Oklahoma State University Athletics
The History of Oklahoma State Men's Golf
June 21, 1999 | Cowboy Golf
October 15, 1998
For the last 52 years, the Oklahoma State men's golf program has continuously been an example of excellence both on and off the golf course. The tradition of excellence established by the school is second to none. The consistency of its outstanding performance is a tribute to the school's only two coaches and its long list of outstanding players.
With only two coaches in its 52-year history, the Oklahoma State program has been able to consistently maintain its high level of success. From 1947-73, the program was in the hands of the legendary Labron Harris, who passed away on August 14, 1995 at the age of 86. The past 25 years Mike Holder, who played for Harris, has been at the helm of one of collegiate sport's elite programs.
How much stability and production has the program had? Well, Oklahoma State is the only school to have competed in each of the last 52 NCAA Championships. During those 52 consecutive appearances at the national tournament, OSU has produced an amazing record. The Cowboys have claimed eight national team championships, including the 1995 title. OSU has posted 13 runner-up finishes and finished among the top five 43 times and in the top 10 on 47 occasions during those 52 years. In addition, OSU has produced six NCAA individual champions. In 1958 Ab Justice became OSU's first official All-American, and in the last 40 years, OSU players have earned All-America mention 122 times, including 42 first-team selections. Since the golf coaches started naming academic All-America teams in 1984, Cowboys have earned that honor on 16 occasions.
Cowboy golfers have earned national honors on a regular basis. Five players have been named the top collegiate golfer in the country during a particular season including Lindy Miller (1978), Bob Tway (1981), Willie Wood (1982), Scott Verplank (1986) and Alan Bratton (1994). Four Cowboys have earned first-team All-America honors three times including Miller, Tway, Verplank and Kevin Wentworth.
Two others have earned the prestigious Ben Hogan Award given annually to the nation's top student-athlete based on athletic and academic success. Wentworth claimed the award in 1990 and Trip Kuehne was the recipient in 1995. Over the years, Oklahoma State has always been among the nation's top teams. While dual play was in fashion during the Labron Harris years, tournament play took over in the early 1970s. Since 1974 when Mike Holder became the head coach, OSU's tournament success has become legendary.
The Cowboys have entered 355 tournaments during the past 25 years and have won 157 times for an unbelievable 44.2 winning percentage. OSU has also managed 83 runner-up finishes, meaning the Cowboys have been first or second in 67.6 percent of the tournaments they have entered. Notable players that competed for OSU during the Harris years include Earl Moeller, Ab Justice, Bob Dickson, Danny Edwards, George Hixon and Mark Hayes. Holder era standouts include Lindy Miller, Bob Tway, Scott Verplank, Kevin Wentworth, David Edwards, Willie Wood, Brian Watts, Michael Bradley, Alan Bratton and Chris Tidland. And now with the outstanding golf course, Karsten Creek, and all its exceptional practice facilities available to members of the OSU golf teams, the tradition established in the first 52 years should continue into the next half century for Cowboy Golf.
The First 52 Years
· In 1947, when OSU first fielded a golf team that would win the Missouri Valley Conference Championship and finish fifth at the NCAA Championship in its inaugural season, current OSU head coach Mike Holder was still a year away from being born.
· In 1953, OSU's Earl Moeller won the individual national title.
· In 1958, OSU joined the Big Eight Conference, winning the team title in its first year in the league and then finishing second at the NCAA Championship, then its highest finish at that tournament.
· In 1963, OSU claimed its first NCAA team title, edging Houston by one shot. George Hixon was the NCAA individual runner-up by one stroke.
· In 1968, Grier Jones joined Moeller as NCAA individual champions from OSU.
· In 1975, OSU started a stretch where it finished first or second at the NCAA Championship in 13 of 14 years.
· In 1978, David Edwards claimed the NCAA individual title as the Cowboys won NCAA team championship number three.
· In 1986, OSU started a three-year string that saw a Cowboy win the NCAA individual championship each spring. Scott Verplank won in 1986, Brian Watts in 1987 and E.J. Pfister in 1988.
· In 1991, OSU won NCAA team championship number seven.
· In 1995, OSU won NCAA team championship number eight and for the second consecutive year boasted the individual runner-up at the meet as Alan Bratton was second in 1994 and Chris Tidland finished as runner-up in 1995.
· In 1996 OSU celebrated its 50th year of collegiate golf excellence as arguably the nation's premier program.
· In 1998, OSU continued its record streak of competing in every NCAA Championship for the last 52 years.
The OSU Tradition
· Only school to compete in each of the last 52 NCAA Championships winning eight national titles and finishing lower than fifth just eight times.
· Owns 47 conference titles, including 36 of 39 Big Eight championships.
· Boasts 122 All-Americans, including at least one first-team All-America in 26 of the last 29 years.
· Has produced six NCAA individual champions, including Earl Moeller (1953), Grier Jones (1968), David Edwards (1978), Scott Verplank (1986), Brian Watts (1987), and E.J. Pfister (1988).
· Has produced five National Players of the Year in Lindy Miller (1978), Bob Tway (1981), Willie Wood (1982), Verplank (1986), and Alan Bratton (1994 co-winner).
· Has produced 16 Academic All-Americans since honors started in 1984.
· Boasts eight of the 11 selections in NCAA history that were first-team Athletic and Academic All-Americans.
· Has been under the direction of only two coaches in this time as Labron Harris coached from 1947-73 and Mike Holder has coached from 1974-present.
