University of Missouri
Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate
@MizzouMensGolf and Walker Carry Momentum into Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate
10/13/2016 5:53:00 PM | Men's Golf
Senior Walker coming off one of the best performances of his career
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. - After a hot start to the season, Mizzou Men's Golf next heads to the Blackthorn Club in Jonesborough, Tennessee, to compete in the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate (Friday, Oct. 14 – Sunday, Oct. 16). In the Tigers' first two competitive events, head coach Mark Leroux's squad has played several stellar rounds of golf, nabbing one tournament championship at the Turning Stone-Tiger Intercollegiate, and falling just short of another, placing second at the Jackrabbit Invitational. The combination of steady veteran play and an infusion of new talent has been a winning combination for Mizzou so far this season.
The field at the Bank of Tennessee will provide Mizzou with the best competition it has seen, to date. The field includes several opponents ranked in GolfWeek's Top 25, including Virginia (12), Kent State (13) and UNCW (23), while also featuring Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Furman, Kansas State, Louisville, Penn State, Tennessee, VCU, Villanova, Virginia Tech, and host East Tennessee State.
Leading the Tigers into Jonesborough is senior Euan Walker (Troon, Scotland), who is coming off arguably his best college performance. He set a new 54-hole low, shooting a 209 at the Jackrabbit, while also playing three consecutive rounds under-par in the same tournament for the first time. Walker also had a very strong showing at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate last year, placing fourth overall, while shooting the second 66 of his career, which matched his career low for an 18-hole round. Combining his hot start this season and his level of familiarity with the Blackthorn Club course, look for Walker to have another impressive outing.
Senior Linus Lilliedahl (Sandviken, Sweden), who has been impressive in his own right throughout the fall season, holds down the second spot in the Tigers' lineup. His five rounds under-par through two events this season are two more than he had all of last season combined. Like Walker, Lilliedahl also set a new career low 54-hole score at the Jackrabbit, shooting a 211. Lilliedahl's superior play this year has translated into good results, both for himself as an individual and for the Tigers. Both of the events he has competed in have seen him place in the Top 5 individually.
If the senior duo of Lilliedahl and Walker can keep it going, Mizzou will be competitive in Jonesborough despite the presence of strong opposition.
In Leroux's third lineup spot is junior Trevor Ullestad (Jewell, Iowa), who has had no trouble adjusting from the junior college level to the Division I level. In his first two starts for Mizzou, Ullestad has put the talent that made him such a highly touted recruit on display, securing one Top 5 finish and one Top 10 finish, individually. The former Indian Hills Community College standout has yet to shoot over a 72 in an 18-hole round, while also shooting both 54-hole events under-par. He is the first newcomer to Mizzou to play his first two events under-par since Euan Walker did so back in 2013.
Sophomore Matt Echelmeier (Columbia, Mo.) slides into the fourth starting spot for the Tigers. Though he has yet to play competitively for Leroux this season, Echelmeier played well as an unattached individual at the Turning Stone-Tiger Intercollegiate. At the event, he shot a career low 54-hole score of 216, which helped him notch his first ever Top 10 finish, as he ended the tournament tied for 9th, individually.
In the final traveling spot for Mizzou is junior Hayden Buckley (Belden, Miss.). In what will be his first event of the 2016-17 season, Buckley will look to recapture the form he had last season, where he led the Tigers in both rounds under-par (9) and stroke average (72.9). At the Blackthorn Club last year, Buckley put together an impressive tournament, where he shot a 213 and finished 12th overall. His 213 was the second lowest 54-hole score of his career.
Track the Tigers all weekend by using GolfStat.com and following along on Twitter (@MizzouMensGolf).
