HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. – Evan Bowser captured medalist honors after winning a two-hole playoff and posted a final round score of 76 (+4) to lead the Oakland men’s golf team to a runner-up finish with a final score of 916 (+52) on the final day of the Horizon League Championship on Sunday from Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort (par 72, 6,814 yards).

“We didn’t finish today’s round as well as we started but overall a lot of good things happened for Oakland this weekend,” said coach Mark Engel. “It starts with Evan Bowser, what a great a job. He battled through a tough playoff like the champion he is. Same for the team. To come home with that trophy which so many other teams wanted is a good capper for what has been a really strong spring for our team.”

Bowser is just the fourth player in program history to win the conference tournament and the first since PGA Tour professional Brian Stuard in 2005. Bowser and Cleveland State’s Michael Balcar tied at the end of three rounds with scores of 220 (+4). After each player recorded pars on the first playoff hole, Bowser would drain a 5-foot putt on the second playoff hole to claim the individual title.

Jacob Johnson earned All-Tournament Team honors after carding a final round 77 (+5) to finish the tournament at 228 (+12) and tie for seventh place. The Golden Grizzlies placed second with a total score of 916, 10 strokes behind team champion Cleveland State and one stroke in front of Wright State. It marks Oakland’s best finish at a conference tournament in the Division I era and the highest finish since 1995.

Bowser qualifies to play at one of six NCAA Regionals to be played May 14-16. The six regional sites include Sagamore Club in Noblesville, Ind. (Ball State), UNC’s Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill, N.C. (UNC), the Farms Golf Club in San Diego, Calif. (UC San Diego), the Rawls Course in Lubbock, Texas (Texas Tech), the Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash. (Washington) and The Course at Yale in New Haven, Conn. (Yale). The men’s golf selection show is schedule for May 4 at 10 a.m. live on the Golf Channel.