Oklahoma golf: Sooners unanimous No. 1 in national polls
By Chip Rouse
The men’s Oklahoma golf team finished runner-up in last season’s NCAA Men’s National Championship, but lost three members off that team to the pro ranks.
You would never know it, however, as the Sooners this week became a consensus No. 1 in four national polls. OU ranks No. 1 in the nation in the latest college rankings by Golfstat, Golfweek, Sagarin and the GCAA Coaches Poll.
Sooner head coach Ryan Hybl has complimented returning senior Logan McAllister, who tied for 17th in the NCAA Men’s Championship last season, with Rutgers transfer Chris Gotterup and several talented freshmen. Gotterup was the 2019-20 Big Ten Player of the Year last season.
The team also returns senior Patrick Welch, who won the 2020 East Lake Cup, one of the top collegiate competitions every year, and sophomore Ben Lorenz, who finished tied for 57th in the NCAA Championship last spring.
Oklahoma began the fall season ranked No. 7, but moved up into the top spot in the national rankings after winning the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational in Carrollton, Texas, and finishing second in two other stroke-play tournament.
Redshirt freshman Jaxon Dowell made his collegiate debut finishing in a tie for seventh place at the Colonial Collegiate Invitational in Fr. Worth 10 days ago and winning three matches in the Big 12 Match Play Championship earlier this week. True fresjman Drew Goodman finished sixth at the season-opening Carmel Cup and redshirt-freshman Stephen Campbell Jr. came in 10th at the same event.
The Sooners have one more event in their fall schedule, the prestigious East Lake Cup in Atlanta next Monday through Wednesday.