Cowboy golf wins 12th NCAA title, OSU's 54th overall

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Media Contact: Ryan Cameron | Assistant Director of Athletic Communications | 405-744-7714 | ryan.cameron@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State's men's golf team captured its 12th national championship in convincing fashion with a 3-1 victory over Virginia on Wednesday evening at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.

The title was OSU's second under coach  Alan Bratton, who guided the Cowboys to a national championship in 2018 in Stillwater. Bratton was also victorious as a player (1995) and assistant coach (2006).

Additionally, the victory was OSU's second in four championship match appearances since implementing the current format in 2009.

The second-ranked Cowboys ended the season on a five-tournament winning streak and won seven events overall on the year.

Freshman  Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson was outstanding once again in the lead match for OSU, taking down Maxi Puregger, 3 and 1, to put OSU's first point on the board. Fahlberg-Johnsson improved to 3-0 for the match play portion of the event.

Fahlberg-Johnsson claimed the first and never trailed in the match. He stood at 3-up through nine before Puregger claimed the 12th and 13th to get within one. However, the Cowboy freshman bounced back with wins at 15 and 17 to secure the point.

Point No. 2 came courtesy of sophomore  Gaven Lane, who put together a huge rally on the second nine against Paul Chang. Lane found himself 2-down through seventh before winning the eighth and ninth to tie the match. He would go on to win Nos. 12-15 to close out the match.

Virginia's lone point came courtesy of Ben James' 3-and-2 win over sophomore Preston Stout.

For the second day in a row, sophomore  Eric Lee delivered down the stretch for OSU. After losing the fourth, Lee took the seventh and eighth in his matchup with Josh Duangmanee. After Duangmanee tied it at the 10th, Lee won the 11th and 12th before Duangmanee took the next two. However, Lee would roll in a long birdie putt at the 17th and closed the match on the final hole with an up-and-down from right of the green.

Sophomore  Ethan Fang held a 1-up lead in his match against Bryan Lee through 15 holes when play was halted.

Oklahoma State coach  Alan Bratton

On today's match: "I wish I could have seen more (he was walking with  Preston Stout throughout the match). I guess we were down early, and I'd say patience and confidence were the keys. What a performance by  Gaven Lane. He had struggled and hadn't won matches the last couple days, and he was kind of down on himself. We talked and overnight, he had some messages from some former players that inspired him, and I was hoping he would do something special today and he did."

On seeing his team celebrate the win: "That's what it's all about. Oklahoma State has now won 12 (national) championships, but it's the first one with these kids. They've heard stories, and we've had some of our best players of all time talk to them just a couple of weeks ago. Now they have their own stories to share and a responsibility for them to continue to deliver those messages to the younger players so that we can keep this thing going. You hope for that kind of chemistry in every group, and we've got it with this team."

On what makes this team special: "They are just tough and have confidence. They've been resilient all year. We played a poor first round at the (NCAA) regional, and they didn't bat an eye. We didn't get off to the best start here in the first round of stroke play, but they just kept inching up the board and ultimately won the three matches like you need to."

His message to the Oklahoma State fans: "Thank you. They have provided so many opportunities for us. We just redesigned our golf course thanks to the generosity of some of our former players and lots of loyal supporters. Some of them were out here this week and got to enjoy it, and the reason they do that is to inspire the next great players to come to Oklahoma State. If we can keep doing things the right way, inspiring kids and attracting the right kind of kids, then we can get to do this a lot more."

Oklahoma State sophomore  Eric Lee

On today's match: "To be honest, I didn't hit the ball great today. I kept having the same miss to the right. Stratton (Nolen, assistant coach) kept telling me just push through and a lot of good holes were coming up, so I could advantage of those. I knew that as long as I was chipping it well or putting well, even if I missed greens, I'd be able to win today. I had a lot of confidence going into today."

On being a national champion: "I don't think I can even explain it in words. It feels unreal. It's going to be pretty emotional. I'm going to try to soak it in."

Oklahoma State sophomore  Ethan Fang

On this team: "We are really powerful as a team, one through five, and any week, we all can win. We stick to what we do best and don't add any additional pressure. Since we are all young, freshmen and sophomores, there is no pressure on us, honestly. We are all really good and work together."

On his match: "I was 2-down early and knew if I just hung in there I would be fine. Then I got some momentum and won four holes in a row."

Championship Results

(4) Oklahoma State def. Virginia (7), 4-1

Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson (OSU) def. Maxi Puregger, 3&1

Eric Lee (OSU) def. Josh Duangmanee, 2 up

Ben James def.  Preston Stout (OSU), 3&2

Gaven Lane (OSU) def. Paul Chang, 4&3

Ethan Fang (OSU) def. Bryan Lee, unfinished

For more information on Cowboy golf, go to the team website.