Rickie Fowler Named To Ben Hogan Award Watch List

NORMAN, Okla. -
Oklahoma State freshman Rickie Fowler was one of 24 players named to the watch list for the Ben Hogan Award it was announced today by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

The Hogan is presented annually to the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or junior college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur competitions during the last 12 months.

A native of Murrieta, Calif., Fowler is currently the top-ranked player in the country according to the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index. The Cowboy freshman has competed in three events thus far, winning the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational and finishing fourth in each of his other two collegiate starts.

On the amateur level, Fowler competed as the youngest member of the U.S. Walker Cup squad, posting a 3-1 mark during the prestigious event. He also posted victories at two of amateur golf’s premier events this past summer, winning The Players Amateur and the Sunnehanna Amateur.

The Hogan Award semifinalists will be announced April 16. Three finalists named on May 7 will be invited to Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, for the Hogan Award presentation on the evening of May 18. The 1964 U.S. Open winner and former CBS golf analyst Ken Venturi will be the keynote speaker.

2008 Ben Hogan Award Watch List
(in alphabetical order)
Jonas Blixt, Florida State
Ryan Brehm, Michigan State
Kevin Chappell, UCLA
Jonas Enander Hedin, Charlotte
Harris English, Georgia
Derek Fathauer, Louisville
Rickie Fowler, Oklahoma State
Rob Grube, Stanford
Chesson Hadley, Georgia Tech
Seung-su Han, UNLV
Brian Harman, Georgia
Mark Harrell, Alabama
Billy Horschel, Florida
Lucas Lee, UCLA
Jamie Lovemark, Southern California
Clayton Rask, Minnesota
Webb Simpson, Wake Forest
Joel Sjoholm, Georgia State
Kyle Stanley, Clemson
Michael Thompson, Alabama
Jarin Todd, Sonoma State
Cameron Tringale, Georgia Tech
Drew Weaver, Virginia Tech
Stefan Wiedergruen, Charlotte

Oklahoma's Jimmie Austin Golf Course To Host 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links

Far Hills, N.J. - Jimmie Austin Golf Course, at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., has been selected by the United States Golf Association as the site of the 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. The dates of the championship will be July 13-18.

Designed by Perry Maxwell , The Jimmie Austin Golf Course opened in 1951. A course renovation by Bob Cupp was completed in 1996. The Jimmie Austin Golf Course will be hosting its first USGA Championship.

Adjacent to the south end of the golf course is the Charlie Coe Golf Center (named after the two-time U.S. Amateur champion and six-time Walker Cupper), which features two chipping areas, as well as a 12,000-square-foot bent grass chipping area with seven bunkers. Bent grass and Bermuda grass putting greens are also included.

The Jimmie Austin Golf Course has served as host to the 1997 NCAA Regionals, the 1997 Oklahoma Amateur and the 1998 Big 12 Women's Championship.

"The University of Oklahoma is proud to be the first Oklahoma golf course and first University facility to host the U.S. Amateur Public Links in 2009," said Stan Ball , director of golf. " Perry Maxwell , our original designer, would be proud as well. Legendary OU alumnus Charlie Coe was very encouraging of this event prior to his passing. I am certain Mr. Coe would be pleased with our association with this prestigious event."

The U.S. Amateur Public Links, open to amateur golfers who are bona fide public course players and hold a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 8.4, is one of 13 national championships conducted by the USGA, 10 of which are solely for amateurs.

Prior to 2009, the U.S. Amateur Public Links will be played at Gold Mountain Golf Course in Bremerton, Wash., from July 10-15, 2006; and at Cantigny Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill., from July 9-14, 2007.

The Territory in Southwest Oklahoma

The Territory, a golf and residential development near Duncan, Okla., has received several accolades of late, including its placement in the No. 10 spot in Golfweek's 2006 ranking of the Top 50 Best New Courses in the U.S.

The Territory is honored to receive this elite distinction and it is extremely gratifying as our goal from Day 1 has been to be a top-of-the-bell-curve golf club and residential community, says co-owner Rick Braught. When [wife] Barbara and I set out to build The Territory, our mandates were to build something that would stand the test of time and to be head and shoulders better than anything in the region and one of the finest clubs anywhere.

Set amid rolling hills, native grasses and wildflowers, the Randy Heckenkemper-designed course features five sets of tees (ranging from 4,845 to 7,110 yards), a state-of-the-art practice facility and a three-hole short course. The greens are an A1-A4 creeping bentgrass blend, the tees, fairways and roughs are Tifsport Bermudagrass, and native vegetation frames the playing corridors.

We were blessed with a terrific piece of land on which to work, says Heckenkemper. A number of the holes jumped out before we even began moving dirt. The rest fell into place better than anyone could have expected.

The course was built and has been operating during one of the worst three-year droughts in Southwest Oklahoma history. Despite such dry conditions, The Territory has hosted the Oklahoma state amateur, state senior amateur and an NCAA Division II Super Regional. The Braughts envisioned a place of beauty, quality and substance where their children and future generations would want to live; the golf course has set a promising base for the future.

Located on the historic Chisholm Trail, The Territory is within a short drive of lakes for boating and fishing and minutes from schools, shopping, dining and churches. The private club is 2.5 hours north of Dallas-Fort Worth Airport and just over an hour south of Oklahoma City.

About the Owners

Rick and Barbara Braught are lifelong Oklahomans and ardent Boomer Sooners. Barbara's grandfather, T.H. McCasland, founded an oil company 75 years ago, made a fortune and became a huge OU benefactor; his name is on many campus buildings. Barbara serves as executive director of the McCasland Foundation, which has made financial commitments to the university's Athletics capital campaign, the Fred Jones Museum of Art, the Sam Noble OU Museum of Natural History, the College of Engineering capital campaign and Bizzell Library. Rick oversees numerous companies, including Crimson Farms, Oil City Associates, Oil City Development, Oil City Enterprises, Oil City Golf and Oil City Management.

Unlike many golf and residential developers, the Braughts didn't undertake The Territory project to make money as their prime motivation. Rather, they sought to build something of quality that would stand the test of time and have it become an economic-development engine for the region.

Looks like that mission is well on its way to being accomplished.

For more information about The Territory, call 580/475-0075 or visit www.territorygolf.com.

Central Oklahoma 2008 Spring Outlook

EDMOND (Feb. 13) -- Establishing a solid fifth man and overcoming a rugged early-season schedule are the main tasks for Central Oklahoma in 2008 and will enable the Bronchos to once again remain among the NCAA Division II elite.

UCO has four starters back from last year’s team that won four tournaments, was runner-up in the Lone Star Conference and third in the South Central Regional in just missing out on a national tournament berth, with a bevy of challengers looking to fill the fifth spot.

Senior Chance Tatum is a two-year starter and the most seasoned player on the squad, with junior Brent Cole and sophomores Zach Cleland and Colby Shrum rounding out the returning starters.

Lettermen Cooper Barrick and Ryan Sutton along with freshman Baer Aneshansley are the top contenders for the final starting berth.

"I don’t feel that we played our best golf in the fall, yet our worst finish in five tournaments was fourth," said seventh-year head coach Dax Johnston, whose team ended the fall ranked No. 11 nationally. "Our biggest downfall was whoever played the fifth man position for us averaged 78.2 and for us to be really competitive this spring that has to come down to around 75.

"I’m optimistic about what we’re capable of doing this spring. We certainly have a difficult schedule early on, but hopefully that will make us stronger and get us in position to win the conference championship and advance to the national tournament."

Shrum was UCO’s ringleader in the fall and established himself as a legitimate All-America candidate, finishing with a 71.8 stroke average and four top-five finishes in five outings.

Cole, Tatum and Cleland all had solid fall campaigns in clearly establishing themselves as starters, though they will have to continue to play well to stay in the lineup.

Barrick and Sutton played extensively last year and will threaten for a starting berth along with Aneshansley, who showed signs of what he can do in the fall.

Sophomore transfer Dax Clark, redshirt freshman Harrison Dooley III and rookies Derek Franco and Jordan Wynn could also figure in the mix.

"This team may not be the most talented team we’ve had, but it is one of the hardest-working ones," said Johnston, whose team opens the season Monday and Tuesday at the St. Edward's Invitational. "They worked very hard in the off-season with weight training and conditioning and I believe this will give us an edge as we get further into the spring season."

Cowgirl Golf Remains In Ninth Place At Northrop Grumman Challenge

PALOS VERDES, Calif. -

Oklahoma State’s women’s golf team maintained its position in ninth place through two rounds at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge at Palos Verdes Golf Club on Tuesday.

The Cowgirls posted a 304 on Tuesday for a 36-hole total of 607, 39-over, and are one shot behind eighth-place Stanford heading into tomorrow’s final round. Southern California overtook first-round leader UCLA with a 288 during its second round for a 586 total and a one-shot lead.

Individually, Taylore Karle of Pepperdine took sole possession of the top spot with a 71 to stand at 1-under 141.

Cowgirl junior Pernilla Lindberg rebounded from a 76 on Monday with a 72 to move up 16 spots into a tie for 15th place at 148.

Junior Amanda Johnson dipped into a tie for 27th after carding a 77 during her second round for a 36-hole total of 152, while freshman Jaclyn Sweeney came in tied for 34th at 153 after a round of 80.

Junior Karin Kinnerud is among the group tied for 37th place at 154 after a 75 moved her up 18 spots.

Senior Tammy Clelland rounded out the starting five with an 81 for a 160 total to stand in a tie for 62nd place.

The Cowgirls will close out play at the par-71, 5,912-yard layout at 8:14 a.m. and will be paired with BYU, TCU and Arizona.