A piston for an internal combustion engine having an improved oil control ring is provided. The piston has a piston body providing an upper combustion surface and an annular outer wall depending therefrom. A ring belt region including a plurality of ring grooves is formed in the annular outer wall. A first compression ring is disposed in one of the ring grooves and the oil control ring is disposed in another of the ring grooves. The oil control ring has generally parallel, planar upper and lower surfaces, with the upper and lower surfaces having an annular groove recessed therein. A through opening can be formed to bring the annular grooves into fluid communication with one another. The annular grooves collect oil scraped from a cylinder wall and return oil to the crank sump and reduce the contact area between the oil control ring and the wall of the ring groove.