OSU to face Virginia for NCAA title after long day of match play

COWBOYS SAVOR BEDLAM WIN, BUT NOT FOR LONG

After four rounds of stroke play at the NCAA Championships, OSU and OU found themselves squaring off Tuesday morning in match play. The 4th-seeded Cowboys took down the 5th-seeded Sooners 3.5-1.5 to move into the national semifinals Tuesday afternoon.

THE KEY MOMENTS

OSU’s Ethan Fang won the first four holes of his match with OU’s Drew Goodman, and never let Goodman get closer than 2 down after that. The transfer from Cal closed out the match on 16 for a 3 and 2 victory.

The Cowboys’ Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson led most of the way against the Sooners’ PJ Maybank III, but they were tied going into 17. Maybank III bogeyed that hole and the 18th, and Fahlberg-Johnsson won the match 2 up.

OSU’s Big 12 champion Preston Stout took the lead on OU’s Jase Summy by winning the second hole, and Stout kept that lead the rest of the way, winning 2 and 1.

The Sooners’ Ryder Cowan defeated Gaven Lane of the Cowboys 3 and 2, and the anchor match between OSU’s Eric Lee and OU’s Clark Van Gaalen was tied through 14 holes when the Cowboys clinched.

QUICK TURNAROUND

The Cowboys’ celebration was short-lived. OSU faced Ole Miss, the 8 seed in match play, in the semifinals. The Rebels took down top-seeded Arizona State in the quarterfinals and had tons of momentum, with NCAA individual champion Michael La Sasso leading the way.

STOUT TAKES DOWN LA SASSO

The Cowboys’ first point of the match came when Stout never let La Sasso find any rhythm. The Cowboy sophomore won his match 5 and 4, and that was by far the quickest of any of the head-to-head battles.

EXTRA HOLES, LOTS OF PUTTS

The Rebels took a 2-1 lead with two matches still undecided, and that’s when some Cowboy grit made the difference. Fahlberg-Johnsson had three chances to close out Ole Miss’ Cameron Tankersley, but the OSU freshman missed short to medium length putts and found himself in extra holes with the Cowboys’ hopes clinging to his outcome. Fahlberg-Johnsson finally won on the second extra hole when his par putt dropped to make it 2-2.

THE FINAL CLUTCH MOMENT

It came down to OSU’s Eric Lee. The California native came up with a beautiful three wood to 8 feet on 18, but his eagle putt slid by the hole. On the first extra hole, Lee had a shorter putt for par, and when the Rebels’ Cohen Trolio left his par effort shot, Lee knocked it the winner.

The Cowboys will go for a second NCAA Match Play championship on Wednesday when they face Virginia. Coverage on Golf Channel begins at 5:00 CD.