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.
On Friday, Hannah Wood (left) of Centennial, a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma, fired a stellar, bogey-free, 6-under-par 66 Friday in the Bryan, Texas Regional to move up 16 places on the individual leaderboard, into a tie for fourth place. Wood’s scored matched the low of the day.
The 2014 CWGA Stroke Play champion stands at 6-under-par 138, leaving her three strokes behind leader Bronte Law of UCLA.
Meanwhile, at the Stanford, Calif., Regional, Coloradan Jennifer Kupcho, a freshman at Wake Forest, shot a 1-under-par 70 on Friday to jump into fifth place individually. The two-time CWGA Player of the Year made three birdies and two bogeys in round 2, giving her a 1-under 141 total. Mariah Stackhouse of Stanford and Alana Uriell of Arkansas share the lead at 139 heading into Saturday’s final round.
Meanwhile, Colorado State freshman Katrina Prendergast, who led after the first round, struggled to an 80 on Friday, dropping into 30th place at 148.
Team-wise, the University of Colorado fell into a tie for 10th place in Stanford, but is still well within striking distance of the top six — the number of teams that will advance to the NCAA finals. CU stands at 595, while North Carolina holds down sixth place at 591. Host Stanford leads at 569.
Meanwhile, the University of Denver is in 14th place at the Baton Rouge, La., Regional, 31 strokes out of sixth place.
In addition to six teams from each regional earning spots in the national finals, the top three individuals not on those teams will land spots in the national championship, set for May 20-25 in Eugene, Ore.
Women’s NCAA Div. I Stanford Regional
May 5-7, 2016 in Stanford, Calif.
10. (out of 18 teams) Colorado 295-300–595
21. Brittany Fan 71-75–146; 30. Esther Lee 72-76–148; 44. Gillian Vance 75-75–150; 53. Alexis Keating 77-74–151; 81. Natalie Vivaldi 79-79–158.
Also
5. Coloradan Jennifer Kupcho, Wake Forest 71-70–141
30. Katrina Prendergast, Colorado State 68-80–148
Women’s NCAA Div. I Baton Rouge Regional
May 5-7, 2016 in Baton Rouge, La.
14. (out of 18 teams) Denver 315-304–619
49. Mariell Bruun 78-75–153; 55. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 75-79–154; 65. Jessica Carty 79-77–156; 84. Sophie Newlove 88-73–161; 91. Kathi Baratta 83-81–164.
Women’s NCAA Div. I Bryan Regional
May 5-7, 2016 in Bryan, Texas
4. Coloradan Hannah Wood, Oklahoma 72-66–138