Augusta State Jags Take Down OSU Cowboys for 1st NCAA Title

Augusta State University only has one sport it contests in NCAA's Division I - golf.  For everything else, they are Division II.  But in golf, they're a solid performer.  They've made ten NCAA Championships in golf and were ranked fifth by Golfweek heading into the tournament. 

With an invigorating format change to resemble the Walker Cup, Ryder Cup, et al, - team match play - the ASU Jaguars negotiated their way into the finals to take on ten-time champion (and 64-time participant) Oklahoma State.  The finale put the Jaguars' five best against the Cowboys' stable of accomplished players, including two players that teamed with now-pro-but-then-Cowboy Rickie Fowler to win the Walker Cup.  The Cowboys also sported Kevin Tway - son of former major champion Bob Tway - who won the US Junior in his own right.

Here's how the matches played out, with the first match being the final one played.

• Sean Einhaus (OSU) 2 and 1 over Carter Newman (ASU)
• Trent Whitekiller (OSU) halved Taylor Floyd (ASU), who had been so sick earlier in the week that he threw up shortly after playing a day prior
• Kevin Tway 1 down in 19 holes against Mitch Krywulycz to determine the title
• Peter Uihlein (OSU) lost 4 and 2 to Patrick Reed (ASU)
• Morgan Hoffmann lost 5 and 4 to ASU's #1 Henrik Norlander

The Jaguars' best players went out and got points early.  They dominated the best that OSU thought they had to offer.  Krywulcyz came back from four down at the twelfth hole to win four straight, then force sudden death with a huge par at 18.  Another par at the first sudden death hole gave the Jags the title.  A halved point in the fourth match was irrelevant.

ASU qualified sixth through the match play portion of the tournament.  OK State was five better than everyone else and was the number one seed.  Had this tournament been contested under the old format, OSU most likely would have run away with the title.  It would not have been close.  But the format change has livened up the event and, perhaps, can lend some additional interest to kids that may want to take up golf because of the perceived unpredictability of the NCAA Championship.  Following on the heels of Texas A&M's win last year, this upset may well invigorate some additional interest in collegiate golf.