OKLAHOMA CITY – No. 1-ranked Oklahoma City University plays host to the inaugural Kyle Blaser Invitational on Monday and Tuesday at Gaillardia Country Club.
The 54-hole tournament begins 8:30 a.m. Monday with tee times at the first and 10th holes on the par-72, 6,075-yard course. OCU, top-ranked in NAIA women's golf, will tee off on No. 10 in the first round. Two rounds will be played Monday.
The field includes two teams ranked among the top 10 in the NAIA – Oklahoma City and No. 9 Texas Wesleyan. Kansas Wesleyan, which is receiving votes, and three of the top teams in the junior-college ranks will also compete.
The Stars have their most victories in a season (five) since 2016-17. OCU took its fourth tournament win in a row In the Las Vegas Shootout on Feb. 21-22 in Boulder City, Nev. The Stars come off a fifth-place showing in the South Dakota State Jackrabbit Invitational on March 14-15 in Boulder City, Nev. OCU competed against a group of NCAA Division I teams and finished ahead of 10 such squads.
Reagan Chaney posted a tie for second place to pace Oklahoma City in the Jackrabbit Invitational. Chaney, a freshman from Ardmore, Okla., carded a 72-72-69–213 at par-72, 6,343-yard Boulder Creek Golf Club. Chaney delivered one of seven rounds under 70 among the field during the last round to end four shots off the pace set by Rutgers' Anna-Maria Diedrichs (72-66-71–209). Chaney sank five birdies in the final round to tie with teammate Maddi Kamas for the tournament lead with 13 birdies.
Kamas, a freshman from Kingfisher, Okla., turned in one of seven under-par total scores in the tournament and 12 under-par rounds in the last round with a 74-70-71–215 to tie for fifth place.
In 2021-22, Chaney tops OCU with a 72.29 scoring average in 21 rounds. She finished first or second in a tournament for the fourth time this season. Natalie Gough, a senior from Bixby, Okla., has produced a 73.48 stroke average for the Stars on the season.
The tournament has been named after the Stars' first women's golf coach, Kyle Blaser. The program began in 2000-01 and finished as NAIA runner-up in '01 under Blaser. OCU has taken eight NAIA women's golf championships in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014 and 2017.
From 1996-2019, Blaser directed Oklahoma City to 11 NAIA men's golf championships, more than any coach, 20 conference titles and 119 tournament wins. He has been inducted into the OCU Athletics Hall of Fame, NAIA Hall of Fame and the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame.
Gaillardia Country Club's golf course was designed by award-winning course architect Arthur Hills. Hills is known for his natural approach, reputation for being environmentally friendly and unwavering commitment to excellence. The golf course opened in July 1998. Gaillardia, located at 5300 Gaillardia Boulevard in Oklahoma City, hosted the 2001 and '02 Senior Tour Championships. Gaillardia's French-Normandy-style clubhouse has been recognized as one of the top 100 clubhouses in the world.
OCU previously hosted the Southern Plains Intercollegiate at Gaillardia on Sept. 14-15, 2020. The Stars took that tournament as well as the 2017 Sooner Athletic Conference Championships at the course.
The weather is projected to include temperatures reaching the lower 80s with winds 15-30 mph during the tournament. There is a 20 percent chance for rain Tuesday with an afternoon storm possible that day.
