Alabama men’s golf defeated the nation’s top program, Oklahoma State at the East Lake Cup 3 & 2 in the semi-final match on Tuesday.
The match served as a chance at redemption for the Tide, who lost to the Cowboys in the finals at the 2018 NCAA Championships at their home course.
The Tide had an uphill battle when Oklahoma State put up the first two points on the board with victories from Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff who are the fourth and fifth ranked amateurs in the world, according to the Wold Amateur Golf Rankings.
Hovland, an All-American last year, had to earn his victory for the Cowboys against a freshman for the Tide. Coach Jay Seawell put out Frankie Capan to go out against the US Amateur winner and Capan delivered. Not only did Capan hold his own against Hovland, but Capan was leading the match for the first 12 holes.
Down 2-0 Alabama answered back putting up two points of their own by freshman Prescott Butler defeating Hayden Wood 3 & 2, and senior leader Davis Riley defeating Zach Bauchou 4 & 3.
The deciding match came down to Wilson Furr for Alabama and Austin Eckroat for Oklahoma State.
Furr who had been trailing by three strokes, turned the tides for Alabama winning the 13th, 15th, 17th, and 18th to claim the winning point for the Tide.
Seawell went on to say that other people pinned this match as a David vs. Goliath fight, but he felt that this was “Goliath vs. Goliath”. Seawell was following the deciding match between Furr and Eckroat, and felt Furr played some of his best golf the last six or seven holes.
Alabama will look for even more redemption against Auburn for the East Lake Cup in a rematch of the SEC Championship last year where the Tide were defeated on a birdie putt on the 18th green.
Coverage begins on Golf Channel at 2:00 PM CT.
(Photo courtesy of Alabama Athletics)
