SILVIS, Ill. – Oklahoma City captured its school-record 12^th NAIA Men's Golf Championship with a solid finish from individual champion Christian Yanovitch on Friday.
 
The title came down to the last two holes with Friends pulling closer as the tournament was drawing to a close. With the Stars' lead down to a single stroke, Yanovitch got a crucial birdie on the 17^th hole and then closed out with a par on the 18^th hole, which had seen the rest of the team score a bogey. That final hole had produced 29 bogeys and 16 double bogeys on the day, including bogeys by each of the Stars before Yanovitch tapped in for the winner.
 
The final event for OCU Men's Golf saw the program move ahead of softball and competitive cheer for its 12^th national championship. OCU has 81 national titles to its credit since 1991. The men's golf program also won the NAIA crown in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2018.
 
OCU, under Head Coach Blake Trimble, was NAIA runner-up last season and carried off this year's Sooner Athletic Conference championship.
 
"Proud of this team," said Trimble. "They fought hard all year and overcame some major adversity. This was truly a team effort. Still shocked this is the end of such a historic program, but happy to go out on top!"
 
On Friday, Yanovitch won the individual title and was the first Star to do so since James Marchesani in 2014. Yanovitch had rounds of 71, 69, 70 and 70 to win the event at even par. He finished with final-round birdies on four, 10, 14 and 17 and had 14 birdies for the tournament.
 
Carter Ray placed third, going 68-70-72-75 for five over par for the round and the tournament. His birdies on two and 14 on Friday brought his total to 11 birdies and one eagle.
 
Cameron Bozyk was 14 over for the tournament and placed 29^th after a round of one over par on Friday. He shot 76, 73 and 74 before turning in his best round at the right time – a 71. He birdied holes five, 10, 11 and 14 in the last round and ended the tournament with 10.
 
Lorenzo Santinelli and Jack Newton had matching rounds of 77 on Friday. Santinelli went 75-71-76-77 for the tournament for a 49^th place finish at 19 over par with four birdies. Newton was 53^rd at 20 over par, going 76-68-79-77. His birdie on the 17^th hole on Friday gave him seven for the tournament.
 
The Golf Coaches Association of America named Yanovitch and Ray to its All-America team and Yanovitch won the association's NAIA Arnold Palmer Award as the NAIA Champion.
 
Yanovitch, Ray, Santinelli, Bozyk and Newton also were named GCAA Ping All-West Region.