OSU Golf: Preston Stout Wins Individual National Title, Cowboys Advance to Match Play

For the 10th time in program history, the Cowboys have an individual national champion.

Preston Stout claimed the individual title at the NCAA Championships on Monday at the Omni La Costa North Course in Carlsbad, California.

Stout closed out his 3-under final round in the tournament lead but had to wait for Alabama’s William Jennings to finish, as Jennings was running Stout down. But Jennings missed a putt on his final hole, meaning Stout was the champion.

Stout was at 5-under for the day through 11 holes, birdieing the second, sixth, seventh, ninth and 11th. But then he had three bogeys across his next six holes to bring the field back into the tournament. Stout closed with a birdie, one that ended up being rather important given Jennings’ missed putt to finish a stroke back.

The winning putt 🙌

Preston is the 10th Cowboy to earn NCAA Individual National Champion honors 🥇

📺 @GolfChannel #GoPokes | @preston_stout8 pic.twitter.com/JQw8XO6yb3

— OSU Cowboy Golf (@OSUCowboyGolf) June 2, 2026

Already a three-time Big 12 champion in three college seasons, Stout becomes the Cowboys’ first individual national champ since Matthew Wolff in 2019. Here’s the full list of names Stout joins as Cowboy national champs:

Preston Stout — 2026
Matthew Wolff — 2019
Jonathan Moore — 2006
Charles Howell — 2000
E.J. Pfister — 1988
Brian Watts — 1987
Scott Verplank — 1096
David Edwards — 1978
Grier Jones — 1968
Earl Moeller — 1953

An impressive aspect of Stout’s win was that he was 1-over after his first round. No one else who finished in the top five had a round over par, but Stout overcame that with a 5-under 67 in his second round, a 7-under 65 in his third round and then his 3-under 69 to close.

The moment Preston Stout found out that he became a national champion 🎉 pic.twitter.com/fqvnkXGVVT

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) June 2, 2026

Cowboys Advance to Match Play

More good news for the Cowboys, they’re moving on to match play.

OSU finished stroke play tied for fourth as a team with Florida. It looks as if the Cowboys will be the 5 seed, but it doesn’t really matter as the 4 seed and the 5 seed will be matched up in the first round on Tuesday.

Here’s a look at the rest of the first-round matchups:

1 Auburn vs. 8 Stanford

2 Texas vs. 7 UCLA

3 Vanderbilt vs. 6 Arizona

4 Florida vs. 5 Oklahoma State

That action starts at noon (Central) Tuesday.