NHS Golf Tiger Shootout Recap & 6A State Championship Preview
After months of preparation, year-round training, and one of the most consistent seasons in recent program history, the Norman High School Tigers are headed to Bartlesville for the 2026 6A State Championship.
Coming off a season-best performance at the Shootout at Earlywine and five runner-up finishes throughout the year, the Tigers enter State playing some of their best golf of the season. With a mix of veteran leadership, emerging young talent, and a lineup that appears to be peaking at exactly the right time, NHS now turns its attention to historic Hillcrest Country Club and the pursuit of another State Championship.
Final Qualifying Round | 2026 Shootout at Earlywine (South)
The starting Team NHS ( Orange) played well finishing 2nd to Edmond North. Firing a season best total of 570 (+10) , the Tigers were led by Benson Diehm who tied for 1st (medalist) shooting 67-68=135 (-5) for the day.
Conditions were perfect for the final regular season tournament before the State Championship. The first wave of teams featured Edmond North (West Region Champions)/Broken Arrow (East Region Champions), and Norman (West Region Runner-up) paired together, in what could be a preview of State.
The Tigers played solidly for 36 holes. As is the goal in every tournament we tee up in, we had a chance to win with nine holes to play. And in this case, with one hole to play.
In addition to Benson 's outstanding play, Maverick Beeson tied for 6th at 73-69-142 (+3), Owen Malone finished 14th at 73-73-146 (+6), Grant Maher finished 15th at 76-71-147 (+7), and Keagan Hager tied 42nd at 80-85-165.
The second team NHS (Black) also played well finishing 5th with a total of 597 (+27) . The 2nd team finished ahead of three schools (NNHS, Edmond Memorial, and Deer Creek) who will be playing in the 6A State.
The 2nd team was led by Bennett Diehm shooting his career best 71-71-142 (+2) finishing tied 6th. Hayden Garner finished tied 16th at 74-74-148 (+8), Grayson May finished tied 20th with 78=74=152 (+12), Crater Cook finished tied 26th 77-78-156 (+15), and Jude Banks tied 44th 81-85-166 (+26).
The tournament also served as a final competition for the Tigers before finalizing the starting line-up and alternate for State. The outstanding performance by Bennett Diehm served as a strong statement for taking the 5th spot in the starting line-up at State.
Hayden Garner, who has also been playing much better the last few weeks, will travel as the alternate in the event a starter gets sick or injured onsite before the 1st round.
6A State Championship Preview
The Tigers will enter the tournament as the 3rd/4th seed having finished runner-up in the West Regional. The starting line-up will be:
Benson Diehm, Senior - season scoring average -74.00 for 19 rds; Benson will be playing in his 4th State Championship ... including as a starter for the 2023 State Champions NHS.
Maverick Beeson, Sophomore - season scoring average - 74.57 for 19rds. Maverick will be playing in his 2nd State Championship.
Grant Maher, Senior - season scoring average - 78.25 for 19rds.Grant will be playing in his 2nd State Championship for NHS.
Owen Malone, Freshman - season scoring average - 77.82 for 19 rds. Owen will be playing in his first State Championship
Bennett Diehm, Sophomore - season scoring average - 80.14 for 14 rds. Bennett will be playing in his first State Championship .
Alternate - Hayden Garner, Sophomore - season scoring average - 79.30 for 16 rds. Hayden would be playing in his first Championship .
As a team, NHS has finished runner-up in five tournaments in the 2025-26 season, including the last three ( Edmond North, 6A West Regionals, and Shootout at Earlywine).
Four players have been in the starting line- up consistently over the final two months including Benson Diehm, Maverick Beeson, Grant Maher, and Owen Malone. The challenge has been to find a consistent fifth starter that could have contributed at least one counting round each tournament.
Bennett Diehm has been improving his play over the last three weeks and grabbed the final starting spot with his 6th place finish at The Shootout at Earlywine.
The venue for State is Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. A Perry Maxwell design, it's a medium length course at 6,687 yards with smaller greens and undulating green complexes. The course will take the driver out of the hands of many of the stronger players. Hitting the maximum number of greens is a recipe for success. Younger players often attack the pins that leave little room for mistake too aggressively.
Co-Head Coach Todd Hamilton, given his incredible professional career, has spent the last semester working with the team on course management and understanding that hitting the middle of greens is how to win at this level. At Hillcrest, missing shots on short side will leave players with very difficult pitch shots. The greens are also expected to be very firm. When you add in wind, simple shots into the greens from the fairway is the way to get the best chance to win with nine holes to play.
Conditioning to 54 holes in two days is a key to success. Going back to 2023 and the State Championship team, Tiger teams are always in good to great shape. Working out year-round as a team is just what the program is all about.
Having players peaking at the right time is key to winning in team golf. Benson Diehm and Maverick Beeson have played extremely well over the last month. Grant Maher is starting to find the confidence which makes him a threat each week. "Lil Rickie" (aka. Owen Malone) is getting more confident each week and his scores are getting lower in each tournament. "I see Owen close to a breakout performance," said Head Coach Gregg Grost. "The course fits him perfectly and the competitor in him is ready shine."
Finally, Bennett is the wildcard after emerging as an unexpected starter just three weeks ago. "We have been waiting for someone to stand up and put numbers on the board that say, “I want this,”’ said Grost. "Bennett played outstanding last week from tee to green, and his scores bear that out."
Who knows, maybe Diehm playing as the 5th man will prove as important in 2026 as it did in 2023.
Tournament Dates
Monday May 11th - 36 holes
Tuesday May 12th - 18 holes
The team will leave on Sunday May 10th and play a practice round in the afternoon.
Pairings have not been released.
There is no charge for spectators and spectator carts can be rented on a first come first serve basis at the Hillcrest golf pro shop.
Official NHS Tiger Golf Merchandise is still available to purchase here.
Every purchase directly supports The Original Golf program and helps fuel the postseason journey.
Follow along on our socials here.
Fight on, Tigers!
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