Sooners & Cowboys in The Open

With Oklahoma and Oklahoma State having won two of the past three NCAA Men’s Golf Championships and competing in most of the others during the past decade, it is easy to see alum out on the PGA or European Tour.

This weekend will be no different out across the pond at The 148th Open Championship at Royal Portrush in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is the first Open to be hosted at Royal Portrush since 1951.

The Open (formerly the British Open) is now the final major championship of the professional golf calendar with the shuffle of the schedule and it will also be the last chance for guys like Rickie Fowler to win his first major this season.

Three former OSU golfers are exempt to the event, not counting Viktor Hovland, who gave up his chance to play as an amateur when he decided to turn pro and compete on the PGA Tour.

Rickie Fowler was in the top-30 of the FedEx Cup rankings to close out the 2018 season, which exempts him for the tournament. Alex Noren finished in the top-30 of the same metric on the European Tour, which is called the Race to Dubai. Finally, Charles Howell III was exempt, but earlier this week has pulled out of the championship.

Fowler has had another great year on the PGA Tour, currently slotted in 10th in the FedEx Cup rankings for the 2019 season. He is still, though, in search of the elusive first major championship. OSU’s most recognized alumnus won a tournament earlier this season at the Waste Management Open in Phoenix, Arizona.

Noren has not played great in majors recently, but has continued to play well on the European Tour and right now is ranked eighth in the 2020 Ryder Cup standings.

Sooner fans will get to cheer for Abraham Ancer, who was one of three golfers to qualify for the field through the Australian Qualifying Series.