University of Missouri
Mason Rudolph Championship
@MizzouMensGolf with Quick Turnaround, Heads to Mason Rudolph Championship
3/30/2017 4:24:00 PM | Men's Golf
Tigers' lineup looking to rebound in Franklin, Tennessee
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Coming off an eighth-place finish at The Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate in South Carolina, Mizzou Men's Golf heads straight to Franklin, Tennessee, without returning home to take part in the Mason Rudolph Championship, hosted by Vanderbilt. The quick turnaround is demanding in itself, but when paired with the level of competition, Mizzou's next outing will prove just how much stamina and endurance has been built up by head coach Mark Leroux's squad. The Tigers could surge back into the national rankings with a good showing against the talented teams in this weekend's field.
The Tigers square off against some of the best squads in the country at the Vanderbilt Legends Club, including top-10 teams in the host Commodores and No. 6 Florida, both of which the Tigers topped at the Suntrust Gator Invitational earlier this year. The field also includes No. 21 Duke, Alabama, Ball State, Belmont, ETSU, Iowa, Liberty, Miami (Ohio), Middle Tennessee, Southern Illinois and Troy.
Leading the Tigers into the Mason Rudolph Championships is senior Linus Lilliedahl (Sandviken, Sweden). Lilliedahl fired a round of 68 for the second-straight tournament, pushing his rounds under-par on the season to 11, which is tied for a team-high. Lilliedahl played his best golf of the spring season in Awendaw, South Carolina, shooting his first tournament under-par since the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate back in November. Heading down the stretch, Lilliedahl, who is ranked 88th among college golfers in the nation according to Golfstat, must continue to put his best foot forward for the Tigers to be successful.
Senior Euan Walker (Troon, Scotland), who like Lilliedahl, shot The Hootie under-par, got his spring season on track in Awendaw, shooting a team-best 213 (-3), which placed him in a tie for 10th. Walker's 10th-place finish at The Hootie was his third top-10 finish of the season, and it was his fourth event played under-par this season, both of which are team highs. Walker played well at the Gator Invitational early in the spring campaign, placing 33rd at the event.
In Leroux's third slot is junior Hayden Buckley (Belden, Miss.), who is coming off a solid tournament. He shot a 1-over-par at The Hootie, placing 30th overall.
In the fourth traveling spot is freshman Rory Franssen (Inverness, Scotland), who is currently ranked 74th among collegiate golfers. Franssen will look to replicate the monster performance (69-68-68 -- 205) he had in Gainesville when the Tigers beat both the Commodores and the Gators. For the Tigers to break back into the top-25, Franssen, Mizzou's highest ranked golfer, must show out like he has all spring.
In the fifth and final lineup slot for the Black & Gold is sophomore Matt Echelmeier (Columbia, Mo.). Echelmeier will look to rebound from his two highest rounds of the season at The Hootie, shooting a 78 in round two and an 80 in round three.
Follow the action in Franklin, Tennessee, all weekend online at GolfStat.com.
For all the latest on Mizzou Men's Golf, stay tuned to MUTigers.com or follow the program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@MizzouMensGolf).
