1978 – Mike Gowens
Mike Gowens was born and raised in Purcell, attending Purcell Schools from kindergarten thru graduation.
In high school Mike played football for 4 years, basketball for 2 years, and ran track for 4 years
Coach Bob Haley was a Coach, mentor, friend and was also Mike’s Assistant Golf Coach for a few years and served on the Golf Board for the Purcell Golf Course.
After graduating from Purcell High School, Mike accepted a scholarship to play college football for the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers in Alva, Oklahoma. When his final season of football was over, Mike decided to try out for the NWOSU Golf Team and made it.
Mike started working as a Greenskeeper for the Brent Bruehl Memorial Golf Course. That job led to Mike becoming the Assistant Golf Pro for the 9-hole course and in 1992, he was made the Head Pro. Mike went thru the process to become a PGA Golf Professional and is a member of the South Central Section of the PGA of America. After taking the Head Pro position, he was able to design and help build the additional holes when then Purcell Golf Course became an 18-hole course in 1995. He also worked with the builder to design the layout of the new pro shop.
In 2004, Purcell Schools needed a coach for their boys and girls golf teams. Mike had been giving lessons to several of the team members so he stepped in to help. The girls’ golf team were State Champions that year. The Purcell Lady Dragons went on to become the 2005 and 2006 State Champions and took State Runner-Up in 2007. Mike continued to coach both teams and in 2008 the Purcell Boys Golf Team was State Runner-Up.
In 2014, the Cinderella Lady Dragon Golf Team from Purcell beat out the returning champions
when they surprised everyone and won the school’s 4th state championship. Those girls went on to “3-peat” and won the title again in 2015 and 2016
the team rallied to take State Runner-Up in 2017, but came back as State Champs in 2018
State Runner-Ups in 2019, bringing the Lady Dragon Golf Program to a count of 7 State Championships and 3 State Runner-Ups
In 2012, one of his girl golfers was awarded the Jim Thorpe Award for Top Girl Golfer in the State.