ST. JOSEPH, MO. – By recording its second best round of the season at 291, the University of Sioux Falls Men's Golf Team moved up five spots and finished in a tie for seventh (887) in the team standings at the Missouri Western State Holiday Inn Express Invite at the St. Joseph (Mo.) Country Club which concluded Tuesday (Oct. 8). With this competition, USF concluded its fall men's golf schedule.
For the first time in the program's DII era, USF carded three consecutive sub-300 rounds in the same tournament. USF, which tied with Northeastern State (297-287-303) and Rogers State (289-299-299), carded rounds of 297, 299 and 291 for a 54-hole total of 887. After the first two rounds, USF sat at 596 and in 12
th place but the Cougars stepped it up on Tuesday. Led by medalist Matt Hoeman (211/67-74-70), Central Missouri captured the team title with a final total of 857 (277-289-291). Washburn was second at 862 (284-286-292).
Led by a round of 70 from sophomore
Jack Evans, four of USF's five golfers carded rounds of 75 or lower as the Cougars tied team champ Central Missouri for the best final round of 291. Junior
Jacob Zosel had a 72 while senior
Brenden Bassing was at 75 and senior
JJ Cooney at 74. The other member of the contingent, senior
Blake Berry, finished with a third round of 81.
"For us to come to this tournament and take home seventh is a wonderful way to end the fall season," said USF Assistant Golf Coach
Brennan Thompson. "Everyone played well and contributed to the team. It was wonderful to watch the seniors show leadership and see Jack (Evans) and Jacob (Zosel) come and finish in the top 21," he said. "This was a course that didn't fit our eye and we still found a way to score well. I am so proud of this team. We are excited to get better this offseason and enter the spring season with one goal in mind," he said.
Evans finished with a team-best 218 after rounds of 75-73-70 placed him in a tie for 15
th. He moved up from a tie at 38
th into the top 20 with the round of 70, which is tied for the second best of his career. In the final round, Evans had five birdies (holes 1, 2, 10, 13 and 17) as he finished accumulated eight birdies and 33 pars in the tourney.
After winning the Augustana Invitational last week, junior
Jacob Zosel continued his sizzling play. He had rounds of 73, 74 and 72 to finished 21
st at 219, just a shot behind Evans. He moved up 13 spots on the individual leader board after recording birdies on holes two and eight and registering 13 pars. Zosel finished with 36 pars and nine birdies.
USF senior
Brenden Bassing also had a consistent three rounds of golf with total of 74, 74 and 75 to finish at 223 and a tie for 32
nd. On Tuesday, he had birdies on holes six and 15 and added 10 pars. Overall, Bassing had eight birdies with 29 pars.
Senior
JJ Cooney moved up 23 spots and finished in a tie for 50
th place among individual. After rounds of 75 and 79, he closed with a 74 for a total score of 228. Cooney had a birdie on hole 18 and added 14 pars. He finished two birdies and a team-high 39 pars. Also for USF. Senior
Blake Berry carried a 234 with rounds of 75, 78 and 81. Today, he had a birdie on hole 17 and eight pars as he finished the tournament with three birdies and 32 pars.
Through the three rounds, the USF Men's Team was consistent with the five team members scoring from 218 to 234 while recording 169 pars and 30 birdies.
