numerous other communities. sponsor benefits. The First Tee of Tulsa The Junior-Am FunOpen is Oct. 14 with draiser is a part of the shotgun starts in the Gateway Mortgage morning and afternoon. Group Tulsa Junior, a Five levels of corporate 54-hole national junior sponsorships are availSouthern Hills Country Club event on the AJGA Tour, able or a single can play featuring 78 boys and girls ages 12-19 from for $1,000. All proceeds will go toward opthroughout Oklahoma and the nation. erations of The First Tee of Tulsa and this Funds will go to support the event and event is the largest fundraiser of the year two charities, the Folds of Honor Foundation for the First Tee, located at Mohawk Park based in Owasso and the AJGA Ace Grant Golf Course. For more information or to Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships request an entry form, contact Nancy Acto talented junior golfers who lack the funds ton at 918-477-5274 or naction@southernto travel and enter AJGA events. hillscc.org.
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EQUIPMENT JUNE/JULY
In overdrive Club Champion CEO on his rapid expansion by ed travis
CEO Joe Lee Xxxxxxxx
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ne of the bright spots in the golf industry is the growth of the custom club fitting business. It’s been good for the original equipment manufacturers and most importantly good for recreational golfers. Club Champion Golf has been in the forefront of this growth, not only promoting their services, but gaining recognition with the use of spokesmen such as David Ledbetter, Hank Haney and Jordan Spieth. Less than 10 years old, Club Champion has more than 60 locations and the company says plans are to have approximately 80 by the end of the year and doubling that number in another 2½ years. The Oklahoma City location began doing fittings in March. The essence of Club Champion’s very involved fitting session is simple – find clubs that will help the golfer hit better shots by at least in part compensating for his or her individual swing faults which of course will lead to lower scores and having more fun. The fitting process isn’t just smashing a few balls into a net, but a complete investigation using computer analyzed data in order to come up with detailed specifications for the proper head, shaft and grip. All this expertise costs $350 for a full bag fitting and golfers report the results are worth the investment. My own experience with club fittings runs from the most basic to the most sophisticated with a Club Champion fitting for driver, irons and putter certainly on the
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upper end of the scale. One clear difference compared with being fit by a single manufacturer is the variety of solutions that may be applied. The days of players filling their bag with clubs from just one maker are long gone for lots of reasons, but who is to know what mix of clubs will produce the best yardage and lowest dispersion? Case in point, my 14 sticks come from seven manufacturers. It’s virtually impossible for anyone to find that “right” combination any other way than with data from a swing analyzer and the knowledge of a professional club fitter. The local Club Champion manager gave me a bit of advice for those who may think it’s not for them – “It is certainly possible to help anyone that comes in. The common misconception is that we’re here only for the scratch golfer. Nothing could be further from the truth. My average customer is about a 10 to 15 handicap. If they care about the scores they shoot then I can help them.” A message of hope for all to be sure, however, we wanted to know more about the company and its success. In an exclusive Golf Oklahoma interview with Club Champion CEO Joe Lee, he candidly answered our questions and revealed a great deal about their business and plans for the future. What has fueled the growth especially in the past two years? We have been preparing to grow at a more rapid pace for many years. We just knew we
had to be ready to scale where the quality and consistency of the experience at each store didn’t start to dilute due to aggressive store openings. We’ve been refining, or expanding, our training, marketing, recruiting, roll-out strategy, and build capabilities for several years now. We always believed there were many more markets/geographies to serve where avid golfers were underserved, which is what we are executing on now via our expansion. What are the criteria for determining a new location – golf demographics, site economics, etc.? We look for a concentration of golf courses (mix of public and private), somewhat dense population, and those areas where lots of avid golfers congregate. As a follow-up – How is the danger of too many locations in a city avoided? We let our sales volumes and history in other like-markets dictate our multiple-store expansion strategy within a particular market. I don’t think we’ve run into the problem of having ‘too many locations’ in a market yet. Can you share the basic economics of a successful location – staff size, number of fittings, percentage of fittings that result in a sale of clubs? Our stores are typically 2,500 to 3,000 square feet in size, have anywhere from two to four fitters, and conduct anywhere between 500-1,400 fittings per year. In fact, GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
it’s much more than just sales in the we have a few that do more than field – compensation is based on a fitthat. Our fitters convert a very high ter’s customer survey performance, percentage of their fittings into the customer retention, referral rate, consale of golf clubs. In the end, what version rate, clean orders/quality, and we do, is help put people in the best overall team performance. We know equipment set-up to play better golf. that all those factors contribute to If we spend all the time in the bays, customer satisfaction beyond just if with the best equipment and widest they received their clubs on time. variety of components on the planDo you have plans to expand your et, with top notch technology, and services perhaps with clinics, lesan ability to custom assemble the sons, etc.? clubs to the precise tolerances that We have remained laser focused were prescribed by our fitter, and on custom fitting and building as we we still can’t convince an avid golfer want to remain the category leader. why it’s the right thing to do … we Our belief is that if we lose our focus haven’t done our job very well. The The shaft options seem endless at Club Champion. and try to become everything to evof their employment – whether they’ve had proof is in the data and most avid golfers get it. And if you’re an avid, you’ll 20 years of experience or two. We are con- eryone, we’re going to lose the credibility of stantly monitoring their knowledge adop- the customer. When we believe that we are invest to get better. Location personnel, the professional tion, performance, use of the technology, getting to the point of saturation of stores or fitters, are key. What type of initial and ability to work with a customer, and custom- if the customer or market demand it, that’s ongoing training do they have and what er service after the sale is made. All fitters get what I think will drive our expansion into ongoing training on everything from produc- other service opportunities like lessons, fitbenchmarks do you use for their success? I don’t know of any other company that tion knowledge, technology advancements, ness, etc. Right now, we try to partner with the best in those categories in each market spends as much time on club fitting, club management, and customer service. How are fitters compensated – by the fit- we serve. building, sales, and customer service trainMaybe Lee’s last answer contains the ing as Club Champion. We have ramped our ting session, the clubs sold, repeat visits by secret, if there is one, to Club Champion’s training program over time and we’ve seen customers, etc.? We incentivize our fitters, and really the growth – the laser focus to remain tops in its the results. All of our fitters train for four weeks at our headquarters at the beginning entire company, to perform at their best. But category, club fitting.
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Southern Hills Restored and ready for the future by ken macleod
Eighteen over time Southern Hills’ iconic 18th hole as it looks today, with insets of what it looked like most of the past 30 years contrasted with the orginal Maxwell style. Architect Gil Hanse has restored Maxwell’s orginal bunker style and the bunkers behind the green and reestablished the creek to fully cross the fairway. Current photo by Mike Klemme. 20
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he impact of the $18.1 million restoration of Southern Hills Country Club will be felt for decades to come, keeping Oklahoma’s flagship golf course at the forefront of national rankings and prestige and in the hunt for bringing more prestigious events and major championships to the state. Members have already begun to enjoy the fruits of the club’s bold investment, playing a course restored to more closely resemble Perry Maxwell’s original vision and design by architect Gil Hanse, who came to regard the Ardmore architect as a genius while more than a few Southern Hills staff and members came to regard Hanse as the same. “We may have hit the trifecta with this one,” said Director of Golf Cary Cozby. “We finished the project on time, under budget and hopefully exceeded expectations. That’s not for me to say, but the reaction so far has been off the rails.” The general public will get its first glimpse of the new Southern Hills in April of 2020 when the Big 12 Championship is held and more prominently at the 2021 Kitchen Aid Senior PGA Championship. Or by playing in the First Tee of Tulsa fundraiser Oct. 14, call Nancy Acton at 918477-5274 for more info on that event. At press time, the club was still awaiting the assignment of a specific date for the club’s fifth PGA Championship, promised by 2030. The only dates not assigned are 2025 and 2030. Speculation has centered on Quail Hollow in Charlotte as the front runner for 2025, leaving 2030 for Southern Hills, but PGA officials have remained
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mum. If the PGA Championship is assigned to 2030, do not be surpised if Southern Hills is the site of a USGA event in the interim, certainly not the U.S. Open but one of the USGA’s many other championships. Among the restored Maxwell touches are the grass islands in There was the bunker fronting the 13th green. Above, George Warren, III much more to lashes a shot out in the 1953 U.S. Junior Amateur in the final the project than match with Rex Baxter who prevailed 2 and 1 with a 20-foot i mprovement s birdie putt on the 17th. to the course. Southern Hills vastly upgraded its practice layout and old photos. “When you are on the ground, the course facilities, renovated its locker room, resurfaced four tennis courts and added two clay comes to life like no other I’ve seen,” Hanse courts, moved its cart and bag storage un- said to Golf Oklahoma during the project. derground, built a new entrance building, “The way it hugs the contours, the way it hired a new teaching pro and upgraded its fits the property like a glove, the wonderful caddie program while emphasizing walk- features, routing and changes of direction. ing. For golfers, the two main areas to ex- The way the front nine comes sweeping plore and enjoy will be the course and the around and playing through these dips and practice facilities. Let’s take a look at each. valleys.” All greens were rebuilt, with a hydronic system of water piping underneath each The Restoration: Hanse has a well-deserved reputation that will allow for the cooling or heating of as not only the creator of many of the best the subsurface of the greens as needed. The received new courses in the United States dense new bent grass is a newer variety and worldwide, but one who has few called Pure Distinction that should provide equals in meticulous restorations of great the firm and fast surfaces worthy of a major works of the past. He fell in love quickly championship. What members will enjoy is all the nuwith what he found at Southern Hills, both on the course and in the plans and original ances of contour, break and slope Hanse W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG
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Above, the bunkers on the first hole have been shifted to the left side of the fairway to challenge the big hitters of today with a carry of about 315 yards from the back tees. restored near the edges of greens to bring back the original Maxwell rolls and making sure the greens tie in naturally with the surrounding slopes, bunkers and other landforms. The bunkers have all been rebuilt to a more natural style Maxwell employed rather than the deep saucer shapes that had been built over time. The fairway bunkers have been repositioned to account for the modern aerial assault, meaning from the back tees a carry of 315 yards will challenge the pros while making the holes more playable for all golfers. The courses has been lengthened to a maximum of 7,481 yards and the course rating rose from 76.8 to 78.2, but the slope rating actually declined from 144 to 142 (from the back tees), meaning it is slightly more playable for the average golfer but more difficult for the scratch golfer. Drainage creeks that were formerly underground have been reintroduced on many holes. There is now a creek that crosses and turns down the left side of the par-4 10th, again on the par-3 11th, wrapping around in front of the short par-4 17th, and on the par-4 fourth hole. The creek has been extended across the 18th hole, but the hill prior to the creek has been restored closer to the original contours, so balls that just crest the hill should roll to a flat area at 22
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the bottom rather than stopping halfway down, which frequently created a downhill lie to an elevated green. On the long par-4 second hole, trees were removed on the left side to create a split fairway that existed in old aerial photos. Cart paths were moved to be hidden from view from most tee boxes, enhancing the visual aspect. Always a course that required precision and strategy, the mental game will be enhanced. “What Gil has done is beyond our expectations,” said Southern Hills General Manager Nick Sidorakis. “I didn’t think it could be this good. You just walk around and go, ‘wow.’ What he did on the greens and designing the bunkers back to their original intent. He reduced the height of the bunkers so the player can see the contours of the greens from the fairway. It’s such a dramatic, positive change. So many little touches.” The greens are in their same locations except for No. 7 – the only non-Maxwell designed green on the course – which was repositioned well to the right by a creek with new waterfalls. To open up the approach trees formerly right of the fairway were removed and the fairway shifted right. It’s a much stronger hole than previously. “When Gil does a restoration, whether
it’s a Maxwell course or Donald Ross or whomever, he says to himself, those were great architects back then,” Sidorakis said. “Why not go back to those elements and design characteristics? “The end result of this is it strengthens the course and keeps us relevant whether it’s an amateur or professional event or a member event. The members will have more fun than anyone. The different tees, the variety, the green surrounds, it’s really a new course.” While Hanse’s Caveman Construction crew did the bunker work and green surrounds, Heritage Links was the general golf course contractor. Local construction firm Flintco did the new buildings, parking lot and interior work in the clubhouse and Tulsa-based Cyntergy was the architectural firm. “I’m ecstatic with how everything came out,” said Superintendent Russ Myers. “I loved working with Gil and his crew. I had more fun with this job than any other restoration I’ve been through, even though it rained about every fourth day. They were people who know golf and love golf and were always trying to do good work.” GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
RETIEF GOOSEN
VIJAY SINGH
SCOTT VERPLANK
2021 KITCHENAID
SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP SOUTHERN HILLS COUNTRY CLUB ï‚ TULSA, OKLAHOMA FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO ATTEND.SRPGA.COM/2021
SOU T H ER N H I L L S R ESTOR AT ION
A creek now wraps around the front of the 17th hole, but bunkers repositioned to allow a ball to roll on. Photo by Mike Klemme. About 170 members participated in a construction crawl to get a look prior to opening and Sidorakis said the reaction was overwhelming. “The reaction was just off the charts,” he said. The Practice Facilities: For a club of its stature, Southern Hills had what Sidorakis called “average” practice facilities. No longer. A new four-bay teaching center equipped with all the latest in teaching, swing analysis, club fitting and the hiring of teaching professional Ryan Rody will be a vast improvement. But what may keep members hanging out for hours is the new full wall About Golf Simulator complete with a movable floor to simulate shots from various lies and next to a lounge area with two huge television screens. Just outside are completely rebuilt chipping and pitching greens with practice bunkers. The huge practice putting green was moved to the west after the cart barn was moved underground and parking lot rebuilt. The driving range still has an elevated tee but nearly as dramatic as previously. To the south of the entrance road where a large pond previously existed, recreations have been made of the greens from holes 2, 10 and 13 including surrounding bunker 24
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of Fame. It hosts on a rotational basis the complexes. “It’s an adult playground,” Sidorakis said. Oklahoma Golf Association State Ama“I will now put our practice facilities up teur, the flagship event of amateur golf in the state. All golfers in the state will benefit against anyone’s in the country.” “Before we had a range,” Cozby said. to some degree from this massive invest“Now we have complete practice facilities. ment in the future of the game. Gil was very invested in these and he has been very complimentary of how they compare with others at clubs he’s seen.” Club historian Clyde Chrisman has been busy digging up and restoring historical photos that will adorn the teaching center and clubhouse. Recreations of the championship trophies from all of the club’s championships will be displayed in the trophy cases. Some may question why a magazine would devote this much space to a club that only the most well-off can enjoy on a regular basis, but that would be to ignore the history of this unique course and what it means to golf in Oklahoma and the nation. And not just with its seven major championships pedigree. Southern Hills is the main financial supporter of the First Tee of Tulsa and unflagging support- Director of Golf Cary Cozby enjoying the new About er of the Oklahoma Golf Hall Golf simulator in the new indoor practice facility. GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
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Orville Moody
Orville Moody celebrates his victory in the 1969 U.S. Open.
State's only U.S. Open champ in 2019 Hall of Fame class by john rohde
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rville James Moody was walking to the No. 18 tee during the 1969 U.S. Open’s final round at The Champions Course in Houston when he suddenly was stopped by a marshall, who had mistaken Moody for a spectator. “Behind the ropes,” the marshall ordered. “He’s a player. Let him go through,” a nearby marshall re-ordered. Moody actually was more than a player. He was the tournament leader. Four strokes later, Moody nervously caressed in a 14-inch par putt to avoid a fourway playoff and capture the prestigious national championship. That U.S. Open wound up being Moody’s only PGA Tour victory, and it was a doozy. However, a slew of achievements before and after that magical moment left an unobstructed path to Moody’s induction into the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame’s 2019 class on Nov. 24 at Southern Hills Country Club. A 1999 inductee into the Oklahoma 26
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play for six weeks at a time. We went to dinner. We went to movies. We stayed in the same hotel room. It gave him someone to talk to. We’d go to malls, all the pro-am din-
Sports Hall of Fame, Moody died on Aug. 8, 2008, in Allen, Texas. He was 74 and survived by his son (Jason) and three daughters (Kelley Moody, Sabreena Moody and Michelle Blackmon). Blackmon, who resides in Sulphur Springs, Texas, was adopted, but that’s not the way she saw it. “I was 4 when we went before the judge,” Blackmon said, “but he’s the only dad I’ve ever known.” Blackmon served as her father’s caddy on the senior tour during her high school days and beyond. She would calculate yardages and frequently read putts for Moody. “If it got dark, he couldn’t see,” Blackmon said. “If it was overcast or bad weather was coming he’d say, ‘I can’t see anything.’ I always looked at putts with him. He didn’t always agree with me, but it was pretty close.” Far more important, Blackmon kept her father company. “I think having someone who was family out there really helped, because it’s a grind being out there,” Blackmon said. “He might Moody at the 1995 Vantage Championship. GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
2019 OK L A HOM A GOL F H A L L OF FA M E ners together. He just didn’t have to do stuff by himself.” Born in Chickasha and the youngest of 10 children, Moody became Oklahoma’s high school medalist in 1952 while at Capitol Hill. Moody was living with his sister at the time while his parents remained in Chickasha, where his father was superintendent at the local golf course. Moody initially attended the University of Oklahoma on a football scholarship because golf didn’t offer scholarships in those days. “They didn’t have a lot of money,” Blackmon said. “But he had a job while he was on scholarship at OU. His job was to make sure the tennis courts were there every day. Just make sure they were still there. That was it. Six weeks in, his girlfriend broke up with him and he joined the Army.” Moody was assigned to Special Services and reached the rank of staff sergeant, which led to his apropos moniker “Sarge.” Moody oversaw Army golf courses, taught the game to Army personnel and played in tournaments around the world. He collected eight titles worldwide, winning the Korean Open three straight years (1958-60) and the KPGA Championship twice (1959 and 1966) while serving 14 years. Moody joined the PGA Tour full-time in 1968 and 18 months later, he was a 35-yearold U.S. Open champion after posting a one-stroke victory over future PGA commissioner Deane Beman, future TV analyst Bob Rosburg and future “Mr. 59” Al Geiberger. Perhaps more impressively, defending U.S. Open champ Lee Trevino had picked Moody to win beforehand. “He’s one helluva player,” Trevino said of Moody. Afterward, Moody said, “I won it for Lee. It took a lot of guts for him to believe I could win.” Moody became the last U.S. Open champion of the 20th century to win through local and sectional qualifying. Moody was a five-time runner-up on the PGA Tour, which included losing two playoffs facing the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Raymond Floyd in the 1973 Bing Crosby Pro-Am (won by Nicklaus), and facing Tom Weiskopf, Gene Littler and Julius Boros in the 1969 Greater Greensboro Open (won by Littler). Putting was Moody’s perpetual downfall on the PGA Tour. He tried every type of putter and putting grip imaginable to find more success. “I remember going to watch him and if he had a 5-footer or a 3-footer, I kind of almost didn’t want to watch,” Blackmon said. “You just kind of turned around. It was bad.” GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
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Moody once explained: “I had the yips. Right at the point of impact I had a terrible jerk with my hands and wrists. I couldn’t make a putt from a foot-and-a-half at times.” When Moody joined the senior tour (50-and-older), he spotted fellow touring pro Charles Owens on the practice green using a long-shafted putter. Owens created a 52-inch putter not only to conquer his own case of the yips but also to help combat his limited range of motion from a fused left knee suffered after a failed jump during his paratrooper days in the Army. He also had a bad right knee and aching back. “Dad saw the long putter and said, ‘Let me take a look at this thing,’ ” said Blackmon, who was in high school at the time. “He started messing with it and that’s when he built one for himself. He started putting really well.” In her closet at home, Blackmon still has the original 50-inch putter her father built, and also the last selfmade putter. Orville Moody with daughter and caddie MiBlackmon’s ability to calm her fa- chelle Blackmon.
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Photo by Jeff McBride/PGA TOUR Archive
2019 OK L A HOM A GOL F H A L L OF FA M E ther helped catapult Moody for years to come. “Michelle has helped me in every area,” Moody once said. “Reading the greens is her main job, and she’s learned a lot. Keeping me calm is another part of the game she’s helped.” Armed with a long-shafted putter and a pendulum stroke, Moody quickly prospered on the senior circuit, which included an 11-stroke victory at the Vintage Chrysler Invitational in 1988. Moody joined the senior circuit in 1984 and won three of the first six events he entered, including the unofficial Viceroy Panama Open. From 1987-1994, Moody won nine more individual titles. All told on the senior tour, he won 11 times, placed second 19 times and third seven times. In addition, from 1987-2006, Moody paired to win the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament on seven occasions (twice with Bruce Crampton and five times with Jimmy Powell). Two decades after capturing the 1969 U.S. Open, Moody would win two more major championships on the senior tour, claiming the Senior Tournament Players Championship and the U.S. Senior Open, both in 1989, becoming just the fourth man to win both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Senior Open.
Moody wore his emotions on his sleeve, as often is the case with almost all struggling putters. Moody had a reputation for being, well, moody. “He wasn’t mean,” Blackmon said. “Everybody thought he was. When something goes wrong, it’s the caddy’s fault. That’s just the way it is. He broke the head off his putter one time and we still had three holes left to play. He starts (cursing at me). I said, ‘OK, this is going to be a long three holes.’ ” Blackmon was on the bag in August 1987 when Moody won the Rancho Murieta Senior Gold Rush just outside Sacramento, Moody celebrates winning the 1989 Senior Players Calif. The next week, Blackmon Championship. returned for her senior year at Sulphur Springs (Texas) High School and career mulligan on the senior tour. “He looked at tour stats every week,” upon graduation rejoined her father on tour Blackmon said. “One of the things he was full-time for 2 1/2 years. “It was my choice,” Blackmon said. “I most proud of was being the No. 1 putter knew I was going to go to college eventu- on tour. Putting meant so much more to him because he struggled so long with that. ally, but not right away.” Long revered as one of the best ball-strik- That was the stat that was most important ers on tour, Moody finally found his full po- to him. It wasn’t the money. It was him betential thanks to a long-shafted putter and a coming a good putter.”
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2019 OK L A HOM A GOLF H A LL OF FA M E
Luellen triumphed as player, coach by ken macleod
I
f not for a colossal recruiting mistake by Stanford, Melissa (McNamara) Luellen’s induction into the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame this November would be a far different affair. There would be no individual and team NCAA championship at the University of Tulsa to celebrate. And who knows about her stint replacing her mother Dale McNamara as head coach that has led to another NCAA title and a hugely successful second career in coaching. Circle back to 1984 when Melissa was one of the nation’s topranked juniors in what was then a fledgling and now booming American Junior Golf Association Tour. Stanford knew all about the daughter of the nation’s most successful women’s golf coach and 1983 AJGA Player of the Year and flew her to Palo Alto for an official visit. Part of the visit was to go watch the Cardinal in action. Melissa and her host found a perch behind a par-3 with a good view. As fate would have it, Tulsa was not only in the tournament, but paired in the final round with Stanford. As the Tulsa players came through, four of five made birdie and looked right at Luellen as if to say, “don’t even think about it.” “I remember Jody Rosenthal saying, ‘we’re not letting Melissa get away,” her mother said. “All five players just stoned it in there. On the way back she said, ‘why am I looking anywhere else. I’ve got the best golf program in the country in my backyard.’ “ “I’m sitting there watching this on my Stanford visit and I’m cheering for the Tulsa players because I knew them all,” Luellen said. “That was when I realized I knew where my heart was.” And if the recruiting visit had kept her on campus or seeing the California sights? “I would have been out there in a heartbeat.” As Luellen firmly believes, everything happens for a reason, and there was a lot of future TU history settled on that par-3. Melissa accepted the challenge of playing for her mother, already a coaching legend with three national titles. It was an adjustment for both. Dale said she was too hard on her initially, trying not to show an ounce of favoritism. The other players felt treated them equally in practice, but may have spent more time watchng her daughter in tournaments. But none of it fazed Melissa, who earned All-America honors all four years. By her junior year, the team had an uncharacteristically poor season but Melissa qualified for the NCAA Championship as an individual. Things changed the next year when long-hitting freshmen Kelly Robbins and Caryn Louw joined sophomores Maggie Kelt
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Melissa Luellen spent 11 years on the LPGA Tour, winning the Stratton Mountain Classic. (now Roller) and Blue Kinander in playing key roles. Led by Melissa’s freewheeling leadership style, the team jelled and developed a bit of an attitude. At the first tournament of the year as teams were being introduced, all five TU players stood on their chairs. “It was like, ‘here we are,’ “ Melissa said. “We didn’t really mean for it to be like that, but it showed a little bit of moxie.” Dale McNamara locked in the team spirit by of all things leaving her daughter home from a fall tournament. “Melissa didn’t qualify for the Stanford event, and that really showed the team that Dale was treating everyone equally,” Roller said. “That was a big mental boost for us. We all had so much respect for Dale after she did that, because there was a feeling she had spent the previous year only watching Melissa. Not in practice, but during the tournaments.” Melissa, Roller and the team went on a tear for the remainder of GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
Tulsa’s 1988 championship team, from left, Caryn Louw, Kelly Coaching is in the genes when you’re the daughter of Dale McRobbins, Melissa McNamara (Luellen), Blue Kinander, Dale Mc- Namara, one of the all-time greats of the sport. Namara and Maggie Kelt (Roller). where she shot rounds of 72-74-71-70 to player. We all looked up to her. She was the fall and the spring season. Roller won take medalist honors, leading TU to the last easy going and really funny and had a great individually and the team won at Stanford, of four national titles. It was a magical day sense of humor. Even the year we were terrible, she led us so well. And when we won starting a streak of three wins and a second for the McNamara family. “The last hole was a par-5 and I remem- it, that had a lot to do with Melissa’s leaderin the next four events. TU was seventh at the Betsy Rawls Invitational, then finished ber (late husband Jim) and I walking hand- ship.” It was a special day to share with both the regular season strong, capped off by a in-hand up the hill,” Dale said. “We’re winsecond in the Lady Sun Devil Invitational as ning, Melissa is winning. It was just very parents for Melissa. Mom was the coach and emotional. It’s a memory I’ll always cher- a fantastic player herself, winner of seven Melissa placed fifth. state amateur championships and an OklaLuellen then led her teammates to Las ish.” Roller said, “She was the ultimate team homa Golf Hall of Fame inductee in 2006. Cruces for the 1988 NCAA Championship,
CEREMONY INFO
The 2019 Oklahoma Hall of Fame induction ceremony is Nov. 24 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa and the public is welcome. Along with Melissa (McNamara) Luellen and Orville Moody profiled in this issue of Golf Oklahoma, the class includes Bill Glasson, Jim Awtrey and William Nichols. Various layers of sponsorship are available which come with tables of 10 or individual tickets are available for $175. To purchase tickets go to the Oklahoma Golf Hall of Fame website at www.oklahomagolfhof.org or call 918-280-0787. The dinner will include a reception with drinks and appetizers followed by a threecourse dinner. Inductee videos narrated by Jim Nantz of CBS Sports are a highlight followed by remarks from the living inductees or family members.
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2019 OK L A HOM A GOL F H A L L OF FA M E
Both Dale and Jim were instrumental in teaching Melissa to love golf. Yet Melissa had an equally strong relationship through golf with Jim, a low-handicap golfer who also loved the game. “I loved practicing with my dad,” Melissa said. “It reminds me a lot of what I do with my team now. He would throw balls in different spots around the greens and say try to get up-and-down from here. We had a lot of
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Luellen led her Auburn team into match play at the 2019 NCAA Championship at The Blessings.
special times together.” Following college and before she was firmly established on the LPGA Tour, Melissa left for a year on the European Tour with sister Cathy serving as caddie and traveling companion. “It was an amazing experience for the two of us,” Melissa said. “We got really close at
that time. It was different back then, there was no Euro so you were stopping and exchanging currencies. But we had some great times.” Melissa earned her LPGA card on her second try and in 1991 won the Stratton Mountain Classic. She played for 11 seasons before, tired of the grind, the travel and with feet that hurt constantly, she met with her parents in Phoenix while at a TU tournament. Turns out she wasn’t the only one looking to make a change. “I was heading to the plane to go play in a Monday qualifier and wondering what in the world am I doing,” Melissa said. “That night I met my parents in a hotel room and said I don’t think I want to do this anymore. I’m 34, been out playing for 13 years. Where do you go and what do you do? That night, Mom said she was planning on retiring and that I should think about it and interview for the job.” Suffice it to say it worked out pretty well. Hired by then-TU athletic director Judy MacLeod, Melissa coached two seasons at TU, winning two Western Athletic Conference championships and two regional titles while finishing 10th and 12th in the NCAA Championship. She was pursued the entire time by Arizona State and left for the desert in 2002, where she spent 13 successful seasons, winning the NCAA Championship in 2009. In 2015, she accepted a new challenge as head coach of Auburn, where in four seasons she has built that program into a national power. The Tigers hung on to finish eighth in stroke play in May in the NCAA Championship at The Blessings, then from way behind to upend No. 1 seed Texas in the first round of match play. GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
Age is just a number, shot 1,000 times by john rohde
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f you’re going to shoot your age in golf, it’s going to take time. And plenty of it. One study found the percentage of golfers who shoot their age is .0000089 percent – or less than nine golfers per million – and there are an estimated 60 million golfers worldwide. The older you get, the better your chances become. “When you’re 110 years old, it gets a little easier,” Oklahoma native Travis Smith joked. Smith hasn’t reached the century mark in age, but he’s reached the century mark many times over when it comes to shooting his age. As of April 18 this year, the 89-year-old Smith had shot his age an astonishing 1,002 times. And counting. Like a fine wine, Smith’s golf achievements get better with age. Smith was born March 16, 1930, in Erick near the Texas border. He moved to Bethany when he was six months old and has resided there ever since. Smith attended Bethany schools, excelled in basketball and baseball and led his high school basketball team in scoring all four seasons while never missing a start. He played basketball at Oklahoma City University for head coach Doyle Parrack and arrived as a freshman when legendary future collegiate coach Abe Lemons was a senior. Smith returned to Bethany for five years and coached baseball (winning the Class B state championship in 1955) and basketball. He coached baseball at Southeast High School for three years before switching to a career in sales in 1963. “I coached (future New York Yankees great) Bobby Murcer my last year at Southeast,” Smith said. “He was only a freshman that year. He was so small, second base was the only place I could play him. He hadn’t started his growth yet, but he could really hit. I enjoyed coaching, but I enjoyed eating, too. I had eight years of coaching and had a master’s degree, and I made $4,500 my last year there. I was a pretty good coach, I thought. I just couldn’t make enough money to support my family.” His playing and coaching days over, “I just fell in love with golf,” Smith said. “I played other sports, but golf was so challenging. You just can’t ever master it.” Shooting scores primarily in the 80s and GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
90s, Smith was self-taught until he turned and Earlywine Park, plus Trosper Golf Club. “City course fees haven’t been that high all age 50. “Then I decided to take some lessons these years, plus I walked (to save money).” Impressive as Smith’s achievement is, it and play in earnest. I got much better after that,” said Smith, who sought the expertise pales in comparison to T. Edison Smith, a of longtime Lincoln Park caddie/head pro/ retired physical-education professor from instructor U.C. Ferguson Jr., an in- Minnesota, who is believed to be the allductee into the Oklahoma Sports time record-holder and has shot his age or Hall of Fame and the Okla- better nearly 2,700 times. “I’m pretty sure there’s not more than homa Golf Hall of Fame. “Fergie said, ‘If you really 10 people in the world that’s done it (1,000 want to get better, you’re times),” Travis Smith said. Try as he might, Travis Smith won’t catch going to have to get better on the practice tee.’ And I T. Edison Smith. “Last two years, my health has been pretty bad, so it’s been rough,” said believed him.” Smith first shot his age at Smith, who is battling a bum hip. Other Smith landmarks include 12 career 67 while playing Earlywine holes-in-one. (The odds for an average golfer South in 1997. “It’s a par-70, so that made it a to have a single hole-in-one are 13,000-to-1.) He also has two double eagles. (The odds little easier,” Smith said. Smith shot his age a second time, then a for a single double eagle are 6 million-to-1.) Smith’s first “albatross” came on the parthird, and soon thought to himself, “Boy, it 5, 16th hole at Lincoln would be really someWest on Feb. 8, 1992 – a thin’ if I could just Every time Travis shot his age, he recorded it. “One stroke at a time, 4-wood from 210 yards shoot my age 100 times one year at a time,” said Smith, who to the top of a hill. before I died.” chronicled his century moments: “Of course, we were And so it started. back far enough we Did shooting his age · He was 77 when he shot his age for the couldn’t see it go in,” become Smith’s sole 100th time, doing so on April 23, 2007. said Smith, who did the purpose every time he deed at age 61. “I knew stepped on No.1 tee? · He was 79 when he shot his age for the I hit a good one. Got “No. I played two 200th time, doing so on May 26, 2009. up there and looked or three times a week · He was 80 when he shot his age for the around and couldn’t and I was just trying to 300th time, doing so on Aug. 4, 2010. find the ball until we shoot my best score,” · He was 81 when he shot his age for the looked in the hole.” Smith said. “Of course, 400th time, doing so on Sept. 19, 2011. The second double shooting my age just · He was 82 when he shot his age for the eagle came on the parbecame a little easier 500th time, doing so on Jan. 25, 2013. 5, fourth hole at Lincoln each year I shot it.” · He was 84 when he shot his age for the East on April 4, 2016 – a It took Smith almost 600th time, doing so on March 28, 2014. 5-wood from 205 yards. a full decade to hit the “Same thing,” century mark of shoot· He was 85 when he shot his age for the Smith said. “I knew it 700th time, doing so on April 15, 2015. ing his age, reaching was a good shot, but the threshold at age · He was 86 when he shot his age for the I couldn’t find the ball 77. After that, with his 800th time, doing so on May 2, 2016. until I looked in the age no longer hovering · He was 87 when he shot his age for the hole. Wind was behind around par, the next 900th time, doing so on July 28, 2017. me, I’m sure. Nothing 100 accomplishments · And it was 10 days after his 89th birthday too spectacular, but I came at a far more rapwhen Smith shot his age for the 1,000th was 86 then.” id pace. time, doing so on March 26, 2019. Smith said he has “I did shoot some carded his career-best pretty good scores from (ages) 75-80,” Smith said. “I enjoy the score of 67 on 15 occasions, the most recent challenge. Times between each of the 100s coming four years ago at age 85. In the last 22 years, Smith has accomplished more than a got a little shorter each time.” Smith is extremely partial to where he thousand times what most golfers will never accomplish once, yet he still tries his darnedplays. “I just play city courses almost entirely,” est to make it sound like no big deal. “I’m sure not a great golfer,” Smith said. “I just said Smith, who has most frequented the two courses at Lincoln Park, Lake Hefner plugged along and stayed with it long enough.” W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG
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H IGH SCHOOL R EV I EW
Pantheon of prep stars claim titles Jaxon Dowell of Oklahoma Christian teeing off with J.P. Roller from Regent Prep looking on.
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he stars were out at Tulsa Country Club for the Class 3A state boys golf tournament. University of Oklahoma commits Drew Goodman of Christian Heritage and Jaxon Dowell of Oklahoma Christian took turns in the spotlight, with Goodman opening with a 7-under 63 and Dowell coming back with a 4-under 66 in the final round to tie up his future teammate before eventually prevailing in a one-hole playoff. Despite Dowell’s victory, the team title went in an upset to Regent Prep, led by third-place finisher Jackson White and fourth-place finisher J.P. Roller, a Texas Tech commit. Regent won the 2A title in 2018 before moving up to 3A this year. “OCS is the best team in the state,” said Regent coach Maggie Roller. “They’re better than all of the 6A schools, they’ve beaten them all year. So we were gunning for them all year and I kept telling the boys ‘All that matters is state’ play for one another, and play for something higher than yourselves. That was our motto.” That the tournament was held May 6-7 at prestigious Tulsa Country Club was a testament to Roller and her team. The players raised $1,000 by volunteering at the Oklahoma Golf Expo and that was used to lower the costs of practice rounds for all teams. It was the only state tournament played in the Tulsa metro. Roller raised an additional $4,500 through title and hole sponsorships which went toward making it a first-class event for the teams and players. Ben Stoller 34
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Class 6A EDMOND – Owasso coach Corey Burd played a hunch and it paid off in a second 6A title in the past five years for the Rams. Burd had all five of his players tee off from the 18th tee at Rose Creek Golf Club into the 10th fairway, leading to a more direct shot to the par5 18th green. The Rams played the hole in 4-under par, exactly the margin of victory over Edmond North and Stillwater. Freshman Ben Stoller made eagle to seal the win and was mobbed by his teammates. Edmond North did go home with another individual winner, as sophomore Jordan Wilson shot rounds of 6970-75 for a 3-under 213 and a four-shot victory over Edmond Memorial’s Cooper Wilguess. Owasso is the only team besides powerhouse Edmond North to Jordan Wilson win the title in the past 15 years, having won in 2015 and ‘19 and finishing second to the Huskies the other three years. Class 5A LAWTON — It took three seasons, but Luke Morgan is an individual champion. After leading through the first 36 holes his freshman and sophoLuke Morgan more years, he wasn’t able to capitalize and capture the crown. This season was different for the Guthrie junior. Morgan fired a 76 on May 7 in the final round of the 5A tournament at Lawton Country Club, winning by four strokes with a three-day total of 213. Guthrie also captured back-to-back golf titles, which marks the first time in school history that it repeated as champion. Piedmont finished in second, 28 strokes back. Ric Meshew said this season’s team might be the best he has had in his 27 years as Guthrie’s coach. “They’ve had the best run of any golf team in Guthrie history,” Meshew said. “The kids who are juniors now were third
as freshmen and won last year and this year. They’re pretty special.” Class 4A ARDMORE — Heritage Hall coach Andy Bogert said his team’s third round was more relaxed compared to the second. The Chargers led by only three after the first Max Roberts round. Bogert asked them to buckle down, and they delivered. Heritage Hall won its third straight Class 4A golf state title at Ardmore’s Dornick Hills Golf & Country Club. William McDonald, an Arkansas signee, finished third overall, six shots behind Ada’s Max Roberts, who won the individual title. Class 2A OKLAHOMA CITY -As scores started to trickle in, he stood in a doorway of the clubhouse at Trosper Golf Club and Conner Boydston was saying to himself, “Please Connor Boydston be enough.” Boydston posted a 70, which would be the best score of the day. Big Pasture’s senior captured his first individual title after coming in fourth the past two seasons in the Class 2A tournament. It is the second individual title for a Big Pasture player in three years, as Kolton Baber won in 2017. Turner captured the team title with a three-round total of 924, topping Lincoln Christian’s 955 and Community Christian’s 956. Big Pasture coach Chuck Storm said it’s pretty crazy how a small school like Big Pasture has produced two individual state champions in its five seasons being a program. “It’s hard to grasp,” Storm said. “But it’s a credit to these kids. They put in the work, and Conner deserved this.” Girls Class 6A OKLAHOMA CITY -- Sydney Hermann, who will play collegiately for Dalton State (Ga.), shot Sydney Hermann a 1-under 71 in the final GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
round to pass good friend Emma Shelley of Bartlesville and win the 6A state championship on May 2 at Earlywine Golf Course. “This is unreal,” Hermann said. “It’s what I’ve wanted all year and I’ve fought for it. I just said anything that you can go for today, go for it.” Edmond North had a strong final round led by a 72 from Grace Griggs and 74 by Emily Miller to win its second consecutive state title in two years under coach Brock VanCleave, finishing seven shots ahead of Jenks. Class 5A OKLAHOMA CITY — Blayne Barker shot 7571—146 to win the title by four shots over Noble’s Jaelynn Unger while Bishop Kelley’s Mika Ramos took third at 151. Blayne Barker Durant, which won its first state title in 2016 and finished fourth last year, shot 325 to pull away from twotime defending champion Duncan for the team title. Durant, which led by four shots coming into the day, posted a 341-325— 666 to knock off Duncan by 14 shots. Duncan was seeking its 10th title in 13 years and 15th overall. Ardmore placed third at 737. Class 4A OKLAHOMA CITY — Led by individual champion Kenzie Kirkhart, Hilldale won its fourth team championship in seven years and fifth overall, posting Kenzie Kirkhart a 312-304—616 to win the Class 4A state tournament at Lake Hefner South Golf Course. Kirkhart shot 76-70 to rally from three shots back to beat Kingfisher’s Maddi Kamas by one stroke. Kirkhart’s sister, Katie, won the 2015 title. Hilldale’s Jordan Clayborn, who like Kamas is committed to Oklahoma City University, placed third at 149. Class 3A NORMAN — Reagan Chaney captured the title with a 6-under 136, leading Plainview to a third consecutive team championship in dominant fashion at Westwood Reagan Chaney Park Golf Course. Down one classification after winning the past two Class 4A state titles, the Indians shot 288-294—582 to win this year’s championship by 93 shots. Teams in all GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
other classifications are breathing a sigh of relief that Plainview is not in their class. Purcell finished second with a 675, while Dickson took third at 684. Plainview also had the third- and fourthplace individual finishers, as Adeline Norton shot a 70-74—144 and Hallie Schultz posted a 149. Rejoice Christian’s Taylor Towers, seeking a second individual title in three years, finished second. Towers shot 72-71 for a twoday total of 1-over 143. Class 2A GUTHRIE — Regent Prep freshman Jenni Roller shot 3-under 69 for a 142 total and a four-shot victory in the 2A state championships at Aqua Canyon Golf Course. Jenni Roller But Regent came up just short in the team competition, losing a one-hole playoff against Oklahoma Christian School after the teams finished 36 holes tied at 750. OCS’ Brooklyn Benn placed second in the individual competition with a 146 to help her school rally. OCS started the day in fourth, three shots behind Regent Prep.
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COMPETITION ROUNDUP
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Viktor Hovland blasts out of a bunker at The Blessings. eye on all four. Wolff and Hovland will have immediate opportunities to play o national championship, a rarity their way onto the PGA Tour without of late, but still plenty to celebrate having to spend much time in the minors. It’s a big rebuilding job as the quartet when it comes to the state’s colleAustin Eckroat returns as a two-time Allwas not only part of one of the strongiate golf teams in 2019. American to lead the Cowboys. gest teams in OSU’s proud history, but there were no prima donnas, just a collection our program, they’ve done some very special Division I A Californian and a Norwegian made of often funny and hard-working guys dedi- things,” Bratton said. “Won 17 times in two years, the majority of our events. You have to quite an impact on our state for the past few cated to giving all they had for their school. Head coach Alan Bratton does have one appreciate that. I probably didn’t appreciate years. Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland will pack up a lot of trophies, plaques and star remaining in Austin Eckroat. Aman Gup- that enough along the way but I think I did other honors as they begin their professional ta played well in limited action. Also back this year. You start adding up their accomare Ferdinand Muller plishments and it’s a really special group.” golf journeys, none more As for rebuilding around Eckroat, Bratton of Germany and Rasimportant from an Oklamus Neergaard-Petersen has a homegrown player in the two-time homa State perspective of Denmark. The big Class 6A champion from Edmond who has than the 2018 national name coming in is Ray- bloomed into one of the nation’s best, as championship. The han Thomas, the No. 1 evidenced by leading the stroke-play portion run for unprecedented amateur in the United of the NCAA Championship for the first 36 back-to-back titles came Arab Emirates who has holes, winning a college event, though Hovup short in the national reached as high as 13 in land and Wolff didn’t leave many on the tasemifinals in a 3-2 loss to the World Amateur Golf ble, and qualifying for the U.S. Open. Texas, just as Oklahoma’s “I couldn’t ask for a better leader than AusRankings. season ended that mornAlso on the way are tin,” Bratton said. “He’s got a great attitude ing in the quarterfinals by Hazen Newman of Las and his trajectory has been straight up. He’ll an identical 3-2 margin to Vegas, Brian Stark of be a two-time All-American and he grew up the Longhorns. Kingsburg, Calif., and around the program and will be a great leadThey’ll be joined in the Dillon Stewart of Fort er for the young guys coming in. That adds professional ranks by sesome power when you have someone that Collins, Colo. niors Zach Bauchou and “Where these guys immersed in the program.” Hayden Wood and it will Brad Dalke had some young fans Down the road in Norman, the Oklahoma stack up in the history of be interesting to keep an at NCAA Championship. by ken macleod
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GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
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Quade Cummins will return to anchor the Sooners lineup in 2019-20. Sooners also say good-bye to some highly accomplished players and will rebuild around an Oklahoman in All-American Quade Cummins. Seniors Brad Dalke and Blaine Hale were instrumental in OU’s 2017 national championship and were the first players to lead their teams to the final eight and match play for four consecutive seasons, a considerable accomplishment. As good as Dalke and Hale were, they leave a program that seems poised to continue to be among the nation’s best. Not only has Cummins worked himself into one of the country’s dominant college players, the Sooners will return senior Garett Reband and sophomore Patrick Welch from the team that
GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
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COMPETITION ROUNDUP finished in the top three 10 times in 2018-19 and pushed Texas to the brink before losing 3-2 in the NCAA quarterfinals. Thomas Johnson and Logan McAllister, two more Oklahomans, should see plenty of action in 2019-20, but the Sooners also have Sam Tidd, Lane Wallace, Blake Lorenz, Jackson Budalski and Riley Casey on the roster and from Texas have brought in Turner Hosch of Highland Park and Jake Holbrook of Granbury. “Those guys (Hale and Dalke) have laid a big-time foundation for us,” said OU coach Ryan Hybl. “Our goal will be to continue to get better and better. We didn’t accomplish everything we wanted to but our guys did get better as the year went on and that’s a big thing for me. Quade will be such a powerful leader for us next year. I’m ready for him to take that next step and start learning how to dominate college golf. “It was a good year. We competed and had a chance to win almost every tournament we played in. It’s going to be competitive around there in the fall and that’s how we’ve built this program.” The only other state school to reach a championship final this year was Oklahoma City University, which earlier in the year lost
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presented by head coach Kyle Blaser. The Stars were the erage to a program-best 288.15 in defending national champions and finished 2019 and posted the lowest individual and team scores in MAC histhird in 2019 as Ty Stites tory. placed sixth individually. Jones had signed five None of the four Diplayers for next season. vision I women’s teams A solid group returns afin the state reached the ter three players became NCAA Championship at eligible at semester break. Blessings Golf Club. OU Lianna Bailey of England junior Kaitlin Milligan, a and Michelle Forsland of Norman native, qualified Norway both finished in as an individual and she the top 15 at the Big 12 along with Sydney YoungChampionships at Golf blood of Durant and Libby Club of Oklahoma. Winans of Richardson, Oklahoma City UniTexas, give the Sooners solversity finished fourth in id building blocks for next the NAIA Championship fall. The only senior was it hosted at Lincoln Park Julienne Soo. OKC Stars’ Natalie Gough Golf Course in Oklahoma OSU failed to make the regional field a year after not qualifying for City and should be poised to go hard for the championship it was hosting at Karsten the title when the event returns in 2020. Creek, and that prompted Holder to make a All five starters return, led by senior Mechange at the head coaching position, bring- lissa Eldredge. The other deep national run was made by ing in former OSU player Greg Robertson Southwestern Oklahoma State University, from Kent State to replace Courtney Jones. Under Robertson, the Golden Flashes which led by second-team All-American set the school record for wins in a season Gloria Choi, reached the Division II Nationthree times, lowered the team scoring av- al Championship’s match-play semifinals.
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COMPETITION ROUNDUP
McCracken cracks code to success on All Pro Tour by ken macleod
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hile the University of Tulsa apparently has financial issues that will preclude it from reinstating a men’s golf team in the near future, the alumni of that program keep popping up to remind us that TU was actually pretty good. Former TU golfer Rob Laird played recently in the USGA Four-Ball Championship and won a local qualifier under harsh conditions at Gaillardia Country Club, one in which another ex-Hurricane, Martin Maritz, also moved on to sectionals. Then there is the play on the All Pro Tour of Oklahoma City’s Logan McCracken. At age 27 and five years removed from his TU career, McCracken has matured emotionally and physically and has dominated play on that high level preparatory tour this spring. In five events, McCracken has two victories, a tie for third, a fourth-place finish and a tie for 14th. He has won $52,753, more than
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twice the amount of the guy in second. In 2018, he won just $31,811 in 23 events. What’s led to the dramatic upswing? We checked in with McCracken at the APT event at Muskogee Country Club in late May, where he finished tied for third, four shots behind Cory Church and three behind Oak Tree National member Blake Trimble. “I really worked on my mental game over the offseason,” McCracken said. “Controlling my emotions, plotting my way around the golf course. Coming up with a better game plan that suits my strengths and weaknesses.” McCracken said he was prone to at least one mental faux pas per round, leading to about four shots per tournament, the difference on the All Pro Tour between making gas money or gas, food, motel and entry fee money, and on the PGA Tour that difference might be measured in six figures. “I’m trying this year to make as few misLogan McCracken takes as I possibly can and let the other guys make the mistakes. I’m always going to make plenty of birdies, so it’s about avoiding the bogeys. Knowing my game better, thinking about what I can control and the shots I know I can hit.” After placing fourth and 14th in the first two events, McCracken won back-to-back events in Houma, La., and Mandeville, La. The next event was supposed to be at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kan., but the course was flooded and it was cancelled. Next up is a tour stop June 12-15 in Bella Vista, Ark. McCracken plans to be racing between APT events and trying to Monday qualify into Web.com Tour events. After five years of modest success, this run has reassured him that he belongs on that tour or higher. “I know I can,” he said. “I’ve played with a lot of guys that are on the Web.com Tour and beaten them. It’s just a matter of getting hot at the right time and controlling my emotions. I’ve always believed that I was good enough. I think it’s just a matter of time. But you never know, it’s a tough game and can humble you in a hurry. You’ve just got to keep working hard. When you are working hard, you’ve got to realize you can work even harder.” McCracken, who played at TU from 2011-14 after transferring from Texas Tech, often rooms with Matt Mabrey, another former TU player who is pursuing his dreams of moving up in the golf world. GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
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A RCH I T EC T’S COR N ER
A rolling Perry Maxwell journey New Year’s resolutions are something I have never participated in, but that changed in 2019. As a golf course architect living in Oklahoma, it is second nature to become fasColton Craig cinated by Perry Duke Maxwell, who worked during the “Golden Age” of golf architecture and has 56 courses to his credit still operating today. Inspired by Tom Coyne and his venture to write “A Course Called Home” (visiting every U.S. Open venue and many more), I decided my first-ever New Year’s resolution would be to visit every Maxwell course 100 years after he began his career as a golf course architect. Maxwell is the ideal architect for this type of journey because his courses are relatively clustered, with the majority located in the Midwest. It’s part of writing an abridged history and performing an “architectural audit” of each individual course. I have a vision to eventually compile all of my writings into a book, “Miles of Maxwell.” The history of his career is nearly as diverse as American history. Maxwell worked during the Roaring ‘20s, Great Depression, and post-World War II. Also, Maxwell provided his services for the full socioeconomic spectrum, making travel to the different properties that much more varied and exciting. When architectural enthusiasts think about Perry Maxwell, they often only consider a handful of courses – Southern Hills, Colonial, Prairie Dunes, Old Town Club, and Crystal Downs. My travels will attempt to shine light across many of his other courses that have similar architectural merit but much less fanfare. After 5,000 miles on the road, I have visited 50 Maxwell golf courses leaving only six remaining to study. I try to play as many as I can, but often I only have time to walk the property. Walking golf courses is a much better way to study the property than flying around in a golf cart, missing many of the subtle nuances. Many of the clubs proudly display their Maxwell heritage, but surprisingly some of the clubs I visited did not even know he laid out their course originally. My travels started in my wife’s hometown, San Antonio. Other stops were in 42
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San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Mount Pleas- for future construction and renovation ant (Texas), Duncan, Lawton, Ardmore, projects that the club can use as an initial Tishomingo, Ada, Shawnee, Oklahoma guide. My hope is that this adventure inspires City, Bristow, Tulsa, Muskogee, Ponca City, Enid, Perry, Blackwell, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Neosho (Mo) and Springfield (Mo.). In addition there were three stops in Kentucky at Paducah, Princeton and Springfield, plus Columbus (Ohio), Ann Arbor (Mich.), Rochelle (Ill.), Ames (Iowa), Omaha, and also five in Kansas – Lawrence, Topeka, McPherson, Hutchinson and Arkansas City. Princeton is Volcano hole at Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Ames, Iowa. where Maxwell grew up and I had the pleasure to visit his boyhood home and take a tour of the interior. The six remaining courses I will soon visit are Old Town Club, Reynolds Park, Crystal Downs, Bayou Desire, Odessa CC, and FE Warren AFB. I have discovered many great Maxwell artifacts such as original drawings, letters and constructions photos. There are definitely Maxwell tendencies when it comes to Omaha Country Club bunkers being renovated. routing a golf course. Often holes are aligned perpendicular to the contours making for a down, up, and over tendency (13th at Southern Hills, 2nd at Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club). Many of Maxwell routings are interlocking with greens and tees coming to a similar location creating an axial design (5th tee, 4th green, 1st tee, 9th green, 18th green, 10th tee at Southern Hills). Maxwell’s childhood home in Princeton, Ken. There is almost always one blind tee shot (7th at Southern Hills, 10th others to do the same with Maxwell’s at Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club), peers, such as A.W. Tillinghast, Seth and many of the dogleg holes fight against Raynor, Donald Ross and William Flynn. the hillside (10th at Southern Hills). Max- The first draft will be completed by Sept. well routings often return to the clubhouse 14 and the final print will be available a few weeks before Father’s Day 2020. more than just the 9th and 18th. It’s often disappointing to see how many Colton is the owner of Colton Craig Golf DeMaxwell courses have changed from the original design. My goal is for the book, sign and lives in Oklahoma City with his wife, “Miles of Maxwell” to serve as a road map Annie. His e-mail is: president@colton-craig.com GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
I NST RUC T ION
We have need for speed The PGA Championship is in the books and Brooks Koepka is our champion. He seems to be getting used to winning the majors and is getting very comfortable doing it. Tracy Phillips It’s no surprise that Brooks and Dustin Johnson finished first and second, respectively. They both create a tremendous amount of speed which means more distance off the tee. They are tall and have swings that allow them to come in steeper when hitting from the rough. Also, it doesn’t hurt if you are consistently driving the ball over 300 yards and in the fairway like Kopeka was in the first two rounds. He appeared to be playing a different course than everyone else. When Koepka is driving the ball well off the tee and putting well, he will always be a major force to contend with on difficult courses hosting major championships.
GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
consider when they do miss a fairway being taller and having a bit steeper plane into the ball allows them to gouge the ball out Dustin Johnson will never be too far be- of tall grass with more control than somehind. Now, why are these guys so good? one who is smaller in size and shallower They create a lot of speed while swinging into the ball. Also, it is easier to hit an 8- or 9-iron than a 5- or 6-iron from the rough to the golf club. greens that are usually firm Those of you that feel like and fast like players face in you swing too fast need to major championships. reevaluate that thinking. It With Koepka’s mindset doesn’t hurt that they are and Johnson’s nonchalant tall, strong and flexible. attitude, I see many more Both tend to favor a fade majors between the two of rather than a draw off the them. So if you want to hit tee. This means they have the ball farther it doesn’t tremendous rotation with come without some risk and their hips through impact reward. Learn to develop which helps them control speed through exercisthe face. Both players have a ing, stretching and swinglittle bow in their left wrist. ing faster. There are many Dustin more than Brooks forms of exercises that help but both with great rotaBrooks Koepka you get your quick twitch tion of the lower body tend to hold the face off from closing and have muscles firing. Talk to your PGA pro for quite a bit of shaft lean at impact. These are more information on how you can increase your distance with speed. all components of distance. Hitting it long and straight off the tee reTracy Phillips is the teaching professional and ally is a huge advantage when playing long courses that have deep rough. You have to director of operations at FlyingTee in Jenks.
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GOL F FI TN E SS
Why you should work out during golf season to play your best! In the previous Golf Oklahoma issue, I talked about Clint Howard the importance of Golf Fitness Systems having a golf-specific workout/fitness program and what that should look like. If you follow the PGA Tour at all you see that the workout regimens are a big part of the success of these guys. Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods and pretty much all of the top players in today’s game are strong, fit, athletic, hit it long, and work out hard and religiously. It has just become part of what you must do to be successful. So we understand the importance of having a golf fitness workout program, now that golf season is in “full swing,” you don’t want to neglect your golf fitness program this time of year. It’s probably more important now than during the offseason. You want to keep your body strong and balanced through the playing season. The golf swing creates imbalances in our body which can cause misalignments and potentially lead to pain and/or injury. These can also cause poor swing mechanics, loss of distance, and poor playing performance. These reasons are why PGA professional golfers spend a lot of money to have their fitness trainers at tournament sites and work with them during off weeks. Even though you aren’t playing golf as a career for millions of dollars, in-season golf fitness is still important to anyone that takes golf seriously and wants to improve his or her game and overall health or fitness. You truly need to stick with a customized exercise program during the summer and throughout golf season. Don’t shelve it just
because you’re playing golf. Yes, you might fatigue/lack of energy, restless sleep, connot have as much time with the addition of stant soreness, and muscle/joint pain. The playing a few rounds each week, but stick key is listen to your body and gauge your with it and modify it a bit if you feel the need. frequency, duration and intensity accordFor example, if you feel the strength- ingly. It’s always a good idea to consult with training component sometimes make you your certified golf fitness trainer as to the sore or more fatigued, go a little lighter with best plan for you. If you’re not currently working out and the workout and/or don’t do heavy strength training the day or two before you play. doing a golf fitness program, it’s a great Corrective exercises, mobility/stretching, time to get started. Some people are reluctant to start a workout warm-up drills, and core program in the middle work on the other hand, of the playing season for should be emphasized fear of messing up their and remain consistent. swing. Along with your Plan ahead. If you’re workouts, get lessons a weekend golfer you with your local teachcould do your harder/ ing professional and this heavier strength trainshouldn’t be an issue. ing and higher intensity I recommend consultworkouts early in the ing with a golf fitness week and taper off as the week continues. The Bo Van Pelt with his TPI Certified professional to work with and/or to design a goal obviously is to feel trainer Clint Howard. program specific to your needs and goals. fresh and ready to go when you tee it up. Maintaining your strength should be the You always want to make sure you’re domain goal of any exercise program. If you ing everything safely and effectively with don’t use it, you lose it. In-season train- proper form and technique. Now go make it ing is also a great time to work on swing happen and unleash your swing. speed training. Using lighter weights, light Clint Howard is the Owner/Director of Golf bands, light medicine/dynamax balls, plyometrics/ballistics, superspeed clubs and Fitness Systems and is recognized as one of the other light implements during the season Top-50 Golf Fitness Professionals in the country allows you to train speed and train your by Golf Digest. PGA Tour Pros, Oklahoma State nervous system to learn to fire faster. And Men’s and Women’s golf, University of Tulsa training your Type 2 fast-twitch explosive golf, and many other collegiate and high school muscle fibers will help you develop more golfers, world long drive champions, and golfers power and speed, which will increase your of all levels go to Clint and Golf Fitness Systems to improve their body, and their game. To learn power and driving distance. Just always be aware of signs and symp- more, go to www.GolfFitnessSystems.com or call toms of overtraining. Some of these include: 918-296-7418.
Clint working with PGA Tour player Bo Van Pelt in the PGA fitness trailer at The Barclays FedEx Cup Playoffs. 44
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GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
SCH E DU L E S & R E SU LTS : More at w w w.gol fok la homa.org COLLEGES MEN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE BLESSINGS GC, FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. (PAR-73) MAY 24-29 Team leaders (30 teams): 1, Oklahoma State 290-276-286-284 – 1,136; 2, Vanderbilt 307-288287-285 – 1,167; 3, Wake Forest 296-297-288-291 – 1,172; 4 (tie), Oklahoma 305-287-288-300 – 1,180 and Texas 298-290-289-303 – 1,180; 6, Stanford 291-287-299-312 – 1,189; 7, Texas A&M 296-287301-308 – 1,192; 8 (tie) SMU 308-293-292-303 – 1,196 and Clemson 302-292-298-304 – 1,196; 10, California 292-301-306-298 – 1,197; 11, Pepperdine 312-291-293-303- -- 1,199; 12, Auburn 292-294312-302 – 1,200; 13, Ohio State 297-296-302-306 – 1,201; 14, Southern Cal 304-304-292-302 – 1,202; 15, TCU 311-295-288-311 – 1,205. Individual leaders: 1, Matthew Wolff (Okla. St.) 73-66-70-69 – 278; 2, Steven Fisk (Ga. Southern) 76-68-68-71 – 283; 3, Chun An Yu (ASU) 69-74-7072 – 285; 4 (tie), Lee Detmer (WF) 72-740-71-69 – 286 and Justin Suh (USC) 71-75-68-72 – 286; 6 (tie), Isaiah Salinda (Stanford) 70-70-74-74 – 288 and Collin Morikawa (Cal) 67-72-76-73 – 288; 8 (tie), Zach Bauchou (Okla. St.) 73-71-70-75 – 289, Austin Eckroat (Okla. St.) 69-69-73-78 – 289 and Trent Phillips (Ga.) 73-71-77-68 – 289; 11 (tie), Patrick Welch (OU) 75-69-72-75 – 291, McClure Meissner (SMU) 73-72-72-74 – 291, Kyle Cottam (Clemson) 74-72-71-74 – 291 and Billy Tom Sargent (W. Kentucky) 71-76-72-72 – 291; 15 (tie), Viktor Hovland (Okla. St.) 75-70-76-71 – 292, Alex Fitzpatrick (WF) 75-73-72-72 – 292, Chandler Eaton (Duke) 76-71-70-75 – 292 and Parker Coody (Texas) 72-72-75 – 292. Other scores: Blaine Hale (OU) 76-70-72-77 – 295; Hayden Wood (Okla. St.) 78-77-73-69 – 297, Garett Reband (OU) 78-76-69-74 – 297, Quade Cummins (OU) 79-74-75-74 – 302, Brad Dalke (OU) 76-74-81-78 – 309. MATCH PLAY QUARTERFINALS OKLAHOMA STATE 4, SMU 1 Hovland (OSU) def. Ben Wong 5 & 4, Wolff (OSU) def. Noah Goodwin 2 & 1, Wood (OSU) def. Ollie Osborne 2 & 1, Eckroat (OSU) def. Jackson Marham 2 & 1, Meissner (SMU) def. Bauchou 3 & 2. Texas 3, Oklahoma 2 Dalke (OU) def. Spencer Soosman 3 & 1, Cole Hammer (T) def. Welch 7 & 5, Cummins (OU) def. Pierceson Coody 2 & 1, Parker Coody (T) def. Reband 1-up, Steven Chervony (T) def. Hale 4 & 3. Stanford 3, Wake Forest 2 Vanderbilt 3, Texas A&M 2 SEMIFINALS TEXAS 3, OKLAHOMA STATE 2 Hovland (OSU) def. Soosman 2 & 1, Hammer (T) def. Wolff 4 & 3, Pierceson Coody (T) def. Wood 5 & 4, Eckroat (OSU) def. Parker Coody 3 & 2, Chervony (T) def. Bauchou 1-up (19). Stanford 3, Vanderbilt 2 FINAL STANFORD 3, TEXAS 2 Henry Shimp (S) def. Soosman 2 & 1, Salinda (S) def. Hammer 4 & 3, Brandon Wu (S) def. Pierceson Coody 4 & 3, Parker Coody (T) def. Daulet Tuleubayev 6 & 5, Chervony (T) def. Snyder 1-up. WOMEN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE BLESSINGS CC, FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. (PAR-73) MAY 17-22 Team leaders (24): 1, Texas 302-294-287 – 883; 2, Duke 305-281-304 – 890; 3, Southern Cal 306289-298 – 893, 4, Arkansas 302-296-302 – 900; 5, Wake Forest 309-299-294 – 902; 6, Arizona 304294-306 – 904; 7, Stanford 304-300-302 – 906; 8, Auburn 313-295-307 – 915; 9 (tie), Purdue 312-294311 – 917 and Illinois 320-296-301 – 917; 11, Florida 321-294-303 – 918; 12, Florida State 321-298-305 – 924; 13, Northwestern 313-294-318 – 925; 14 (tie), Arizona State 310-302-314 – 926, Mississippi 314297-315 – 926 and Virginia 314-307-305 – 926. Individual leaders: 1, Maria Fassi (Ark.) 72-71-68 – 211; 2, Sierra Brooks (Fla.) 75-67-73 – 215; 3, Bianca Pagdanganan (Arizona) 69-74-74 – 217; 4, Hailee Cooper (Texas) 80-69-69 – 218; 5, Amanda Hollandsworth (Va. Tech) 75-72-72 – 219; 6, Albane Valenzuela (Stanford) 74-73-73 – 220; 7 (tie), Jaravee Boonchant (Duke) 76-71-74 – 221 and Amelia GOLF OKL AHOMA • JUNE/JULY 2019
Garvey (USC) 74-73-74 – 221; 9, Natasha Andrea Oon (San Jose St.) 79-71-72 – 222; 10 (tie), Aline Krauter (Stanford) 74-76-73 – 223, Emilee Hoffman (Texas) 72-79-72 – 223, Kaitlyn Papp (Texas) 77-74-72 – 223, Gina Kim (Duke) 78-70-75 – 223, Frida Kinhult (Fla. St.)_77-73-73 – 223, Agatha Laisne (Stanford) 75-74-74 – 223. Other scores: Kaylee Benton (Ark.) 74-73-80 – 227, Kaitlin Milligan (Oklahoma) 81-75-78 – 234, Dylan Kim (Ark.) 80-82-72 – 234, Brooke Matthews (Ark.) 76-76-82 – 234, Ximena Gonzalez (Ark.) 88-76-85 – 249. MATCH PLAY QUARTERFINALS WAKE FOREST 3, ARKANSAS 2 Matthews (A) def. Letizia Bagnoli 1-up, Fassi (A) def. Knecht 2 & 1, Siyun Liu (WF) def. Kim 1-up, Emilia Miglaccio (WF) def. Gonzalez 6 & 4, Jennifer Kupcho (WF) def. Benton 1-up. Arizona 3, Southern Cal 2 Duke 3, Stanford 2 Auburn 3, Texas 2 SEMIFINALS DUKE 3, ARIZONA 2 WAKE FOREST 4.5, AUBURN 0.5 FINAL DUKE 3, WAKE FOREST 2 NAIA CHAMPIONSHIP AT LINCOLN PARK GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) MAY 14-17 Team leaders (30): 1, British Columbia 294-296294-291 – 1,175; 2, Keiser 297-296-296-291 – 1,180; 3, SCAD-Savannah 302-294-302-292 – 1,190; 4, Oklahoma City 287-319-296-293 – 1,195; 5, Cumberlands 304-299-301-300 – 1,204; 6, Dalton State 293-309-302-301 – 1,205; 7 (tie), Northwestern Ohio 302-301-303-300 – 1,206 and Cumberland 304-305-296-301 – 1,205; 9, Loyola-New Orleans 300-306-298-305 – 1,209; 10, Oregon Tech 304314-296-296 – 1,210; 11, William Carey 298-313-300304 – 1,215; 12, Taylor 313-305-298-303 – 1,219. Individual leaders: 1, Michaela Tjan (Keiser) 73-7071-70 – 284; 2, Avril Li (BC) 71-73-74-69 – 287; 3, Kate Johnston (BC) 75-69-72-72 – 288; 4, Melissa Eldredge (OCU) 67-82-69-71 – 289; 5 (tie), Ana Laura Pages (Cumberland) 74-73-71-72 – 290, Maria Zrodowska (Wm. Woods) 70-73-75-72 – 290 and Paula Sofia Suarez (SCAD-Sav) 73-71-77-69 – 290; 9 (tie), Isabel Rijos (Dalton St.) 71-75-72-74 – 292, Jessica Williams (Embry Riddle) 79-74-72-67 – 292, Devaki Ganesh (UNOH) 74-71-72-75 – 292 and Catriona Griffin (UNOH) 73-73-76-70 – 292. Other scores: Natalie Gough (OCU) 73-76-75-73 – 297, Korena Aills (Okla. Wesleyan) 76-73-75-78 – 302, Lauren Behnken (OCU) 75-80-76-75 – 306, McKenzie McCoy (OCU) 76-81-76-74 – 307, Lauryn Pritchard (OCU) 72-85-78-75 – 310. NCAA NORMAN REGIONAL AT OU GC, NORMAN (PAR-72) MAY 6-8 Team scores: 1, Texas 287-281-287 – 855; 2 (tie), Florida 284-285-295 – 864 and Wake Forest 290285-289 – 864; 4, Purdue 289-285-292 – 866; 5, Arizona State 2909-289-289 – 868; 6, Mississippi 287-294-290 – 871; 7, Texas Tech 287-294-292 – 873; 8, Oklahoma 293-296-287 – 876; 9 (tie), Mississippi State 287-295-299 – 881 and North Carolina State 285-304-292 – 881; 11, Virginia Tech 291-297-295 – 883; 12, TCU 294-296-298 – 888; 13, Texas A&M 293-303-304 – 900; 14, UTSA 303-301-299 – 903; 15, Pepperdine 299-309-296 – 904; 16, Sam Houston State 300-316-302 – 918; 17, UNCW 307-304-310 – 921; 18, Fairleigh Dickinson 316-327-320 – 963. Individual leaders: 1 (tie), Kaitlin Milligan (OU) 7070-68 – 208 and Olivia Mehaffey (ASU) 69-66-73 – 208; 3 (tie), Michaela Fletcher (Memphis) 68-70-73 – 211 and Agatha Laisne (Texas) 71-68-72 – 211; 5 (tie), Micaela Farah (Purdue) 70-69-74 – 213, Elin Esborn (Florida) 71-70-72 – 213 and Amanda Hollandsworth (Va. Tech) 70-70-73 – 213; 8 (tie) Lianna Bailey (OSU) 74-68-72 – 214, Kaitlynn Papp (Texas) 71-70-73 – 214, Linyu (Anna) Dong (TT) 72-71-71 – 214, Melati Putri (Purdue) 71-71-72 – 214, Siyun Liu (WF) 73-71-70 -- 214 and Sierra Brooks (Florida) 69-72-73 – 214. Other scores: Han-Hsuan Yu (Okla. St.) 75-68-74 – 217, Sydney Youngblood (OU) 74-72-74 – 220, Lorena Tseng (Tulsa) 75-78-70 – 223, Libby Winans (OU) 76-77-70 – 223, Mikhaela Fortuna (OU) 73-77-75 – 225, Julienne Soo (OU) 76-77-78 – 231.
NCAA D2 CENTRAL REGIONAL AT MUSKOGEE GC (PAR-71) MAY 6-8 Team scores: 1, Southwestern State 305-291-297 – 89; 2, Arkansas Tech 299-294-304 – 897; 3, Northeastern State 302-304-307 – 913; 4 (tie), Central Missouri 312-311-308 – 931 and MSU-Mankato 317-310-304 – 931; 6, Central Oklahoma 312-314309 – 935; 7, Henderson State 318-308-311 – 937; 8, Lindenwood 310-317-314 – 941; 9, Southern Nazarene 310-317-314 – 941; 10, Nebraska-Kearney 318-312-326 – 956; 11, Missouri Western State 320319-319 – 958; 12, Okla. Baptist 321-321-322 – 964. Individual leaders: 1, Peerada Piddon (AT) 70-7076 -- 216; 2 (tie), Gloria Choi (SWOSU) 73-72-73 – 218 and Shi Qing Ong (MWS) 75-71-72 – 218; 4, Aitana Hernandez (NSU) 72-72-77 –- 221; 5, Jacqueline Klemm (AT) 75-74-73 – 222; 6, Elin Wahlin (SWOSU) 75-73-75 – 223; 7, Chloe Thackeray (SWOSU) 78-72-76 – 226; 8, Alissa Carlson (MSUM) 76-79-72 – 227; 9 (tie), Sydney Roberts (UCO) 78-76-74 – 228, Ebba Moberg (NSU) 81-73-74 – 228, Nuchakorn Nunbhakdi (AT) 75-74-79 – 228 and Luisa Gartmann (Henderson) 74-78-76 – 228. Other scores: Emile Jackson (SNU) 82-77-74 – 233, Kaylee Petersen (SNU) 76-76-81 – 233, Lexi Armon (NSU) 78-78-78 – 234, Jenna Eidem (SWOSU) 7974-81 – 234, Nina Le (NSU) 74-81-79 – 234, Shelby Phillips (OBU) 79-75-80 – 234, Madison O’Dell (UCO) 77-77-81 – 235. SOONER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE AT LINCOLN PARK WEST GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) APRIL 19-20 Team scores: 1, Oklahoma City 305-296 – 601; 2, Wayland Baptist 303-310 – 613; 3 (tie), Southwestern Christian 313-310 – 623 and Texas Wesleyan 314-309 – 623; 5, Housto-Victoria 334-320 – 654; 6, St. Thomas (Texas) 344-31 – 675; 7, Central Christian 339-339 – 678; 8, Southwest (New Mexico) 378-354 – 732; 9, Panhandle State 366732 – 738. Individual leaders: 1, Melissa Eldredge (OCU) 71-71 – 142; 2, Chante Van Zyl (WB) 71-72 – 143; 3, Elena Sinde Romero (TW) 71-72 – 143; 4, Natalie Gough (OCU) 76-73 – 149; 5 (tie), Brittany Boles (SWC) 79-72 – 151 and Summer Pearson (WB) 72-79 – 151. Other scores: Loren Matrone (OCU) 79-75 – 154, Madelyn Lehr (SWC) 77-77 – 154, Lauren Behnken (OCU) 76-79 – 155, Regan McQuaid (OCU) 74-81 – 155, Lauryn Pritchard (OCU) 82-76 – 158. BIG 12 AT GC OF OKLAHOMA, BROKEN ARROW (PAR-72) APRIL 14-16 Team scores: 1, Texas 287-297-293 – 877; 2, Baylor 292-314-308 – 914; 3, Oklahoma 301-314-301 – 916; 4, TCU 299-315-305 – 919; 5, Texas Tech 305-315305 – 920; 6, Oklahoma State 300-309-315 – 924; 7, Kansas 297-320-311 – 928; 8, Iowa State 305317-307 – 929; 9, Kansas State 311-320-308 – 939. Individual leaders: 1, Agatha Laisne (Texas) 69-7475 – 218; 2 (tie), Sara Kouskova (Texas) 67-80-74 – 221 and Kaitlyn Papp (Texas) 760-74-71 – 221; 4, Emilee Hoffman (Texas) 75-750-73 –- 223; 5, Diane Bailleux (Baylor) 73-77-74 – 224; 6, Libby Winans (OU) 72-77-76 – 225; 7, Sofia Garcia (TT) 78-75-73 – 226; 8 (tie), Michelle Forsland (OSU) 77-74-76 – 227, Chloe Weir (KSU) 72-78-77 – 227, Yi-Tsen Chou (KU) 74-75-78 – 227 and Sabrina Iqbal (TCU) 75-79-73 – 227; 12 (tie), Amelia Mehmet Grohn (IS) 75-78-75 – 228 and Alanna Campbell (IS) 78-78-72 – 228; 14 (tie), Lianna Bailey (OSU) 72-78-79 – 229 and Marie Vesga (Baylor) 72-81-76 – 229. Other scores: Kaitlin Milligan (OU) 75-79-79 – 233, Julienne Soo (OU) 83-79-71 – 233, Mikhaela Fortuna (OU) 76-79-79 – 234, Han-Hsuan You (OSU) 72-79-83 – 234, Hannah Lee (OU) 78-83-75 – 236, Sara Camarena (OSU) 80-78-80 – 238, Emma Whitaker (OSU) 79-85-80 – 244. SUSIE MAXWELL BERNING CLASSIC AT LINCOLN PARK WEST GC, OKC (PAR-72) APRIL 8-9 Team leaders (17): 1, Oklahoma City 295-290 – 585; 2, Texas Wesleyan 302-299 – 601; 3, Murray State CC 313-302 – 615; 4, Wayland Baptist 321-310 – 631; 5, William Penn 310-322 – 632; 6, McLennan CC 321-315 – 636. Individual leaders: 1, Brooke Irion (MSCC) 71-73 – 144; 2 (tie), Melissa Eldredge (OCU) 74-71 – 145 and Karli Kerrigan (GV) 74-71 – 145; 4 (tie), Natalie Gough (OCU) 74-72 – 146, Sara Camarena (Okla. St.) 76-70 W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG
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SCH E DU L E S & R E SU LTS : More at w w w.gol fok la homa.org – 146 and Rian Moores (MSCC) 73-73 – 146. HIGH SCHOOLS OSSAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS BOYS MAY 6-7 CLASS 6A AT ROSE CREEK GC, EDMOND (PAR-72) Team leaders (12 teams in all classes): 1, Owasso 304-284-309 – 897; 2, Edmond North 290-300-311 – 901; 3, Stillwater 303-300-298 – 901; 4, Norman North 306-302-296 – 904; 5, Edmond Memorial 295-298-316 – 909; 6, Bixby 308-308-316 – 932; 7, Jenks 307-324-323 – 954; 8, Broken Arrow 314316-327 – 957. Individual leaders: 1, Jordan Wilson (EN) 68-7075 – 213; 2, Cooper Wilguess (EM) 72-70-75 – 217; 3 (tie), Kyle Peterson (Bixby) 74-74-70 – 218 and Charlie Jackson (NN) 720-75-71 – 218; 5 (tie), Bennett Baldwin (Stillwater) 77-72-73 – 222 and Jake Hopper (NN) 79-72-71 – 222. CLASS 5A AT LAWTON CC (PAR-71) Team leaders: 1, Guthrie 304-304-30-8 – 916; 2, Bishop McGuinness 311-308-325 – 944; 3, Bishop Kelley 312-314-323 – 949; 4, Piedmont 307-314-333 – 957; 5, Duncan 325-319-324—968; 6, Coweta 313348-325 – 986; 7, Claremore 339-316-343 – 998. Individual leaders: 1, Luke Morgan (Guthrie) 6968-76 – 213; 2, Hunter Oden (Piedmont) 71-72-74 – 217; 3, Davis Woodliff (BK) 74-74-75—223; 4 (tie), Bryce Carr (Duncan) 72-76-78 – 226 and Bo Robbins (Guthrie) 74-78-74 – 226; 6, Cole Bardell (McG) 74-75-79 – 226. CLASS 4A AT DORNICK HILLS G&CC, ARDMORE (PAR-70) Team leaders: 1, Heritage Hall 311-294-306 – 911; 2, Cascia Hall 314-321-315 – 950; 3, Holland Hall 317320-314 – 951; 4, Elk City 330-313-317 – 960; 5, Ada 323-329-332 – 984; 6, Hilldale 343-352-341 – 1,036. Individual leaders: 1, Max Roberts (Ada) 70-7271 – 213; 2, Drew Mabrey (Holland Hall) 72-73-72 – 217; 3, Will McDonald (Her. Hall) 75-69-75 – 219; 4, Logan Brooks (Berryhill) 79-72-71 – 222; 5 (tie), Tres Hill (EC) 78-73-75 – 226 and Mesa Falleur
(Sallisaw) 77-78-71 – 226. CLASS 3A AT TULSA CC (PAR-70) Team leaders: 1, Regent Prep 292-287-303 – 882; 2, Okla. Christian School 295-296-299 – 890; 3, Kingston 311-314-305 – 930; 4, Christian Heritage 328-323-309 – 960; 5, Kingfisher 326-319-316 – 951; 6, Crossings Christian 317-324-324 – 965. Individual leaders: 1, Jaxon Dowell (Okla. Chr.) 6769-66 – 202 (won playoff); 2, Drew Goodman (CH) 63-69-70 – 202; 3, Jackson White (RP) 69-69-69 – 207; 4, JP Roller (RP) 68-70-72 – 210; 5, Craig Sanders (CC) 73-74-71 – 218; 6, Grant Benjamin (RP) 72-70-81 – 223. CLASS 2A AT TROSPER PARK GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-70) Team leaders: 1, Turner 306-308-310 – 924; 2, Lincoln Christian 309-320-326 – 955; 3, Community Christian 322-316-318 – 956; 4, Tishomingo 328308-327 – 963; 5, Big Pasture 325-336-325 – 986. Individual leaders: 1, Conner Boydston (BP) 66-7470 – 210; 2, Brayden Strickland (LC) 70-71-74 – 215; 3, Jackson Hoelker (Okla. Bible) 71-71-77 – 219; 4 (tie), Evan Stafford (Wewoka) 70-78-73 – 221 and Justice Hartman (Turner) 77-73-71 – 221. GIRLS MAY 1-2 CLASS 6A AT EARLYWINE GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72) Team leaders: 1, Edmond North 321-301 – 622; 2, Jenks 322-307 – 629; 3, Edmond Memorial 322327 – 649; 4, Broken Arrow 336-341 – 677; 5, Bixby 341-348 – 689; 6, Yukon 340-353 – 693; 7, Norman North 359-339 – 698; 8 (tie), Owasso 349-352 – 1,001 and Bartlesville 345-356 – 1,001. Individual leaders: 1, Sydney Hermann (Ponca City) 73071 – 144; 2, Emma Shelley (Bartlesville) 71-77 – 148; 3, Emily Miller (EN) 76-74 – 150; 4, Grace Griggs (EN) 80-72 – 152; 5 (tie), Alyssa Wilson (Yukon) 7678 – 154 and Kennedy Maybee (Jenks) 79-75 – 154. CLASS 5A AT LINCOLN PARK WEST GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-72)
Team leaders: 1, Durant 341-325 – 666; 2, Duncan 345-335 – 680; 3, Ardmore 358-379 – 737; 4, Noble 367-376 – 743; 5 (tie), Carl Albert 379-378 – 757 and Coweta 384-373 – 757; 7, Piedmont 392-386 – 778. Individual leaders: 1, Blayne Barker (Durant) 7571 – 146; 2, Jaylynn Unger (Noble) 72-78 – 150; 3, Mika Ramos (Bishop Kelley) 75-77 –152; 4, Kaitlynn Kennedy (Noble) 73-80 – 153; 5, Brooklyn Bostick (Duncan) 80-76 – 156; 6, Callie Jackson (Coweta) 80-79 – 159. CLASS 4A AT LAKE HEFNER GC, OKLA. CITY (PAR-73) Team leaders: 1, Hilldale 312-304 – 616; 2, Wagoner 370-353 – 723; 3, Muldrow 360-364 – 724; 4, Kingfisher 371-356 – 727; 5, Pauls Valley 360-371 – 731; 6, Grove 357-382 – 739. Individual leaders: 1, Kenzie Kirkhart (Hilldale)_ 7670 – 146; 2, Maddie Kamas (Kingfisher) 73-74 – 147; 3, Jordan Clayborn (Hilldale) 74-75 – 149; 4, Jade Kuykendall (Hilldale) 81-77 – 158; 5, Kirsten Matlock (Muldrow) 80-82 – 16; 6, Emily Vang (Catoosa) 81-82 – 163. CLASS 3A AT WESTWOOD GC, NORMAN (PAR-71) Team leaders: 1, Plainview 288-294 – 582; 2, Purcell 341-334 – 675; 3, Dickson 334-350 – 684; 4, Lone Grove 354-335 – 689; 5, Marlow 356-342 – 698; 6, Henryetta 383-384 – 767. Individual leaders: 1, Reagan Chaney (Plainview) 66-70 – 136; 2, Taylor Towers (Rejoice Christian) 72-71 – 143; 3, Adeline Norton (Plainview) 70-74 – 144; 4 (tie), Hallie Schultz (Plainview) 78-71 – 149 and Jade McCurdy (Purcell) 76-73 – 149; 6 (tie), Logan Allen (Perkins-Tryon) 76-75 – 151 and Journey Perdue (Heavener) 78-73 – 151. CLASS 2A AT AQUA CANYON GC, GUTHRIE (PAR-72) Team leaders: 1, Okla. Christian School 382-368 – 750 (won playoff); 2, Regent Prep 379-371 – 750; 3, Mooreland 381-373 – 754; 4, Okla. Christian Academy 380-403 – 783; 5, Wewoka 407-406 – 813. Individual leaders: 1, Jenni Roller (RP) 73-69 – 142; 2, Brooklyn Benn (OCS) 73-73 – 146; 3, Sarah Sherrard (Christian Heritage) 75-79 – 154; 4, Megan Brown (Cordell) 75-80 – 155; 5, Rylei Gunter (OCA) 82-79 – 161. OKLA. JUNIOR GOLF TOUR BAILEY RANCH CHALLENGE AT BAILEY RANCH GC, OWASSO (PAR-72) APRIL 13 BOYS 1, Denver Davis 70; 2, Brodey Claborn 72; 3 (tie), Christian McAllister and Hunte Oden 74; 5 (tie), Jake Hopper and Phisher Phillips 76. GIRLS 1, Emma Shelley 76; 2, Hannah Torres 79; 3 (tie), Sarah Sherrard and Bailey Dunstan 80; 5, Taylor Towers 81. TULSA GOLF ASSOCIATION SENIOR STROKE PLAY AT LAFORTUNE PARK GC/SOUTH LAKES GC MAY 8-9 1, Don Cochran 67-67 – 134; 2, Danny Mosier 72-73 – 145 and Jerry Nick 72-73 – 145; 4, Steve Hughes 81-73 – 154; 5, Lee Inman 76-79 – 155. Net: 1, Mosier 69-70 – 139; 2, Inman 71-74 – 145. 50-69: 1, David Kelley 78-78 – 156; 2, Mike Monroe 81-77 – 158. Net: 1, Dan Duerson 68-68 – 136; 2, Richard Townley 67-75 – 142. 70-over: 1, Richard Hunt 72-76 – 148; 2, Larry Aduddell 77-87 – 164. Net winner: Aduddell 64-74 – 138. FOUR-BALL STROKE PLAY AT FOREST RIDGE GC (PAR-71) MAY 4-5 1, Brian Birchell/Jeff Coffman 69-68 – 137; 2, Matt Willingham/Ty Shelnutt 69-71 – 140; 3, Marty Edwards/Bryan Lunger 71-70 – 141; 4 (tie), Dell Frazier/Mike Monroe 71-71 – 142 and Steve Hughes/ Todd Raffensperger 72-70 – 142. A flight: 1, Jerry Nick/Gerry Phillips 74-70 – 144; 2, Terry Collier/Richard Hunt 75-70 – 145; 3, Jim Shelley/Joe Tuttle 73-75 – 148. B flight: 1, Lee Inman/Terry Trimble 77-72 – 149; 2, Merlin Kilbury/Jim Lowell 78-78 – 156. C flight: 1, Mike Fenner/Ken MacLeod 85-74 – 159; 2, Brett Allred/Stephen Dixon 82-80 – 162.
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