HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. – On Monday night, the 2026 Men's Horizon League Golf Championship ended in a tie for first place, sending Oakland and Wright State to a sudden-death playoff on the 18th hole. After each team's starters played the final hole for a second time on the last day, the Golden Grizzlies came up just short, earning a second-place finish.

Despite falling short of the title, Oakland's runner-up finish marks the program's best result since 2021, when the team won its lone Horizon League Championship.

Over the tournament's 54 holes, Oakland battled its way to the top of the standings. At the end of day one, the Golden Grizzlies sat in fourth place after opening with a one-over 289. However, they moved to the top of the leaderboard after day two by posting the day's best score, a 295, and held that lead through the end of day three with a final-round 291 for a tournament total of 875 (+11).

The par-72, 6,804-yard El Campeon Course saw the first team playoff in Horizon League history in more than 20 years. Wright State had previously won sudden-death team playoffs over Butler in back-to-back years, in 2003 and 2004.

As a team, the Golden Grizzlies led in nearly every major category during the tournament. They finished first in par-four average (4.18), par-five average (4.60), and eagles made (3), while ranking second in birdies (43) and pars (158). 

Atop the individual leaderboard, freshman Rakshit Dahiya finished runner-up with a three-under-par 213, earning All-Tournament Team honors. The New Delhi native led the field in par-five average (4.25), recorded one of Oakland's three eagles, and posted top-10 marks in pars made, par-four average, and birdies made.

Junior Robert Burns also earned a top-10 finish, tying for seventh overall with a 220 (+4) while leading the team in par-fours with an average of 4.07. Senior Luke Kelly placed 13th with a 222 (+6) and recorded one of Oakland's three eagles during the second round on the opening 10th hole.

Just behind Kelly was redshirt junior Jack Zubkus, who tied for 14th with a 223 (+7). Zubkus ranked third overall in par-five average (4.42) and tied for fifth in birdies made. Rounding out the lineup was junior Matteo Rocco, who tied for 20th with a 224 (+8), recorded Oakland's final eagle on the same hole as Kelly, and posted a par-five scoring average of 4.67.

In the sudden-death playoff on the 18th hole, Rocco, Kelly, and Zubkus played first alongside two golfers from Wright State. The three Oakland golfers combined for a score of +2 on the par-four hole, while the Raiders remained even. Then Dahiya and Burns played, and the pair finished one-over-par as Wright State once again shot even par, giving the Raiders the sudden-death victory and the Horizon League title.

OU RESULTS
Team: 289 | 295 | 291 = 875 (+11)
2. Rakshit Dahiya: 69 | 72 | 72 = 213 (-3)
T7. Robert Burns: 74 | 74 | 72 = 220 (+4)
13. Luke Kelly: 74 | 75 | 73 = 222 (+6)
T14. Jack Zubkus: 72 | 77 | 74 + 223 (+7)
T20. Matteo Rocco: 76 | 74 | 74 = 224 (+8)

FINAL RESULTS
T-1st. Wright State: 875 (+11) | Sudden Death: 20 (even)
T-1st. Oakland: 875 (+1) | Sudden Death: 23 (+3)
3. Green Bay: 887 (+23)
4. Purdue Fort Wayne: 888 (+24)
5. Youngstown State: 895 (+31)
6. IU Indianapolis: 898 (+34)
7. Cleveland State: 899 (+35)
8. Detroit Mercy: 902 (+38)
9. Robert Morris: 913 (+49)
10. Northern Kentucky: 916 (+52)

Complete results of the invitational can be found on Clippd.

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