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Oklahoma State Wins Its Fifth Big 12 Men's Golf Championship

HUTCHINSON, Kan. - Pablo Martin and Ryan Posey both carded final rounds of two-under par 68 to lead Oklahoma State to the 2007 Big 12 Men's Golf Championship at Prairie Dunes Country Club (par 70, 6,611 yards).

The title was the Cowboys' fifth in the Big 12 and 50th conference crown overall. OSU scored an 866 (+26) after recording a 287 over the final 18 holes. First round leader Texas A&M finished second with an 873 (+33).

"This is a tough conference. It has not been easy to win at all," said OSU head coach Mike McGraw. "Texas has won three, Baylor one, Oklahoma one and Kansas one. I'm pretty sure Texas A&M will win one as well."

Martin captured medalist honors with a 211 (+1) after beginning the final round tied for third. He birdied five of the last nine holes, including 17 and 18. Posey moved from a sixth-place tie to place second with a 214 (+4) while Nebraska's Brady Schnell took third with a 215 (+5).

"I hit some good shots and some bad ones coming in," said Martin. "I'm happy with the way I handled the situation. Making birdies and then bogies, then birdie, bogey, birdie, bogey, I tried to get my way and not get upset. I tried to stay calm. Being with Alan (Bratton) really helped me out a lot. I am really happy, really happy for this win."

The top 10 individuals were named to the Big 12 All-Tournament Team.

Big 12 Men's Golf Championship Notes

--Oklahoma State claimed its fifth Big 12 and 50th overall conference men's golf championship. Its 50 titles are in 61 league tournaments - 9 Missouri Valley, 36 Big Eight and 5 Big 12.
--Texas A&M's runner-up finish is its best finish in the 11-year history of the Big 12 Championship. The Aggies have placed in the upper half of the men's golf championship each of the three years and seven times total.
--Texas Tech's third-place was its highest ever. The Red Raiders improved by one place from tying for fourth last year.
--With its fourth-place finish, Texas has finished either fourth or better in every Big 12 Men's Golf Championship.
--Oklahoma has finished in the upper half of the Big 12 Championship nine of 11 years with its fifth place in 2007.
--Nebraska's sixth place matched last year's finish, its highest since a runner-up finish in the 1999 event.
--Nebraska's 20-stroke improvement from its first round (313) to final round (293) tied for the fourth best improvement from first to third round in Big 12 history.
--Big 12 All-Tournament Team: Pablo Martin Oklahoma State (211), Ryan Posey, Oklahoma State (214), Brady Schnell, Nebraska (215), Bronson Burgoon, Texas A&M (216), Robert Gates, Texas A&M (216), Oscar Floren, Texas Tech (219), Martin Piller, Texas A&M (219), Michael Baird, Colorado (220), Walt Koelbel, Kansas (221) and Tyler Leon, Oklahoma State (221).
--There were six sub-par rounds for the 2007 Big 12 Championship, including four in the final round. Texas A&M's Bronson Burgoon had the tournament low with a 67, which tied for the 11th lowest round in Big 12 history. Sub-par rounds: Bronson Burgoon, Texas A&M (67, third round), Pablo Martin, Oklahoma State (68, third), Ryan Posey, Oklahoma State (68, third), Walt Koelbel, Kansas (69, third), Oscar Floren, Texas Tech (69, third), Robert Gates, Texas A&M (69, first).
--Pablo Martin's 211 medalist score was the highest three-round total since 215 won the 2001 championship, also at Prairie Dunes.
--Oklahoma State and Texas A&M each had two players finish in the top five. For OSU it marked the fifth time this has happened in Big 12 history. For A&M, it was its first.
--OSU having four players in the top 20 marked the 10th time in the league championship this has occurred and the fourth time for OSU.
--Oklahoma State led by five strokes heading into the final round. The Cowboys have taken a two-round lead in five Big 12 Championships and eventually won four of those titles - 1997, 2000, 2005 and 2007. OSU tied eventual champion Texas for the two-round lead in 2004 and ended up third.
--Texas A&M led after the first round for the third time in Big 12 history. The Aggies also led the 1998 event with a 306 and finished fifth and led after the first round in 2000 with a 284 and also placed fifth. A&M's 284 at Prairie Dunes in 2000 is its all-time low round.
--A&M's first round 285 was two strokes shy of the Big 12 first round record of 283 set by Oklahoma in 2002, also at Prairie Dunes.
--Texas A&M Big 12 Championship rounds under 300 (including all three in 2007) - 15 overall, 10 at Prairie Dunes.
--Oklahoma State's 290, 289 and 287 were its 10th, 11th and 12th consecutive scores below 300 at the Big 12 Championships and its eighth, ninth and 10th straight at Prairie Dunes (2004, 2002, 2001).
--Oklahoma State Big 12 Championship rounds under 300 (including three this year) - 29 overall, 22 at Prairie Dunes.
--Texas Big 12 Championship rounds under 300 - 25 overall, 19 at Prairie Dunes.
--Weather on Tuesday at tee time was cloudy and 66 degrees with SSE winds 22 miles an hour gusting to 26 degrees. There was a rain delay of approximately 30 minutes.
--Weather on Monday was partly cloudy and 65 degrees with ENE winds 9 mph to start. The winds picked up throughout the morning. At the time the teams teed off for the second round it was partly cloudy 75 degrees and winds were ESE 14 mph gusting to 21 mph. The clouds rolled in around 3 p.m.
--This is the eighth time the Big 12 Championship has been played at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan., and first time since the 2004 event. Prairie Dunes hosted the first six Big 12 Championships from 1997-2002 and the 2004 event.