July 20, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma City University's 2007 NAIA Men's Golf National Medalist Daniel Mitchell added additional hardware to his trophy case Thursday, defeating Robert Streb 2-and-1 in the 2007 Oklahoma Golf Association State Amateur title match at The Trails Golf Club in Norman, Okla.

Mitchell won the NAIA title in May at Indiana National Golf Club, carding a 6-under 282 on the 6,950-yard Plymouth, Ind., course. In the championship tournament, Mitchell fired an opening-round 68 before an even-par 72 on the tournament's second day.

Day three saw Mitchell fire a 3-over 75 before bouncing back to shoot a final-round, five-under 67 to close the NAIA championship win.

The win over Streb Thursday marks Mitchell's first title in three tries at the Oklahoma Amateur, falling twice in previous years to the event's eventual champion. Streb, who graduated from nearby Edmond North, will be a junior this fall at Kansas State University.

Mitchell grabbed the first two holes of the match against Streb to take a 2-up lead, and after finishing the front nine 1-up, a bogey at No. 11 squared the match with seven holes to play.

Playing in his first Oklahoma championship match, Mitchell used a solid stretch on the back nine's middle holes, taking advantage of a birdie at No. 13 and a Streb bogey at No. 14, and Mitchell's lead grew to 3-up with a birdie at the 15th. Mitchell landed his seven-iron tee-shot on the green and slam-dunked the putt from six feet away to close the stretch up three.

Mitchell's road to the championship match came with a win over 17-year-old Tyler Rice from Duncan, Okla.

Following the Oklahoma Amateur, Mitchell will hit the road to play in the Porter Cup in New York before returning to Oklahoma for the U.S. Amateur Qualifier.