Oral Roberts University Women's Golf

Tim Braaten is headed into his fifth season on the staff of the Golden Eagle men's and women's golf teams. After the 2025 season, Braaten received a promotion to Associate Head Coach after acting as the Assistant Coach of the men's and women's golf programs for four seasons. In 2025, Braaten played a pivotal role in assisting the ORU men's golf team to a historic season, helping secure the program's first Summit League Championship title in 15 years. His leadership and strategic on-course coaching were critical to a coaching staff that propelled the Golden Eagles to new heights, culminating in a Summit League Conference Championship and berth in the 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships, where they competed in the Bremerton Regional and shot the low round of the tournament in the final round.   Braaten's impact extended beyond team performance as he was instrumental with Coach Watson in the individual success of junior standout Kevin An. An captured the Summit League Individual Title following a dramatic three-way playoff at the league championship, becoming ORU's first individual champion since Jack Howes claimed the honor in 2021.   The team's remarkable achievements in 2025 earned widespread recognition across the league and nation. Head Coach Lance Watson was named Summit League Coach of the Year, a testament to the coaching staff's collective excellence, while Kevin An was honored as the Summit League Golfer of the Year, highlighting the individual talent. These accomplishments underscored one of ORU's most successful seasons in recent program history with the majority of the team returning. During his five years at ORU, Braaten has recruited Lane Wallace, the 2022 Summit League Newcomer of the Year, Brandon Hoff, the 2023 Summit League Player of the Year, Presten Richardson, the 2024 Summit League Newcomer of the Year and Kevin An, the 2025 Summit League Player of the Year.  Before coming to ORU, Braaten took over the Southwestern Christian men's and women's golf programs in 2017, ranking 128th in the country. He moved the program all the way up to 9th in 2021, taking the team to its first NAIA National Championship in school history. He was awarded the Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award in 2021 and coached 3 Ping All-Region players during his stint as an Eagle. Braaten is married to his wife, Nikki Braaten and has two boys, Wyatt and Rhett Braaten.

McCormick joined the ORU staff from Western Texas College where he served as head coach for both the men’s and women’s teams for the past three seasons. During the 2017-18 season, he coached the men’s team to a seventh place finish in the NJCAA National Championship. In the same year he coached the women’s team to a fifth place finish, the highest team finish since 2015.He was named WJCAC and District 2 Coach of the Year in 2017. In his time at Western Texas, both the men’s and women’s team both made appearances in the NJCCA National Championships during all five years of his tenure.Originally from Snyder, Texas, McCormick played golf for two years at Abilene Christian University where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Biology in 2008. He is married to his wife Shelley and together they have one son, Lennon.

Lance Watson enters his 26th season as head coach for the ORU women's golf team (May 2000) and 22nd as the men's head coach (2004). A 16-time Summit League Coach of the Year, Watson enters the 2025-26 golf campaigns with high expectations for both the men's and women's teams. He helped the ORU women's program become a dominating presence in the Summit League (formerly the Mid-Con), leading the Golden Eagles to 12 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. The men's team won consecutive Summit League titles and reached NCAA tournament play in 2009, 2010 and 2025. In 20 seasons as head coach for the women, Watson has produced nine Summit League players of the year, nine League newcomers of the year, two Summit League Championsip MVPs (formerly player of the year), one NCAA Championships individual qualifiers, and more than 50 all-conference selections. On the men's side, Watson has coached four Summit League players of the year (Lyle Patton, 2004, Cody Burrows 2017 & 2019, Kevin An, 2025), two Championship MVPs (Scott Stiles, 2009 and Jack Howes, 2021) and seven newcomers of the year, including 2008 winner Terence Begnel. In total with the combined accolades between the men's and women's teams, he's produced 12 Summit League Players of the Year, 16 Newcomers of the Year, three NCAA individual qualifiers and had 17 NCAA Tournament appearances. Watson has played a key role for the Oral Roberts golf program since 1991, when he joined the varsity golf team. During his two years playing for ORU, Watson was twice named team captain and also won medalist honors at the Sam Houston State Invitational during his junior year. Before transferring to ORU, Watson played golf at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, N.M. After his successful college career, Watson became a Class-A PGA Golf Professional. From 1994-1997, Watson served as the Head Golf Professional at Forest Crossing Golf Course in Nashville, Tenn. Because of his personal experience as a Golden Eagle golfer, Watson is able to bring extensive knowledge and insight of the game to the players he coaches. Watson can also offer them an understanding of being a student-athlete at Oral Roberts University. In 1993, he received his undergraduate degree from Oral Roberts University where he was honored as the Outstanding Major of the Year. Watson went on to earn his Master's of Education from ORU in 1999. Watson served as the assistant coach for the men and women's golf team from 1997-2000. He resides in Tulsa with his wife Tracy and his three daughters -- twins Ramsie and Rylie, and Reese.