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Russ Cunningham
Russ Cunningham

Position:
Head Coach
Twitter:
@Oakland4Golf



04/24/2013

Komma Leads Oakland at The Summit League Championship

The junior posted a final round 79 to finish in a tie for 10th place.

04/24/2013

OU's Bowser Finishes Top 10 at The Summit League Championship

The freshman shot 8-over-par to end the tourney in a tie for sixth place.

04/23/2013

Golden Grizzlies Climb Standings at The Summit League Championship

OU stands in a tie for 5th place heading into final round.

04/23/2013

OU Remains in Fifth at Summit League Championship

Alanna Gerber and Kassandra Komma are in T17 after 2 days.

04/22/2013

Golden Grizzlies Sixth at The Summit League Men's Golf Championship

Evan Bowser led the way with a 75 today.

03/09/2012

Coach Cunningham.

Head Golf Coach Russ Cunningham talks about the upcoming spring tournament.

02/18/2012

The 54-hole tournament tees off on Sunday.

Head Golf Coach Russ Cunningham previews Folino Invitational

09/13/2011

Men's Golf at Wolverine Intercollegiate

Golden Grizzlies finished 11th.

Cunningham's Golf Results
2000-10
2010
Recognized as GAM Golfer of the Decade, T2 Horton Smith Championship, Won Michigan Publinx Links Match Play, GAM Honor Roll for 8th time in 11 years
2009
T2 GAM Championship, T1 Michigan Mid-Amateur losing in playoff, made GAM Honor Roll for 7th time in 10 years
2008
Injured hand (ruptured tendon in February, Semifinals of Michigan Publinx Match Play Championship, T5 Michigan Mid-Amateur Championship
2007
Qualified for USGA Public Links Championship, Won Michigan Publinx Links Match Play Title, 8th in the GAM Championship and invited to represent Michigan in the USGA State Team Championship, made Honor Roll
2006
T16th at GAM Championship, T10 Michigan Mid-Amateur Championship
2005
2nd Place in Michigan Publinx Match Play Championship, T14 Michigan Mid-Amateur Championship
2004
3rd at Syron Memorial, Won Michigan Publinx Links Match Play Title, 15th at GAM Championship, Won Michigan Mid-Amateur for the third time in four years. Only player to make the GAM Honor Roll five consecutive years.
2003
5th at Lee Gohs Championship, Semifinals of Michigan Amateur Championship, Won Syron Memorial, 10th at GAM Championship, Alternate for USGA Publinx, Qualified for USGA Mid-Amateur, 4th in Michigan Mid-Amateur, Represented Michigan in USGA State Team Championship, Runner-up for GAM Player of the Year marking four years in a row on GAM Honor Roll.
2002
Won Lee Gohs (formerly MI Publinx Medal Play Championship), Quarter Finals of MI Am, Qualified for U.S.G.A. Publinx L-1st round, Qualified for U.S.G.A. AM L-1st round, 5th at Syron Memorial, Won GAM Championship, Alternate for U.S.G.A. Mid-Am, Won MI Mid-Am title-1st ever repeat winner, GAM Player of the Year.
2001
Played in British Amateur, 15th at GAM Championship, Qualified for USGA Mid-Amateur Championship advancing to 2nd round, Won Michigan Mid-Amateur Title, GAM Honor Roll.
2000
Qualified into Sectionals for U.S. Open as well as the Western Amateur and U.S.G.A. Amateur, Qualified for U.S.G.A. Mid-Amateur advancing to 2nd round of match play, 15th Michigan Mid-Amateur, Golf Association of Michigan Honor Roll.

Russ Cunningham completed his second season as head golf coach of both the men's and women's teams. Cunningham was named Golf Association of Michigan Amateur Golfer of the Decade in 2010.

Cunningham has led the men's golf team to a steady rise over his first two seasons. The Golden Grizzlies won two golf tournaments (Cleveland State and Detroit Titans Invitationals) for the first time since the 2006-07 season. OU improved its stroke average by five shots from 2011-12 to 2012-13. The Golden Grizzlies also moved up 46 spots in the Golfweek rankings.

Since his arrival at OU, Cunningham has had two golfers qualify for the U.S. Amateur Championship in Michael Coriasso (2011) and Evan Bowser (2012). He also tutored walk-on Nick Cunningham to a fourth-place finish at 2012 Summit League Championship by posting a school-record score of 211 (-3) at the league tournament.

Bowser is coming off the most successful freshman season in program history. He tied a school record with two tournament victories at the Cleveland State Invitational (-3) and Detroit Titans Invitational (-4). Bowser finished fourth in The Summit League with a scoring average of 73.45, seventh-best in single-season school history. He was named to the All-Summit League second team.

Prior to taking over at Oakland, Cunningham spent over five years at Michigan State (1996-99) and Campbell (1993-95) in Buies Creek, N.C. He was assistant men's golf coach at MSU and assistant men's and women's golf coach at Campbell.

At Michigan State, Cunningham assisted with all parts of the golf program and helped lower the Spartans' scoring average by 15 shots and the team grade point average improved from a 2.3 to a 2.9 in two-and-a-half years. The Spartans also went from last at the Big Ten Championship to leading after 39 holes in 1998, finishing sixth.

While at Campbell, Cunningham led the Camels to multiple conference championships on both the men's and women's sides. Maria Combes qualified for the 1995 NCAA Regional Championship and Cunningham tutored eight players that garnered all-league honors. Eight CU golfers earned Academic All-League accolades and Dave Mathis, who he played with and coached, competed on the PGA Tour. He worked under 1967 USGA Junior Champion and NGCA Hall of Fame Inductee John Crooks.

Cunningham began his own consulting company in 2001 called RJC Ventures. There he provided services for mid-size businesses, non-profit organizations and golf and hospitality industries. Most recently he served as president of Associated Builders and Contractors of Central Michigan from 2008-10.

A graduate of Campbell University, Cunningham earned All-Big South honors in 1992 and `93 while leading the Camels to consecutive Big South Conference championships. He earned a master's degree in exercise science (1996) and a bachelor's degree in sports management (1993).

Cunningham continues to be one of the top golfers in the state of Michigan and has nine tournament victories statewide, with his most recent triumph coming at the 2010 Michigan Publinx Match Play Championship.

A native of Iona, Mich., Cunningham resides in DeWitt, Mich. with his wife, Michele, and two daughters, McKenna and Madison.

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