The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational
No. 11 Men’s Golf preview: OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational
09.14.2023 | Men's Golf
The Longhorns compete at Olympic Fields Country Club on Friday through Sunday.
When: Friday, September 15 – Sunday, September 17
Format: 18 holes each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Olympia Fields Country Club – North Course (Olympia Fields, Ill.)
Course Info: Par-70; 7,310 yards
Tournament Notes
The Tourney Field: The 15-team field at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational includes (rankings reflect the preseason Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches poll): No. 13 Alabama, No. 19 Arizona, No. 2 Arizona State, Baylor, No. 8 Florida, No. 5 Florida State, No. 4 Georgia Tech, No. 9 Illinois, Michigan State, No. 1 North Carolina, No. 16 Oklahoma State, No. 15 Pepperdine, Purdue, No. 7 Stanford and No. 11 TEXAS.
Loaded Field: Fourteen of the 15 teams competing this weekend are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason GCAA Coaches poll. The 15 programs represented have combined to account for 17 of the 24 spots in the 12 NCAA Championship Match Play finals since the current format began in 2009. Each of the last five programs to win the NCAA Championship will be represented: Florida (2023), TEXAS (2022), Pepperdine (2021), Stanford (2019) and Oklahoma State (2018). All 15 programs in this year's field competed in the 2023 NCAA Regionals, and 11 of the 15 advanced to the 2023 NCAA Championship stroke play.
Team Rankings: Texas is No. 11 in the preseason Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches poll.
Sahalee Recap: The Longhorns finished in a tie for sixth place at the season-opening Sahalee Players Championship at Sahalee Country Club (Sammamish, Wash.) on Sept. 9-10. Texas posted a 54-hole team score of 19-over-par 883 (290-289-30) to tie for sixth with No. 17 Texas Tech. No. 9 Illinois claimed the team title at 1-under-par 863 (286-281-296), while No. 2 Arizona State took second at 7-over-par 871 (286-296-289). Sophomore Jacob Sosa tied for seventh in the individual standings at 2-over-par 218 (75-69-74). This marked Sosa's second-best individual finish of his collegiate career, as he previously placed third at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) last year with a 7-under-par 209 (61-74-74).
The Fields Factor: Now in his 27th season as head coach at Texas, John Fields has guided the Longhorns to 21 NCAA Championship appearances in his 25 opportunities (no NCAA tourney in 2020 due to COVID-19). Under Fields' leadership, UT has posted 10 top-five finishes at the NCAA Championship, including NCAA team titles in 2012 and 2022 and runner-up showings in 2016 and 2019. Prior to his time at Texas, Fields led the University of New Mexico to nine NCAA Championship appearances in 10 seasons (1988-97). Fields has earned Golfweek's National Coach of the Year honors three times (2012, 2016 and 2022) and Big 12 Coach of the Year accolades nine times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2022) during his tenure at Texas.
16 Straight: UT's streak of 16 consecutive NCAA Championship appearances is the longest current streak in NCAA Division I men's golf. Here's a look at the longest active NCAA Championship appearances entering the 2023-24 season.
|
Number of Consecutive NCAA Championship Appearances |
School |
|
16 |
TEXAS |
|
12 |
Oklahoma |
|
9 |
Vanderbilt |
|
8 |
Arizona State |
|
6 |
North Carolina |
Advancing to Match Play: Not only has Texas been a mainstay in advancing to the NCAA Championships, the Longhorns have consistently produced strong results while at the national championship. In the last 11 opportunities (dating back to the 2012 NCAA Championships), UT has advanced to the Match Play quarterfinals stage (final eight teams) a total of SEVEN times. Texas is one of just TWO schools (Illinois) to advance to Match Play at least SEVEN times in the last 11 opportunities (2020 tourney was canceled due to COVID-19).
|
NCAA Match Play Appearances in Last 11 Tournaments (2012-23) |
School |
|
7 (2012-13-15-16-18-19-22) |
TEXAS |
|
7 (2013-14-15-16-17-21-23) |
Illinois |
|
6 (2016-17-18-19-21-22) |
Oklahoma |
|
6 (2014-17-18-19-21-22) |
Oklahoma State |
|
6 (2015-16-17-19-21-22) |
Vanderbilt |
The Texas Lineup: UT will be represented by the following five players at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational:
- Jacob Sosa (So., 72.67)
- Brian Stark (Gr., 73.33)
- Christiaan Maas (So., 74.33)
- Keaton Vo (So., -)
- Tommy Morrison (So., 78.00)
Inside the Texas Lineup
Jacob Sosa: No. 216 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 13) … paced the Longhorns in the season-opening Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 9-10) with a tie for seventh at 2-over-par 218 (75-69-74) … competed in 10 of UT's 14 events as a freshman and ranked fourth on the team in scoring average (72.28) … in his eight stroke-play tourney appearances last year, he registered three top-20 individual finishes … shot par or better in 10 of his 25 stroke-play rounds in 2023, including four rounds in the 60s ... earned a collegiate-best third-place individual finish at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) at 7-under-par 209 (61-74-74) … set a UT program record for low 18-hole score with an 11-under-par 61 in the opening round of the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30) … had three eagles, five birdies and no bogeys during that round … tied for 16th at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2) at 3-under-par 213 (72-72-69) … posted a 1-up victory over Connor Howe in the match-play event against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) … tied for 19th at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 3-under-par 213 (71-70-72) … led Austin Westlake High School to three consecutive Texas Class 6A state team titles (no tourney in 2020 due to COVID) … posted individual finishes of third, runner-up and tied for fifth during his three state championship tournaments … tabbed the No. 3 recruit in the state of Texas and No. 14 nationally by the AJGA in the class of 2022 … first-team Rolex Junior All-American in 2021 … member of the West Team at the 2021 Wyndham Cup … placed third at the 2020 Texas State Amateur and earned the win at the 2019 Texas State Junior Championship.
Brian Stark: No. 31 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 13) … tied for 14th at the season-opening Sahalee Players Championship (Sept. 9-10) with a 4-over-par 220 (71-7-75) … tied for fourth at the 2023 Northeast Amateur Invitational (Rumford, R.I.) in June with a 72-hole score of 7-under-par 269 (65-70-66-68) … enrolled at Texas prior to the 2023 spring semester … graduate transfer who spent his previous three seasons at Oklahoma State … earned All-Big 12 and PING All-Central Region team accolades last year … competed in all of UT's nine events last spring and ranked second on the team in scoring average (71.04) … during his eight stroke-play tourney appearances, he registered two top-five and three top-10 individual finishes … shot par or better in 14 of his 25 stroke-play rounds in the spring, including 10 rounds in the 60s … recorded his best finish as a Longhorn with a third-place showing at the Big 12 Championship (April 24-26) at 6-under-par 274 (69-72-67-66) … claimed a spot on the Big 12 Championship All-Tournament team ... tied for fourth at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 27-28) at 9-under-par 204 (68-71-65) … his 6-under 65 in the final round at the Valspar Collegiate marked his low 18-hole score at Texas … tied for eighth at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2) at 6-under-par 210 (71-70-69) … earned third-team All-America honors as a junior at Oklahoma State in 2022 from both the GCAA and Golfweek … two-time GCAA All-America Scholar (as a sophomore and junior) … claimed All-Big 12 and Academic All-Big 12 honors as a junior … tied for 15th at the 2022 NCAA Championship at 6-over-par 286 … had a season-best tie for third place at The Carmel Cup at 5-under-par 211 (73-70-68) in 2022 … also placed 13th at the Big 12 Championship and tied for seventh at the NCAA Columbus Regional during his junior year at Oklahoma State … first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore in 2021 … advanced to the quarterfinals of match play at the 2021 U.S. Amateur.
Christiaan Maas: No. 17 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 13) … one of 25 players named to the preseason watch list for the Fred Haskins Award … runner-up at the 2023 Western Amateur Championship … one of 12 men's players who competed for the International Team at the prestigious 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup in early June at Laurel Valley Golf Club outside Ligonier, Pa. … earned Division I PING second-team All-America and PING All-Central Region team honors as a freshman in 2023 … named the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year and was selected to the 10-person All-Big 12 Team … competed in each of UT's 14 events as a freshman and led the team in stroke average (70.57) … during his 12 stroke-play tourney appearances last season, he registered five top-10 and 10 top-20 individual finishes … shot par or better in 23 of his 35 stroke-play rounds last year, including 12 rounds in the 60s ... earned a collegiate-best individual runner-up finish at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 10-under-par 206 (66-69-71) … recorded his collegiate low 18-hole score of 6-under-par 66 in the opening round at the Southern Highlands (Feb. 26) … tied for third at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational (Oct. 3-4) with a 6-under-par 204 (70-67-67) … tied for fifth at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) with a 4-under-par 212 (68-70-74) … tied for eighth at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2) at 6-under-par 210 (69-73-68) … tied for ninth at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational (Mar. 27-28) with a 6-under-par 207 (69-71-67) … tied for 15th at the Big 12 Championship (April 24-26) at 9-over-par 289 (70-75-70-74) … posted a 2&1 win over Christo Lamprecht in the match-play event against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) … tied for 17th at the DP World Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship (Dec. 8-11) in Melalane, South Africa with a 9-under-par 279 (71-70-70-68) … played alongside Ernie Els in the opening two rounds at the Alfred Dunhill Championship … also made the cut and tied for 35th at the DP World Tour's Investec South African Open Championship (Dec. 1-4) in Johannesburg at 5-under-par 283 (69-65-72-77) … tallied a 3-2 individual record at the Big 12 Match Play Championship (Oct. 17-19) … finished 12th at The Stephens Cup (Oct. 10-12) at 4-under-par 212 (69-71-72) … in his collegiate debut, tied for 20th at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 16-18) at 4-over-par 214 (72-72-70) … competed for South Africa in the prestigious 2022 World Amateur Team Championship (Aug. 31-Sept. 3) in Paris … advanced to Match Play at the 2022 U.S. Amateur … tied for 11th in stroke play at the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur … claimed a five-shot victory (65-70-67-68=270, -14) to win the prestigious Brabazon Trophy at Saunton Golf Club in England in May 2022 … posted six wins during the 2021 season, including the Cape Province Open and the South African Amateur Championship … 2020 and 2021 Silver Salver Champion.
Keaton Vo: No. 182 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 13) … advanced to the Round of 32 in match play at the prestigious North & South Amateur in June (Pinehurst, N.C.) … competed in 13 of UT's 14 events as a freshman and registered a 72.55 stroke average … shot par or better in 11 of his 31 stroke-play rounds last year, including four rounds in the 60s ... earned a collegiate-best second-place individual finish at the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30-Feb. 1) at 8-under-par 208 (67-71-70) … tallied a career-low 18-hole score of 5-under-par 67 in the opening round of the Southwestern Invitational (Jan. 30) … carded a 3-under 68 in the opening round of the NCAA Bath Regional (May 15) that included a hole-in-one on the fifth hole (6-iron at 202 yards) … tied for fourth in the stroke-play portion of the East Lake Cup (Oct. 24) with a 2-under-par 70 … tied for 19th at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 3-under-par 213 (74-70-69) … posted a 4-0-1 individual record at the Big 12 Match Play Championship (Oct. 17-19) … medalist at the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur with a 36-hole score of 9-under-par 134 (69-65) … 2022 Texas Class 5A state individual champion and led Anderson High School to the team championship … tabbed the No. 1 recruit in the state of Texas and No. 7 nationally by the AJGA in the class of 2022 … three-time Rolex Junior All-American … member of the West Team at the 2020 Wyndham Cup … registered seven top-10 finishes on the AJGA Tour, including a tie for second at the 2021 Jackie Burke Invitational … won individual titles at the 2020 George Hannon Junior Invitational and the 2019 AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational at Lake Oconee.
Tommy Morrison: No. 105 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking (Sept. 13) … claimed medalist honors and advanced to the quarterfinals in match play at the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur in July … won the 36-hole stroke play competition at the U.S. Junior Amateur with an 8-under-par 135 (66-69) … narrowly missed qualifying for match play at the 2023 Western Amateur with a 72-hole score of 5-under-par 279 (68-72-69-70), but stayed in Chicago as served as caddy for teammate Christiaan Maas during the match play portion of the event … advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2023 British Amateur Championship in June at Hillside and Southport & Ainsdale courses in England … enrolled at Texas prior the 2023 spring semester … competed in seven of UT's nine events in the spring of 2023 and ranked third on the team in scoring average (71.50) … shot par or better in 11 of his 18 stroke-play rounds last spring, including a pair of rounds in the 60s … carded a collegiate-best tie for eighth place at the NCAA Bath Regional (May 15-17) with a 5-under-par 208 (68-70-70) … his opening-round score of 3-under 68 at the NCAA Bath Regional (May 15) marked his collegiate-low 18-hole score … tied for ninth at the Southern Highlands Collegiate (Feb. 26-28) with a 7-under-par 209 (70-70-69) while competing as an individual … made his collegiate debut in the match against Georgia Tech (Feb. 10) and earned a 2&1 victory over Ben Reuter … posted a runner-up showing in the 2022 North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 … finished fourth in the inaugural Elite Amateur Cup in 2022 after competing in six of the seven championships (Elite Amateur Cup includes the Sunnehanna Amateur, Northeast Amateur, Trans-Miss Amateur, Southern Amateur, Pacific Coast Amateur, North & South Amateur and the Western Amateur) … paired with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and earned a qualifying spot for the 2023 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship … placed fourth at the 2022 Junior Orange Bowl International … tied for sixth at the 2021 Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship … won the 2020 Southern Junior championship.
Players Mentioned
