EDMOND, Okla. (Aug. 19, 2020) – Oklahoma Christian coach David Lynn has built one of the nation's top small-college men's golf programs over the past two decades, and the depth of his work will be on display this week during the Oklahoma Open.
A dozen current and former Eagles – including the program's most prominent alumnus – will be in the field for the Oklahoma Golf Association's top event, which will run from Thursday through Saturday at Oak Tree Country Club's East Course.
Former OC star Rhein Gibson, currently in his second stint on the PGA Tour, is one of two Tour players in the 156-man field, along with Robert Streb. Neither man qualified for the Fed Ex Cup playoffs, so they both decided to enter the Open instead. Both will retain PGA Tour privileges for the 2020-21 season.
Gibson, a native Australian and a four-time first-team NAIA All-America selection for the Eagles from 2005 to 2008, now lives in Edmond. He won the 2010 Oklahoma Open as he built his professional career.
"I'm just so proud that both those guys would come back and play in this event," OGA Executive Director Mark Felder told the website GolfOklahoma.org. "Obviously they can make more for finishing last in most tour events than they can for winning this, but they wanted to help us and come spend a week with their families."
Gibson will play in the same grouping with a former OC teammate, Kyle Hudelson of Edmond, who recently won his second straight OGA Mid-Amateur Championship title. They will tee off on hole No. 1 at 1 p.m. Thursday.
There also will be two current/former OC golfers in the 2:20 p.m. grouping off No. 1 tee, as another four-time NAIA All-American, Preston Wilkins of Tulsa (2009-2012) will play alongside current OC redshirt freshman Ransen Turner of Edmond. Wilkins was a part of NAIA title-winning teams in 2009 and 2011 and topped the Open qualifier held last week at Oak Tree's West Course.
Other OC alumni in the field will include Ethan Smith (2016-2019), Taylor Williams of Chickasha (2012-2014) and Corey Hale (2006). Smith, from Edmond, is currently playing professionally on mini-tours. Hale, an Australian who lives in Oklahoma City, has played pro golf on the China Tour, the Australian Tour and the OneAsia Tour.
Joining Turner as current OC players in the field will be two-time NCAA Division II All-American Trevor Norby of Carlsbad, Calif.; All-Lone Star Conference honoree Alejandro Armijo of Rio Rancho, N.M.; Alex Motes of Sulphur Springs, Texas; Said Powers of Edmond and Reese Gorman of Schertz, Texas.
Norby made the cut in last year's Open, finishing 22nd at 2-under-par 208 through three rounds. Among amateurs in the tournament, he was second.
Here are the Thursday tee times for current and former OC players:
OFF NO. 1 TEE:
9:30 a.m. – Ethan Smith
10 a.m. – Trevor Norby
1 p.m. – Kyle Hudelson, Rhein Gibson
2 p.m. – Alex Motes
2:10 p.m. – Alejandro Armijo
2:20 p.m. – Preston Wilkins, Ransen Turner
OFF NO. 10 TEE:
8 a.m. – Reese Gorman
9:40 a.m. – Said Powers
12:30 p.m. – Corey Hale
1:20 p.m. – Taylor Williams
