Make room in the trophy case at the Carlie Coe Center.

A fter holding an 11-shot lead heading into the final day of the Big 12 Championships, the OU men’s golf team went on to close out the tournament in dominant fashion for its second consecutive conference title. The 10th ranked Sooners overcame a difficult course to post the only under-par score at the tournament and win by 18 strokes.

The Sooners set a program record with a 72-hole score of 1,119 (-1) and set a conference record at Prairie Dunes by 10 shots. The course, which is a par-70 and over 7,000 yards long, had an average score of 73.06 over four rounds.

14 of the holes had an average score over par during the tournament, including eight of the holes on the back nine.

The Sooners’ lead had shrunk to just seven strokes by the time they made the turn. Still, Ben Lorenz, Jake Holbrook and Patrick Welch each had strong finishes to their rounds to help solidify the program’s 19th conference title.

“This still feels like the first time because it’s so special,” OU head coach Ryan Hybl said. “For us to have won three of the last five Big 12 Championships is so awesome. But this one was extra special because we got to enjoy the walk a little bit more on the back nine there with the lead. Overall, I’m just really proud of our guys for digging in their heels and grinding. This place is so difficult and to shoot under par at Prairie Dunes over four rounds with five guys is really special.”

Welch was the Sooners’ highest finisher, taking fourth with a 278 (-2). Drew Goodman shot a 282 (even) to finish fifth and Lorenz shot a 282 (+2) to take a share of sixth.

Welch, Goodman and Lorenz each earned a spot on the all-tournament team.

Texas Tech’s Ludvig Aberg ran away from the field to take the individual title by eight strokes with a 265 (-15).

It’s the Sooners’ fourth win this season alone and the program has won 12 of their last 22 stroke-play events. The win clinches an appearance in the NCAA Regionals as an automatic qualifier.

Jimmie Austin Golf Club is one of the regional sites, scheduled for May 15-17.