UCO Falls In Match Play Quarterfinals At Nationals

Bronchos lose 4-1 decision to Colorado Christian In First Match Play Appearance Since 2012

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – A magical season came to close Friday morning when Central Oklahoma fell to Colorado Christian in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Men's Golf Medal/Match Play National Championship.

The third-seeded Bronchos lost 4-1 to the sixth-seeded Cougars, who advanced to Friday afternoon's semifinals against Oklahoma Christian. It ended a sensational 2023-24 season that saw UCO win four tournaments – including their first Division II regional title since 2015 – and post eight other top-three finishes.

Nick Canales won the only match for the Bronchos, firing a sizzling six-under-par 65 to win by nine shots. Baylor Bostick and Jordan Wilson lost by three strokes apiece, while Bennett Baldwin and Kyle Hickey each fell by five.

"We just didn't very well today," head coach Derrick Thompson said. "It's a disappointing way to end the season, but I'm really proud of these guys for what they did for our program this year.

"We played at a pretty high level in every tournament this year and that's hard to do. The guys worked hard, they kept getting better and they set the bar for what we want to continue doing with this program."

Canales got the Bronchos off to a great start in the opening match of the day, beating Dylan Arthur 65-74.

The redshirt freshman didn't waste time taking control, jumping to a four-shot lead after three holes. He followed that by making four birdies in a five-hole span to finish off an opening-nine 32 to make it a huge eight-stoke cushion.

Arthur could get no closer than seven on the final nine and Canales cruised in with a back-nine 33 to cap off the rout.

The next three matches were all tied at the turn before CCU pulled away on the back nine.

Hickey and Peyton Jones each shot 38 on the front nine and both parred No. 10 to stay tied. But Jones birdied two of the next three holes to go up three shots and went on to beat Hickey 71-76.

It was more of the same in the next match as Baldwin lost to Xavier Bighaus 71-76. The two were deadlocked 37-37 after a back-and-forth front nine before Bighaus birdied two of the first three holes on the back to surge in front and Baldwin was unable to rally.

Bostick's bout with Adam Duncan came down to the final three holes before Duncan prevailed 67-70 in a well-played contest. Bostick birdied the first two holes in taking a three-shot lead, found himself down by one going to No. 9 and birdied that hole to pull even at the turn 34-all.

The rookie then birdied No. 10 to go up a stroke and reeled off five straight pars to keep that slim lead. But Duncan birdied the 16th hole to tie it, then finished par-birdie against Bostick's bogey-bogey to claim the win.

Wilson got down early in his match with Bradley Mulder and ending up falling 73-76. The junior was four shots down through 10 holes and got within two with a par against a double bogey on the 11th, but Mulder went on to claim the victory.

UCO tied for third after 54 holes of stroke play in earning one of eight spots for medal/match play. That format debuted in 2011, with the Bronchos' previous two appearances having come in 2011 (lost in quarterfinals) and 2012 (lost in semifinals).

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Players Mentioned

Bennett Baldwin: Junior

Kyle Hickey: Senior

Baylor Bostick: 6' 4"; Freshman

Nick Canales: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

Jordan Wilson: 5' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

Bennett Baldwin
: Junior

Kyle Hickey
: Senior

Baylor Bostick
: 6' 4"; Freshman

Nick Canales
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

Jordan Wilson
: 5' 8"; Junior