The Alabama men’s golf team finished runner-up at the 2018 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships on Wednesday afternoon, getting swept 5-0 by No. 1 ranked Oklahoma State. 

The Crimson Tide was able to advance to the National Title match after securing a 3-2 victory over Texas Tech in the quarterfinals and a 5-0 sweep of Duke in the semifinals, both of which occurred on Tuesday, May 29.

Despite entering the championship match with plenty of momentum, Alabama was stifled by a scorching hot Oklahoma State team who was playing on its home course of Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma. 

“First to Oklahoma State, Karsten Creek and the community of Stillwater, thank you for an amazing week,” Alabama coach Jay Seawell said in a press release. 

“It’s really been fun over my years to see how much college golf has changed and grown and become such a – no longer an obscure sport but actually popular, and there’s a demand for it, and I think this week was a credit to here. Oklahoma State has got a great tradition and probably are the reason that college golf has grown big, and so we salute them today, not just their team but how they handled this whole week.”

Although Alabama was unable to capture its third national title in program history, it was the fourth time that the Crimson Tide has competed in the national title match in the past seven seasons – the most of any collegiate team since the format was implemented. Alabama claimed the national championship in 2013 and 2014, while also finishing runner-up in 2012.