April 27, 2011
Columbia, Mo. -
Missouri Golf battled difficult weather conditions during the final round of play at the 2011 Big 12 Men's Golf Championship, but that didn't keep the Tigers from once again moving up the leaderboard. Head Coach Mark Leroux's club used a final round 295, the second-best score of the day, to finish fifth overall and top nationally-ranked foes Oklahoma (#28) and Baylor (#43) in Hutchinson, Kan.
The fifth-place finish by Mizzou is the school's best at the Big 12 Championship since 2005 when the team finished third at Whispering Pines in Trinity, Texas. It also equaled Missouri's best finish at Prairie Dunes Country Club in the Big 12 era, tying the fifth-place showing in 2002.
Stuart Ballingall (74-73-68-73--288) highlighted Missouri's outstanding weekend in Kansas. The junior from Norwich, United Kingdom, shot 73 on Wednesday to move into a tie for fourth place. He finished just two shots out of third and equaled the 72-hole score of Oklahoma State's Peter Uihlein (288), who is ranked the #1 player in the country by both Golfweek and Golfstat. Overall Ballingall tied or defeated 14 of the country's Top 100 players this week.
Emilio Cuartero and Jace Long also finished among the Top 25 at the league championship. Just a freshman, Cuartero shot a 5-over-par 75 on Wednesday and finished tied for 16th with a 72-hole total of 293. Long, ranked #45 nationally, rallied to tie for 22nd overall with rounds of 76-78-70-72--296. His 2-over-par score throughout the final 36 holes was the fifth best amongst the field.
Will Harrold was another Tiger to finish the championship with a flurry. A senior from Guestwick, United Kingdom, Harrold played his final 36 holes at 3-over-par to finish 29th. Harrold shot 75 on Wednesday helping MU to the upper-tier showing. Nick Wilson finished tied for 50th with a four-round score of 310.
The fifth-place finish by Missouri also helped MU clinch the M&I Bank Border Showdown Series with the University of Kansas for the fifth consecutive year. Missouri currently leads the series 23.0 to 14.0 and just two regular season points remain for men's and women's track and field.
M&I Bank Border Showdown Series History (Mizzou leads 7-2)
Year Winner Points
2010-11 Mizzou 23-14
2009-10 Mizzou 23.0-16.5
2008-09 Mizzou 23-17
2007-08 Mizzou 24-15
2006-07 Mizzou 25-14
2005-06 Kansas 23-17
2004-05 Mizzou 22.5-17.5
2003-04 Kansas 21.5-18.5
2002-03 Mizzou 32.0-8.5
Tiger Notes From Big 12 Championship
- The 276 shot by Mizzou in the third round was Missouri's best single-round score at the Big 12 Championship in school history. The 276 was also the third lowest third round total in Big 12 Championship history.
- Missouri defeated two nationally-ranked teams, topping both #28 Oklahoma and #43 Baylor.
- Missouri shot a combined 571 over its final two rounds, which was the third lowest total among all Big 12 teams. Only Oklahoma State (564) and Texas A&M (570) topped Mizzou on Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Stuart Ballingall earned All-Tournament Team recognition for his fourth-place finish. Ballingall's finish equals Colby Robertson (4th in 1998) as the top finishing Tiger at the Big 12 Championship in school history.
- Missouri's 72-hole total of 1173 is a school record at the Big 12 Championship.
All-Tournament Team Tigers
Tiger Year Scores Finish Course
Stuart Ballingall 2011 74-73-68-73--288 Tied-4th Prairie Dunes (Hutchinson, Kan.)
Ben Scott 2005 71-73-74--218 Tied-5th Whispering Pines (Trinity, Texas)
Shawn Jasper 2005 71-74-74--219 7th Whispering Pines (Trinity, Texas)
Brandon Knaub 2002 70-71-72--213 Tied-8th Prairie Dunes (Hutchinson, Kan.)
Colby Robertson 1998 78-73-74--225 Tied-4th Prairie Dunes (Hutchinson, Kan.)
Mizzou Top Big 12 Finishes
Year Finish Course
2011 5th Prairie Dunes (Hutchinson, Kan.)
2005 3rd Whispering Pines (Trinity, Texas)
2002 5th Prairie Dunes (Hutchinson, Kan.)