VERONA, N.Y. - Mizzou Men's Golf tees off its 2017-18 season this weekend (Sunday Sept. 3 – Monday Sept. 4), as the Tigers take to Turning Stone Resort's Kaluhyat Course (6,857 yards, par-72) to defend their streak of five straight tournament championships. The field features 15 teams, including Alabama State, Binghamton, Boston College, Bucknell, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Northern Kentucky, Sacred Heart, St. Peter's, Villanova, VCU, Western Carolina, UNCW and Youngstown State.
Last season's Turning Stone saw head coach Mark Leroux's Tigers storm back in the third round from seven strokes down to claim the team trophy. Mizzou's entire traveling roster finished in the Top-20, including three members of the Black & Gold nabbing Top-5 individual finishes.
Leading the Tigers into Verona is Hayden Buckley (Belden, Miss.), the lone senior featured in Mizzou's competitive lineup. Buckley was not able to travel to the Turning Stone event last season due to an injury that kept him out until November. However, as a sophomore, Buckley lit up the Kaluhyat Course with a 3-under-par tournament to grab a share of individual runner-up honors.
Following Buckley in the second slot for Mizzou is junior Matt Echelmeier (Columbia, Mo.), who played as an individual at the Turning Stone last season, but still managed to claim a share of ninth place. The lone Echelmeier on the roster for the first time in his career, the Rock Bridge High School product is coming off a strong performance at last season's NCAA Regional, tying for 24th overall.
In the third and fourth slots for Leroux are newcomers Jamie Stewart (Renfrewshire, Scotland) and Jack Parker (Columbia, Mo.), who will both make their collegiate debuts at the Turning Stone. Both freshmen have experienced success and winning, as Stewart has placed highly in several competitive European amateur events, while Parker won Missouri state titles for Father Tolton Catholic High School during his prep career.
Sophomore Rory Franssen (Inverness, Scotland) holds the fifth and final spot in the Black & Gold lineup. Franssen is coming off a red-hot ending to his freshman season, including a 13th-place finish at the SEC Championships and an 18th-place finish at the NCAA Regional, both of which put him at the front of Mizzou's lineup. Franssen also played well at this event a season ago, his collegiate debut, putting together a 54-hole 219, good enough for 13th-place.
Senior Trevor Ullestad (Jewell, Iowa) will compete in the event as an unattached individual. Like Franssen, Ullestad made his NCAA Division I debut in Verona last season, where he put on a show, tying for third overall with an impressive 3-under-par performance.
Updated results throughout the 54-hole event will be available on GolfStat.com.
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