University of Missouri
Jackrabbit Invitational
Walker Leads @MizzouMensGolf in Team Runners-Up Finish at the Jackrabbit
9/27/2016 8:50:00 PM | Men's Golf
Senior Euan Walker fires a 7-under-par tournament to take individual runner-up honors
VALENTINE, Neb. - After a hard fought last round, Mizzou Men's Golf came away from The Jackrabbit Invitational (Sept. 25-27) as team runners-up, nearly downing No. 13 Clemson on the final day at The Prairie Club. Trailing Clemson by seven strokes going into the third round of play on the Dunes Course, head coach Mark Leroux's group mounted a tremendous comeback, tying the leaders with just six holes to go.
Led by senior Euan Walker (Troon, Scotland) and his strong play, the Tigers eventually yielded to Clemson down the home stretch to come up just short of winning a second consecutive team trophy to start the season.
The tight team finish was sparked by a handful of great individual Mizzou performances, especially by Walker. Coming off a Turning Stone (Sept. 4-5) in which he tied for the team lead and nabbed a third-place overall finish, it seemed improbable that Walker would top himself at the Jackrabbit. Walker did just that, shooting a 7-under-par tournament score of 209 (68-71-70) for a new career low. Walker's play marked the first time in his career that he shot every round in the same tournament under-par. He again paced Mizzou's traveling roster, and his second-place overall finish at the Jackrabbit matches his career best. With two quality showings under his belt this season, Walker's talent is on full display.
Not far behind was fellow senior Linus Lilliedahl (Sandviken, Sweden), who like Walker, had himself a career tournament. His 54-hole score of 211 (70-71-70) was the best of his career, and his fourth-place tournament finish was his second-highest ever. His three rounds under-par at the Jackrabbit tied his total rounds under-par from all of last season. Lilliedahl looks poised for a breakout senior campaign, as his first two tournament scores of the 2016-17 season are the two best of his entire career.
Junior Trevor Ullestad (Jewell, Iowa) continued to show off his consistent style of play in Valentine, staying under-par or even for the entire event (72-70-71 -- 213). He finished tied for eighth overall in the tournament.
The Tigers' top finishers at the Jackrabbit, Walker, Lilliedahl and Ullestad, have each posted top-10 individual finishes to start the season.
Following Ullestad was sophomore Preston Fleenor (Kansas City, Mo.), who had his best showing since his first collegiate event last season. After enduring several ups and downs typical to a freshman season, Fleenor played a standout tournament at the Jackrabbit, shooting a 216 (73-73-70) to finish tied for 14th individually. In the effort to help his squad come back, Fleenor stepped up during the last round of play, shooting a 70, which is the second lowest round score of his career. Though the comeback fell short, Fleenor proved that he could play quality golf under pressure.
Finishing in the last spot for the Tigers was redshirt senior Will Echelmeier (Columbia, Mo.), who finished tied for 49th overall (76-79-72 -- 227).
Though he competed as an unattached individual, freshman Rory Franssen (Inverness, Scotland) put on a show. He tied Ullestad at 3-under-par for eighth overall (68-71-74 -- 213). His round of 68 was the lowest of his young college career, and tied Walker for the lowest single round shot by any Tiger at the event. He finished inside the top-10 for the first time in his career, even though his score was not counted to Mizzou's final team score. Like Ullestad, Franssen has been a very effective plug-and-play option for Leroux.
The tournament was originally scheduled for three days, but was shortened to two days after extreme winds forced play to be called off on Sunday, Sept. 25.
The Tigers are back in action at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate in Jonesborough, Tenn., from Oct. 14-16, hosted by East Tennessee State. Assistant coach Grant Milner knows the event well, winning the tournament in 2012 for Memphis with a blistering 10-under-par performance (67-67-72 -- 206).
That same season Leroux's Mizzou group brought home the team trophy, powered by a 6-under-par tournament by Black & Gold standout Emilio Cuartero (71-70-69 -- 210).
