University of Missouri
Bandon Dunes Championship
Mizzou Heads to Bandon Dunes As Spring Season Picks Up
3/4/2016 9:08:00 PM | Men's Golf
Stroke average leader Buckley continues to lead as a sophomore
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The second half of the Mizzou Men's Golf 2015-16 season moves along quickly, as the Tigers are set to compete at The Bandon Dunes Championship (March 6-8) this weekend.
The event will be played on the Bandon Trails Course, a 6,682-yard course located in beautiful Bandon, Ore. The Tigers come into the competition knowing they have a shot to win, as the Black & Gold won this tournament as recently as the spring of 2014. The field includes stiff competition, such as Clemson (No. 9), Washington (No. 30), Alabama-Birmingham (No. 39), Boise State, Denver, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Jose State, Seattle, Utah Valley and Washington State.
Leading the Tigers into the Bandon Dunes is sophomore Hayden Buckley (Belden, Miss.) who has been the Tigers' most formidable golfer this season. At the Gator Invitational, which featured some of the country's best competition, Buckley registered a Top 20 overall finish, and played two of his three rounds under par, while also leading the pack of Mizzou golfers. Buckley has yet to fall out of Missouri's Top 3 finishers at any event during the 2015-16 season.
Next up is redshirt senior Wilson Sundvold (Columbia, Mo.), who will be motivated to play well at this event. Sundvold has had countless quality rounds this year, but is looking to put a whole tournament together. Last time out, Sundvold started out strong (74-70), but a final round 78 dropped him down down the leaderboard.
Holding down the third spot for head coach Mark Leroux's Tigers is junior Euan Walker (Troon, Scotland). Walker had a nice tournament at the Gator Invitational, tying for second among his peers, and for 40th overall (75-71-71—217). As the second half of the season kicks into gear, look for Walker to build momentum, as he closed the fall season especially strong. If Walker can get hot like Mizzou knows he can, the Tigers would receive a huge boost.
Junior Linus Lilliedahl (Sandviken, Sweden) is fourth in the lineup, and is coming off of a solid performance at the Gator Invitational (75-73-71). Like Walker, Lilliedahl was rolling towards the end of the first half of the season, and is looking to find the rhythm he had at the Mountaineer Intercollegiate (78-71—150, first among Tiger golfers) and the Kiawah Classic (75-75—150, tied for second among Tiger golfers).
Rounding out the traveling five for Mizzou is freshman Matt Echelmeier (Columbia, Mo.), who has played well all year long for the Tigers. Through the challenges of his debut collegiate season, Echelmeier has steadily improved, and reached his highest point so far at the Gator Invitational, registering a second place finish among his peers, and a Top 40 finish overall, by playing three rounds of solid golf (73-73-71—217).
Follow along throughout The Bandon Dunes Championship on GolfStat.com and on Twitter (@MizzouMensGolf).
