Oklahoma State defeated Ole Miss during the semifinal round of the NCAA golf tournament fair and square. The Cowboys out-lasted the Rebels across five different chaotic matches over 87 holes to advance to the championship round.
However, Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson was subject to criticism for his awful etiquette at the tee box. He did not respect the unspoken boundaries.
Fahlberg-Johnsson, a freshman, joined the Oklahoma State golf team after a well-decorated career as a junior in Sweden. The European-native was a highly-touted recruit in the Class of 2024 and chose to play for one of the most decorated programs in the country.
His decision paid off in a big way. Not only did the Cowboys win the Big 12 Conference tournament, they advanced to the championship match of the NCAA Tournament at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California on Tuesday evening. Fahlberg-Johnsson played one of the worst rounds of his life that ultimately proved to be one of the best.
He went 3UP through six against Ole Miss and held a lead on 16 of the first 17 holes. However, Cameron Tankersley refused to go away while Fahlberg-Johnsson struggled to close things out. The Rebels’ No. 2 golfer tied the match with a birdie on 18 to force a playoff. Both guys double bogeyed the 19th hole. Fahlberg-Johnsson won the match with a birdie on 20 to give the Cowboys their second win of the day.
Let me be very clear. What I am about to say next is not to discredit the performance of Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson. He did what he needed to do even though the near-disastrous collapse was excruciating to watch at times. A win is a win. On to the natty.
With that being said, the Oklahoma State freshman drew criticism for his lack of golf etiquette throughout the latter half of the semifinal round. Fahlberg-Johnsson frequently crowded Tankersley at the tee and moved around way too much during his opponent’s backswing.
— – (@Spicoli_____) May 28, 2025
It got to the point that he was literally standing in the box. Not just next to it. In it.
I watched every single hole of the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the NCAA golf tournament. At no point in any other match did I see this kind of decorum — or lack thereof. I am not the most prolific golfer nor will I ever be good enough to compete on the collegiate level. Fahlberg-Johnsson played better than Tankersley when it mattered the most and won the match based on merit.
And yet, I cannot believe he got away with his shenanigans. I find it hard to believe his positioning at the tee box was not intentional gamesmanship but there is no way to know for sure. It will be a storyline to watch during Oklahoma State’s national championship golf match against Virginia.