ALASDAIR DALGLEISH RUNNER-UP FINISH IN SOONER CH/SHIP

Anglo-Scot Alasdair Dalgleish, a sophomore student at Oklahoma Christian University, fired a final round of 65 over a long par-72 course of 7,323yd – the best by anyone in the tournament as – OCU (The Eagles) rallied to finish second in the Sooner Athletic Championship at The Rawls course, Lubbock, Texas.

Dalgleish, pictured, from West Sussex but with lots of Scottish relations, also finished second individually.

The top-ranked Eagles posted a team score of 283 in the final round  course to finish with a three-round total of even-par 864. Their great rivals, the second-ranked Oklahoma City University, ran away with the title, shooting a 272 on Tuesday to finish at 29-under-par 835.

Oklahoma City’s Clark Collier posted a final-round 66 and took individual title at the head of a field of 49 players with a 14-under-par total of 202 (67-69-66).

Dalgliesh’s 65 lifted him into second place at 9-under 207 (72-70-65), four shots ahead of third-place James Marchesani of OCU (73-70-68 for 2011).

In the team race, second-placed Oklahoma Christian finished three shots ahead of third-placed Wayland Baptist (Texas), which closed at 867. The Eagles entered the final round five shots behind Wayland Baptist.

After the tournament, Oklahoma Christian coach David Lynn was named as the SAC coach of the year for the fifth time.

“We didn’t play up to our standard of golf this week,” Lynn said. “It’s unfortunate that our poor play was at the conference tournament.”

 “I was very proud of Ali (Alasdair Dalgelish) this week,” Lynn said. “He got better and better every round and that says a lot.”

Last year, Oklahoma City also won the SAC title while Oklahoma Christian finished second, but OC went on to win the program’s second national championship in three years.

“We are going to have to take inventory of our games and hit the practice tee after these boys finish finals this week,” Lynn said.