University of Missouri
Jackrabbit Invitational
@MizzouMensGolf Looks to Carry Momentum into The Jackrabbit
9/25/2015 11:18:00 AM | Men's Golf
Leroux's Tigers look to stick to their winning ways in Valentine, Neb.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - After a convincing team victory at its first event of the 2015-16 season, Mizzou Men's Golf hopes to continue its winning ways at The Jackrabbit Invitational, hosted by South Dakota State at the Prairie Club in Valentine, Neb.
The 54-hole tournament will take place from Friday, Sept. 24 to Sunday, Sept. 26, on the Dunes Course (7,583-yard par-73 design). When the Tigers tee off, they will be tangling with top tier competition from around the country. Two of the teams participating, McNeese State (No. 5) and Arizona State (No. 10), are currently ranked in the top 10 nationally, according to Golfweek.
However, there are many other strong squads on location, including No. 19 Texas A&M, No. 39 South Florida, No. 79 Oregon, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Creighton and South Dakota State. Mizzou came into the Sept. 24 rankings at 80th.
Mizzou had a stout performance at the Turning Stone-Tiger Intercollegiate (Sept. 6-7) in Verona, N.Y., in which they placed first out of 15 teams. While a Tiger individual did not win the tournament, head coach Mark Leroux's group won a fourth-straight title at the event with a combined tournament score of 2-under-par.
Coming off of a tournament in which he led the first two rounds and held on to finish in the top 10, senior Wilson Sundvold (Columbia, Mo.) leads Mizzou into The Jackrabbit. The Tigers will lean on their lone senior for leadership at a tournament that features an increased level of talent.
After an impressive college debut in which he tied for second, freshman Preston Fleenor (Kansas City, Mo.) will make his second consecutive start. He shot 3-under par at the Turning Stone, showing tremendous potential. The future is now for the first-year golfer out of The Pembroke Hill School, as another strong outing can keep the Tigers in the mix at The Jackrabbit.
Sophomore Hayden Buckley (Belden, Miss.) also tied for second with Fleenor at the Turning Stone, shooting 3-under-par for the tournament. Buckley recorded initial rounds of 72-73, but then turned it on down the stretch, shooting a 68 in the final round.
Junior Linus Lilliedahl (Sandviken, Sweden) will make his 2015-16 debut at The Jackrabbit, bringing experience and leadership as an upperclassman. Lilliedahl's sophomore year included leading the Tigers in two events. He placed eighth overall at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate and earned a third place overall finish at the Bandon Dunes Championship.
Holding down the last starting spot for Mizzou will be junior Euan Walker (Troon, Scotland). He also contributed to the Tigers' win at the Turning Stone, and looks to improve on his performance at The Jackrabbit.
For the latest on Mizzou Men's Golf, follow the program on Twitter at @MizzouMensGolf or visit MUTigers.com.
