Oklahoma State's 2018 national champions defeated the 2025 title-winning Cowboys 4-2 in a special match-play event. The showcase featured PGA Tour and LIV Golf talent returning to Stillwater while highlighting the next generation of OSU golfers led by Preston Stout.
Who would you take in a match play event?
What would make LIV Golfer Matthew Wolff and PGA Tour golfers Viktor Hovland, Austin Eckroat, Chris Ventura, Sam Stevens, and Zach Bauchou skip a tournament weekend? The chance to return to their alma mater and take on the 2025 Oklahoma State national champions in a special match-play event streamed on Golf Channel's YouTube.
When the dust settled, the 2018 national championship team earned bragging rights with a 4-2 victory over the reigning national champions.
Wolff defeated Gaven Lane 6&5, while Stevens earned a 4&2 win over Jon Wild. However, the current Cowboys did not go down without a fight. Jack Nicklaus Award finalist Preston Stout earned one of the most impressive victories of the day, defeating Hovland 4&3. Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson also picked up a win for the 2025 squad, taking down Bauchou 6&4.
While the final score favored the 2018 team, the event showcased just how much talent exists across multiple generations of Oklahoma State golf.
The 2018 squad wasn't just a national championship team—it became one of the most successful groups to come through Stillwater in recent memory. Hovland, Eckroat, Ventura, and Stevens have all established themselves on the PGA Tour, while Wolff has found success on LIV Golf. Their professional accomplishments have helped cement that team as one of the premier championship groups in program history.
At the same time, the 2025 national champions showed exactly why they brought another NCAA title back to Oklahoma State. Stout's victory over Hovland highlighted the talent currently on the roster, while Fahlberg-Johnsson's win demonstrated the depth that helped the Cowboys capture a national championship just a year ago.
A great example is Stout, who has emerged as one of the top amateur golfers in the country. The Jack Nicklaus Award finalist has already played PGA Tour events over the past two seasons through sponsor exemptions and continues to build an impressive résumé. His win over Hovland, one of Oklahoma State's most accomplished alumni, served as another reminder that the next generation of Cowboys is already knocking on the door of professional golf.
More than anything, the event reinforced the standard that Oklahoma State golf has built over the years. Few programs in college golf can put a national championship team filled with PGA Tour and LIV Golf professionals on one side and a reigning national championship team on the other.
While the 2018 team proved why it remains one of the most accomplished groups in school history, the bigger takeaway may be what the matchup says about the future. One roster is already succeeding at the highest levels of professional golf. The other is just beginning its journey.
If history is any indication, several members of the 2025 national championship team may not be far behind.
