Sooners Set for Big 12 Match Play Championship

HOCKLEY, Texas — Oklahoma returns to the course this week at the sixth annual Big 12 Match Play Championship, the Big 12 conference's fall golf tournament that preps teams for NCAA match play. Matches begin on Monday morning at the three-day event that culminates with the final on Wednesday afternoon.

The event will consist of three days of play at the par-71, 7,007-yard Golf Club at Houston Oaks, guaranteeing each team five matches throughout the week. With the Big 12 expanding to 14 teams, the championship format is different compared to last seasons.The Sooners, who are the No. 2 seed, are paired with No. 7 BYU and No. 10 Houston in Pool B as there are now four pools of three teams. Teams will play three matches before the bracket is set after the morning of day three. Results from cross-pool matches between Pool A and Pool B (OU vs. Texas) will not count towards pool standings.

Monday Morning: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 10 Houston
Monday Afternoon: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Texas
Tuesday Morning: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 7 BYU
Wednesday Morning: Bracket Round 1
Wednesday Afternoon: Placement Matches (including Championship)

In a break from the past, each team match will be comprised of five individual matches, although an exhibition sixth match will take place. The sixth annual event, hosted by the Big 12 Conference as a fall championship, is the first of its kind in an effort to prepare teams for the NCAA Championship, which moved to a match-play format in 2009.

The field features every Big 12 team and was seeded according to the Big 12 Coaches Ranking, seeding Oklahoma No. 2.

THE FIELD (SEEDED BY COACHES)

1. Texas - Pool A
2. Oklahoma - Pool B
3. Baylor - Pool C
4. Texas Tech - Pool D
5. Oklahoma State - Pool D
6. TCU - Pool C
7. BYU - Pool B
8. Kansas State - Pool A
9. Cincinnati - Pool A
10. Houston - Pool B
11. Iowa State - Pool C
12. Kansas - Pool D
13. West Virginia - Pool D
14. UCF - Pool C

OKLAHOMA LINEUP

The Sooners bring a lineup of six to Houston Oaks, where the team set records at last year's championship.

Drew Goodman - Match Play Record: 6-6-1
Jase Summy - Match Play Record: 4-1-0
Ryder Cowan - Match Play Record: 0-0-0
Luke Kluver - Match Play Record: 10-4-0
Stephen Campbell Jr. - Match Play Record: 9-3-1
Jaxon Dowell - Match Play Record: 10-0-1

HISTORY

The Sooners seek their first win at the Big 12 Match Play Championship, and finished as the runner-up at the 2022 Match Play Championship. Last season, The Sooners were the most dominant team of the week, positing a tournament-best 4-1 record and a hole differential of +76, nearly 50 holes better than any other team. Still, Oklahoma fell on the tournament's final hole to the Red Raiders.

Last year at Houston Oaks, five of the six Sooners posted four or more wins, led by sophomore Jaxon Dowell, who went 5-0 and remained undefeated in his match play career with a 10-0-1 record. Every Sooner except one tallied a double-digit hole differential, while no other school had more than three. The Crimson and Cream contingent registered a combined record of 24-4-2 across the five six-person matches. Oklahoma's then-freshman and sophomore contingent posted a 16-2-1 record at the tournament, giving Sooner fans a glimpse at what lies ahead.

COVERAGE

Live scoring will be available on Golfstat.com.