Todd Duncan shook off a tough start to the Big 12 golf championship, playing the final 36 holes at 5-under to finish at plus-6 for the event. That was good enough for 11th place at the Big 12 golf championship, as he came one stroke shy of finishing in the top 10 in the four-day event in Tulsa, Okla.
Duncan provided one of the most compelling performances of the tournament. After struggling with the par-70 course at Tulsa’s Southern Hills Country Club for two days, Duncan showcased remarkable control and mental toughness over the remainder of the championship. After playing the first two rounds at 11-over par, he came up with a 3-under and a 2-under over the final two days to come just short of the top 10.
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His ability to fight through adversity stood out. After a challenging start, Duncan bounced back with two of his best rounds of the tournament. His poise under pressure was a bright spot for the Mountaineers overall, as he and Kaleb Wilson both played the final round in under 70 shots.
That proved key to the Mountaineers’ 13th place finish overall. West Virginia finished 11 shots ahead of both Baylor and Central Florida, finishing the tournament at plus-58.
Mountaineers Show Improvement On Final Days
West Virginia struggled on the first two days, but the team figured things out starting with Day 3. After shooting 300 or worse on both the first two days, the Mountaineers played the final two days at 18-over par. They finished with a six-over on the final day, with four players shooting 75 or better.
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In addition to Duncan and Wilson shooting under par on Day 4, Carson Kammann shot his best round on the final day. He shaved six shots off his Day 1 total, finishing the last round at 4-over.
Oklahoma State’s Consistency Shines Through
Oklahoma State was a force throughout the event, with multiple players finishing in the top ranks. Preston Stout led the way, finishing with a total score of 277. Stout saved his best round for last, shooting 3-under par after playing at even par in his first three rounds. His solid play across the board set the tone for the Cowboys, who also benefited from the strong efforts of teammates Eric Lee, Ethan Fang, and Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson.
Ethan Fang’s 65 on Day 2 proved crucial to the Cowboys’ overall team efforts. That proved the best score of the tournament, while Lee shot a 66 on Day 3 to balance the Cowboys’ lineup. Oklahoma State was the only team to shoot under par for the tournament, finishing at 2-under to win the title.
Arizona State’s Depth Proves Key
Arizona State also impressed with strong top-to-bottom performances. Connor Williams and Michael Mjaaseth both contributed significantly. Williams held a steady hand with a 1-under 279, highlighted by a Day 2 score of 66. Mjaaseth finished one shot behind his teammate, giving the Sun Devils two of the four golfers who finished the tournament at even par or better.
ASU led the tournament after one day, but Oklahoma State’s familiarity with the course proved too much. The Sun Devils finished in second place, 11 shots back of the Cowboys. Arizona State had a chance until day 3, when the Sun Devils shot 6-over as a team and lost the lead for good.
Red Raiders Claim Third; Glawe Shoots Par
Connor Graham of Texas Tech emerged as a top performer with a +2 total, making him one of three golfers in the top nine outside the Oklahoma State-Arizona State axis. Graham’s consistent play helped keep the Red Raiders within shouting distance, as Texas Tech held off Houston for third place.
Houston’s Wolfgang Glawe joined Stout, Williams and Mjaaseth on the happy side of par, finishing at even for the tournament to tie for third. TCU’s Joe Pagdin was the only other golfer outside of Oklahoma State and Arizona State to shoot better than 3-over.
