411OnTheForty: Second-seeded Texas men’s golf finishes fourth at Big 12 Match Play

To be the best, you have to beat the best.

The second-seeded Texas men's golf team certainly learned that fact over the weekend at the Big 12 Match Play Tournament in Hockley, Texas (about 35 miles northwest of Houston). The Horns split four matches, including a loss Sunday to Oklahoma, 3-2-1, in the third-place match of the tournament en route to finishing fourth in the tournament.

If anything, Sunday's loss simply gave the Longhorns a benchmark from which to work throughout the rest of the fall, and added another building block in this young team's chemistry and success this season.

To begin the Big 12 Match Play Friday, second-seeded Texas was upset by seventh-seeded Oklahoma State, 4-0-2. The Horns rebounded later in the day against sixth-seed Kansas, with a 5-0-1 win in dominating fashion.

The Longhorns continued their winning ways with a narrow 3-2-1 victory Saturday over third-seeded Texas Tech.

Texas was led by Cole Hammer, fresh off a U.S. Open appearance in September. Hammer earned a victory against Kansas, and accumulated a half-point in the loss to Oklahoma. Notre Dame transfer Hunter Ostrom also stood out, picking up an impressive victory over Kansas' Ben Sigel. Ostrom also earned a victory in the win over third-seeded Texas Tech Saturday.

Texas gets a week to regroup and recoup before hitting the road once again for the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational Oct. 18-20 in Carrollton, Texas.