Feb. 15, 2005
LAKELAND, Fla. - Missouri junior Ben Scott (Lancashire, United Kingdom / St. Theodore's HS) shot a final-round 69 - the second-lowest round of the entire tournament - to tie for medalist honors Tuesday in the final round of the Matlock Collegiate Classic at the Grasslands CC. He is the first Tiger to win a tournament since Mark McBride captured the 2001 Purina Classic, and the first spring medalist since John Utley won the 1990 Florida Intercollegiate Invitational.
Scott began the day two strokes behind co-medalist Matt VanCleave from Kansas State, and went out in 2-under 34. That included a chip-in for an eagle three on the 512-yard fourth hole. He then added birdies on the 10th, 12th, and 15th holes before suffering a double-bogey seven on the 18th to come home in 1-under 35 for his closing 69, which matches his lowest round of the season.
"I feel like I got everything going right this week, especially with the chip-in today and the hole-in-one yesterday," Scott said. "I felt relaxed - it seemed like someone was watching over me. I was just happy to get the spring season off to a good start, and hopefully it can continue."
While the Tigers as a team shot their best round of the tournament on Tuesday with a 4-over 292, Mizzou wasn't able to go as low as the tournament leaders. Host Florida Southern blitzed their home course for a 5-under 283 to take the tournament title for the third time in the last five years. Division II Georgia College & State University was two strokes back, while Kansas State hung on for third place, two strokes in front of the Tigers.
Sophomore Shawn Jasper (Marthasville, Mo. / Francis Howell North HS / Newman Univ.) picked up the spring season where he left the fall - in the top 10. His final-round 72 left him in a tie for seventh place, his best showing of the season.
Among MU's other competitors, sophomore Trent Twaddle (Maryville, Mo. / Maryville HS) carded a 75 to tie for 25th and earn his best finish of the year; sophomore John Kelly (St. Louis, Mo. / Christian Brothers College HS) shot a 76 to tie for 57th, and senior Justin Bliss (Chesterfield, Mo. / Lafayette HS) finished with a 77 to place in a tie for 33rd.
"It was a good team effort. We played solidly," Head Coach Mark Leroux said. "The three leading teams all played well, and brought each other along. That made it tough for us to make up ground, but that's OK. It was a good step for us, and we'll figure out how to win. Ben Scott seems like he's in total command of his golf ball right now. It was kind of the way his entire tournament went."
The Tigers take a week off from competition before resuming play in two weeks (Mon.-Tue., Feb. 28-Mar. 1) at the Roadrunner Intercollegiate in San Antonio, Texas.
MIZZOU MEN'S GOLF
at the Matlock Invitational - Lakeland, Fla.
Grasslands CC - 7,065 yards / par 72
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS (top five) - 1. Florida Southern, 297-292-283--872; 2. Georgia College & State, 289-299-286--874; 3. Kansas State, 291-298-294--883; 4. MIZZOU, 295-297-292--884; 5. Rollins College, 302-301-288--891.
FINAL INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (top five plus other MU finishers) - 1. (tie), Ben Scott (MU), 70-73-69--212 and Matt VanCleave (KSU), 70-71-71--212; 3. Carter Collins (GCSU), 71-71-71--213; 4. Greg Koch (FSU), 71-72-71--214; 5. Gordon Strother (UTC), 75-70-70--215; T7. Shawn Jasper (MU), 74-73-72--219; T25. Trent Twaddle (MU), 76-75-75--226; T33. Justin Bliss (MU), 75-76-77--228; 57. John Kelly (MU), 78-80-76--234.