Texas eliminates Oklahoma State in NCAAs
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) - Untouchable in stroke play, Oklahoma State leaves another NCAA Championship with a No. 1 seed and no title to show for it.
The Cowboys were one putt away from a shot at back-to-back titles until Texas senior Steven Chervony holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to extend the decisive match, and the Longhorns advanced to the championship match Tuesday when he won the 19th hole with a par.
It was the third time since the NCAA switched to match play in 2009 that the Cowboys had the No. 1 seed and failed to win a title.
The Longhorns, who won the NCAA title in 2012 with a team that featured freshman Jordan Spieth, moved to the title match Wednesday against Stanford, which knocked off second-seeded Vanderbilt when Daulet Tuleubayev made a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.
Stanford's last title was in 2007 when it was stroke play.
Oklahoma State was so dominant at Blessings Golf Club it captured the No. 1 seed with a 31-shot victory over Vanderbilt, which included Matthew Wolff winning the school's first individual NCAA title in 13 years.
The Cowboys had no trouble against SMU in the quarterfinals, winning four of the five matches.
Texas ended the run.
"I'm glad it fell on me," Chervony said. "We've been getting beat by Oklahoma State all year, so it's good to give them one back."
Cole Hammer built a big lead on Wolff and won, 4 and 3. Pierceson Coody had no trouble in beating Hayden Wood, leaving Texas one match away from the stunner.
It went down to the wire.
Chervony took his first lead against Zach Bauchou on the 15th hole, only to make bogey from the bunker on the 16th to square the match. Chervony's shot into the 17th plugged near the lip of a bunker, and he did well just to get it on the green. Bauchou, needing two putts from...
