EDMOND, Okla. (Aug. 28, 2021) – Incoming Oklahoma Christian freshman Oskari Nikku posted a top-40 individual finish in the Oklahoma Golf Association's Oklahoma Open, which ended Saturday on Oak Tree Country Club's East Course.

Nikku, from Tuusula, Finland, shot a final-round score of 2-over-par 72 on the 7,116-yard course and finished tied for 37th (in what started as a 133-man field) at 211 (1-over) for the 54-hole tournament. He was one of only six amateurs to make the cut to the top 40 and ties (which ended up being 51 players) and finished third among that group.

He is one of only a handful of OC players, and certainly the first freshman, ever to make the cut in the Oklahoma Open, a professional event that's open to amateur entrants. In recent years, only two other OC players – Trevor Norby and Sam Johnston, each a three-time NCAA Division II All-American – have made it to the final round of the Oklahoma Open.

NIkku wasn't planning on playing in the Open, but on Tuesday he replaced a teammate who was a late scratch from the event. Nikku shot a 71 in the opening round on Thursday and a 2-under 68 on Friday.

On Saturday, he had two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine and was even-par at the turn. A birdie at the par-4 No. 10 and another on the par-5 No. 12 (which he birdied in all three rounds) put him at 2-under for the round and 3-under for the tournament. He closed the tournament with four straight bogeys.