ATLANTA, Georgia – The Pepperdine men's golf team beat Oklahoma the last two times they met in match play, but the Waves couldn't make it three in a row as the Sooners pulled out a 3-1-1 victory in the semifinals of the East Lake Cup on Tuesday.
Today was a rematch of the 2020 East Lake Cup final and the 2021 NCAA championship match, both won by the Waves. This prestigious event brings together the top four teams from the previous season to the East Lake Golf Club.
SCORES
- Junior Dylan Menante (Carlsbad, Calif./Sage Creek HS) def. Chris Gotterup (OU), 1 up – Menante never trailed in the match, taking the lead on the third hole and going up by two after six holes and three after eight holes. The lead was three with three to play, through Gotterup won 16 and 17. He missed a birdie putt to extend the match on 18, however. Menante improved to 3-0 in match play at the East Lake Cup over the last two years, and 4-1-1 including the NCAA Championships. Gotterup was the co-medalist in stroke play.
- Stephen Campbell Jr. (OU) def. junior William Mouw (Chino, Calif./Ontario Christian HS), 3&1 – Campbell took the lead on the second hole and was up by four at the turn. Mouw got it back to within two on several occasions but couldn't extend the match past 17.
- Jaxon Dowell (OU) def. senior Joey Vrzich (El Cajon, Calif./Christian HS/Nevada), 4&2 – Dowell also took an early lead and went up by four after eight holes. Vrzich only got within three the rest of the way.
- Drew Goodman (OU) def. senior Derek Hitchner (Minneapolis, Minn./The Blake School), 4&3 – Goodman went up after the third hole and eventually led by four after 13 holes. Hitchner got one back on 14 before the match-clinching point on 15.
- Senior Joe Highsmith (Lakewood, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) vs. Logan McAllister (OU), tied after 16 – the match was abandoned after Oklahoma earned its third point. Highsmith was leading by three after 12 holes before McAllister won three of the next four holes.
UP NEXT
The Waves will face Arizona State in the third-place match, which begins at 11:15 a.m. ET / 8:15 a.m. PT on Wednesday. There will be live Golf Channel coverage beginning at 12 p.m. PT. The Sun Devils lost to Oklahoma State, 3-1-1, in the other semifinal.
Matchups:
Dylan Menante vs. Mason Andersen (ASU) 11:15 a.m. ET;
Derek Hitchner vs. David Puig (ASU) 11:35 a.m. ET;
William Mouw vs. Ryggs Johnston (ASU) 11:55 a.m. ET;
Joey Vrzich vs. Cameron Sisk (ASU) 12:15 p.m. ET;
Joe Highsmith vs. Preston Summerhays (ASU) 12:35 p.m. ET.
QUOTABLE
Pepperdine Coach
Michael Beard said: "We were 2-0 with them starting today, so now we're 2-1. They were ready to play. They came out ready and firing. We got down early in three matches and it was just hard to come back. They're a great team, they've got a great coach, so we expected them to come out firing ... We'll talk to the guys tonight, but nobody likes losing, so I think we'll all feel better tomorrow with a win. If that happens, I don't know, but I think the guys will be motivated enough. ASU's a great team and there's a good chance we'll see them at the national championship."
Dylan Menante said: "(Gotterup) is a really solid player overall because he beat me at the Maridoe Amateur last summer. So this was not a guaranteed one and I played really well to get it ... I hit the fairways and greens almost every time. I was really consistent. It kind of just taxes the other player when you keep doing it over and over. Then I gave myself a couple of good opportunities, made a lot of par putts, which really helped as well."
