It would have been an ideal way for Coloradan Wyndham Clark to end his college golf — and amateur — career.
Alas, the storybook finish was not to be.
Clark, the Pac-12 champion and Player of the Year, was trying to help lead the University of Oregon to its second consective NCAA team title — but first with him on the roster.
The Ducks squeaked into the eight-team match play bracket and scored 3-2 wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals, knocking off the team stroke-play medalist Vanderbilt to get to the finals. But the University of Oklahoma denied the Pac-12 champions the repeat on Wednesday at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill., beating Oregon 3-1, with one draw.
Clark — winner of three individual titles this season and the No. 1-ranked individual in college golf according to Golfweek — was the lone Oregon player to prevail in his match in the finals. He defeated Oklahoma’s Rylee Reinertson 1 up, giving the Highlands Ranch resident a 2-1 record in his three individual matches. Clark clinched his victory on Wednesday with a win on the 18th hole, where he drained a big-breaking 15-foot eagle putt.
On Monday, Clark had finished 51st in the stroke-play portion of the championship.
In front of a national TV audience on the Golf Channel, Oklahoma won the first two matches on Wednesday, and the Sooners needed to prevail in just one of the last three to claim its second national title in men’s golf. Clark won his match and teammate Ryan Gronlund halved his, but Oklahoma’s Brad Dalke pulled away from Sulman Raza on the back nine to post a championship-clinching 2 and 1 victory.
Clark, a first-team All-American as a senior, has said he plans to turn pro shortly after concluding his college career.
Men’s NCAA Division I Finals
May 26-31, 2017 in Sugar Grove, Ill.
MATCH PLAY FINALS
Team: Oklahoma def. Oregon, 3-1-1
Individual: Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon, def. Rylee Reinertson, Oklahoma, 1 up
MATCH PLAY SEMIFINALS
Team: Oregon def. Vanderbilt, 3-2
Individually: Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon, def. Will Gordon, Vanderbilt, 4 and 3
MATCH PLAY QUARTERFINALS
Team: Oregon def. Oklahoma State, 3-2
Individually: Viktor Hovland, Oklahoma State, def. Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon, 2 and 1
STROKE PLAY
51. Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon 74-69-72-81–296
Missed 54-Hole Cut
138. Coloradan Josh Seiple, Mississippi 74-76-82–232
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
