OU Off to Strong Start at Big 12 Match Play

OU vs. Iowa State
R. Casey (OU)	vs.	F. Lindwall (ISU), AS
B. Dalke (OU)	def.	K. Kalz (ISU), 7&5
Q. Cummins (OU)	def.	L. Barker (ISU), 3&2
T. Kinney (ISU)	def.	B. Hale (OU), 3&2
P. Welch (OU)	def.	R. Costello (ISU), 4&2
G. Reband (OU)	def.	S.Vincent (ISU), 2&1

NORMAN — The Oklahoma men's golf team opened the Big 12 Match Play Tournament with seven individual wins on Friday. The three-day event is taking place at the par-71, 7,007-yard Club at Houston Oaks in Hockley, Texas.

The Big 12 is the first conference to create its own match play tournament, taking advantage of the format that is used to determine the NCAA Men's Golf Championship. The event is being played over three days consisting of pool play for five sessions (Friday through Sunday morning) followed by a championship round set for Sunday afternoon.

Competing in Pool B, the Sooners opened their day with a 4-1-1 victory over Iowa State in the morning session. OU picked up individual wins from senior Brad Dalke, juniors Quade Cummins and Garett Reband along with freshman Patrick Welch.

Dalke got the Sooners on the board first by defeating Iowa State's Jackson Halz, 7&6. The senior won three of the first five holes to build an early lead against Halz. Wins on holes No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 sealed the victory for Dalke.

Cummins took down Iowa State's Lachlan Barker, 3&2, to add another win for the Sooners. With the match all square heading to the front nine, Cummins won three of the next four holes to claim his match. Welch quickly followed with a 4&2 win over the Cyclones' Ricky Costello. The freshman led for the entire match and recorded a birdie on hole No. 10 to clinch the team match for Oklahoma.

Junior Riley Casey halved his match against Iowa State's Frank Lindwall, while senior Blaine Hale fell to the Cyclones' Tripp Kinney, 3&2.

OU vs. K-State
R. Casey (OU)	def.	K. Vance (KSU), 5&4
B. Fernandez (KSU)	def.	B. Dalke (OU), 6&5
Q. Cummins (OU)	def.	J. Gandon (KSU), 1-up
B. Hale (OU)	def.	R. Massimino (KSU), 2&1
J. Eklund (KSU)	def.	P. Welch (OU), 2-up
W. Hopkins (KSU)	def.	G. Reband (OU), 2&1

In the afternoon session, OU split its match with Kansas State, 3-3. The Sooners picked up victories from Casey, Cummins and Hale against the Wildcats to wrap up the first day of competition.

Casey topped K-State's Kyle Vance, 5&4, to give OU its first match victory of the afternoon. The junior used a birdie on hole No. 17 to take the lead for good as Casey won four of the next six holes to seal the victory.

OU picked up its second win against the Wildcats as Hale defeated Roland Massismino in a back-and-forth match, 2&1. Hale seized control with wins on holes No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 to go 3-up with three holes to play.

In the tightest match of the afternoon session, Cummins earned a 1-up victory against K-State's Jeremy Gandon. Cummins rolled in a par putt on the final hole, while Gandon finished with a bogey to give OU its third win against the Wildcats.

During the pool play portion of the Big 12 Match Play Tournament, each team will play four matches. Teams will get three points for a win and one point for a draw.

At the conclusion of pool play, each team will be ranked 1-5 within their pool based on the amount of points accrued. The championship match will feature the team with the highest point total from Pool A and the team with the highest point total from Pool B.

The Sooners secured four points and lead Pool B heading into Saturday's action.

OU continues the Big 12 Match Play Tournament on Saturday against No. 6 seed Baylor. The match will begin at 8 a.m. CT. The Sooners will receive a bye during the afternoon session.

Live scoring is available at GolfStat.com.

POOL A STANDINGS (Points Earned – Highest Possible Total Remaining)
T1. Oklahoma State (6 – 15)
T1. Kansas (6 – 15)
T3. West Virginia (0 – 12)
T3. TCU (0 – 12)
T3. Texas Tech (0 – 9)

POOL B STANDINGS (Points Earned – Highest Possible Total)
1. Oklahoma (4 – 13)
T2. Baylor (3 – 15)
T2. Texas (3 – 12)
4. Kansas State (1 – 13)
5. Iowa State (0 – 9)