March 29, 2004

STEVINSON, Calif. - Missouri senior David Jenkins (Springfield, Mo. / Glendale HS / SMS) is in a tie for ninth place after the first day of competition at the CU/Stevinson Ranch Invitational, held Monday at Stevinson Ranch in the California central valley.

Jenkins was 11th through the morning round of competition after firing a 34-37 for a 1-under-par 71 over the 7,191-yard track. He followed with a 2-under 70 to sit at 141, which is six strokes behind Iowa State's Tyler Swanson and Wes Pantling of Drake. Jenkins' rounds broke a season-long slump for the Tiger senior, who posted his first sub-par rounds of the spring and first back-to-back subpar loops since The Nelson in October, when he finished fifth.

As a team, the Tigers are tied for eighth place after shooting aggregate team scores of 295 and 288 on Monday. Only four schools shot better than Mizzou in the afternoon round; one of them, Kansas, shot an 8-under 280 to break Mizzou's single-round record set in 2002 by one stroke. The Jayhawks lead three other Big 12 schools - Kansas State, Iowa State and the host Buffaloes - in the team standings.

Among Missouri's other golfers, sophomore Ben Scott (Lancashire, U.K.) is tied for 22nd after following an opening 73 - which tied his best opening round of the year - with an even-par 72; senior Michael Radek (Chicago, Ill. / St. Ignatius HS) is tied for 43rd after carding rounds of 75 and 73.

Junior Justin Bliss (Chesterfield, Mo. / Lafayette HS), who is making his first appearance of the year as a scoring member of the team and just his second overall, is just one stroke behind in a tied for 51st after firing a 76 and a season-low 73; and freshman John Kelly (St. Louis, Mo. / Christian Brothers College HS) is in a tie for 57th after fighting off an opening 78 with a 1-over 73, which is just one off his season low.

The 18-hole final round will be played Tuesday.