Four out of six former/current Cowboy golfers have top 30 finishes as Masters week closes.
AUGUSTA, GA — Augusta National Golf Club once again played host to golf’s premier event, and for fans of Oklahoma State University’s golf program, the 2026 Masters Tournament delivered plenty of reasons to cheer.
While Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy held off a charging Scottie Scheffler to win his second consecutive Masters at 12-under 276, a strong contingent of Cowboy alumni made their presence felt throughout the week.
Rory’s back to back triumph marked only the fourth time in Masters history a player has won consecutive titles; the last to do so was Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002. For the Cowboys, it was a decent showing, with four of six players with Oklahoma State ties finishing inside the top 30.
Viktor Hovland, the pride of OSU’s recent golden era and a three-time All-American before turning pro in 2019, delivered one of the weekend’s most impressive final rounds.
Starting the day tied for 39th at 1-over, the Norwegian fired a 5-under 67 on Sunday to climb all the way to a tie for 18th at 4-under for the tournament. Hovland’s closing 67 featured five birdies and just one bogey, a reminder of the ball-striking power that once made him a major favorite. His performance anchored the Cowboys’ weekend charge and earned him a healthy paycheck while keeping alive the program’s reputation for producing clutch major performers.
Wyndham Clark, another standout with deep Oklahoma State connections through his early development and ties to the Cowboy golf family, also made the weekend and finished respectably inside the top 25. Clark posted a steady 1-over 73 in the final round to end at 3-under overall, good for a tie for 21st. While not his most electric Sunday, Clark’s week was defined by consistency and strong iron play that kept him in contention through moving day.
Sam Stevens, a more recent OSU alum who has quickly established himself on the PGA Tour, turned in a solid 2-under 70 on Sunday. Stevens finished the week at 2-under, landing in a tie for 24th. His final-round score helped him gain several spots on the leaderboard and showed the composure he has developed since his days in Stillwater.
Alex Norén, the veteran Swede with strong Oklahoma State program ties, matched Stevens’ Sunday effort with a 2-under 70 of his own. Norén closed at 1-under for the tournament, securing a tie for 30th and rounding out a highly productive weekend for the Cowboys contingent.
Collectively, four of the six players with Oklahoma State connections finished inside the top 30, an impressive showing that helps the program’s continued pipeline to Augusta.
The Cowboys’ success wasn’t limited to the professionals. Oklahoma State amateur Ethan Fang, the reigning Amateur champion and a key member of OSU’s 2025 NCAA title team, made his Masters debut and left a good impression despite missing the cut.
Fang opened with a 74 that left him as the low amateur after Thursday’s first round. Though he followed with a 78 on Friday, the 20-year-old displayed the talent that made him the first American in 18 years to win The Amateur Championship at Royal St. George’s.
Unfortunately, Fang joined the other five amateurs in the field in missing the weekend, marking the second straight year no amateur advanced to the final 36 holes at Augusta.
The weekend belonged to McIlroy, who played a decent final round with a 1-under 71 to edge Scheffler by one shot. But for Oklahoma State golf fans, the real story was the Cowboys’ collective performance.
From Hovland’s Sunday performance to the steady contributions of Clark, Stevens, and Norén, and even Fang’s promising debut, Oklahoma State once again proved why it remains one of college golf’s top programs.