CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - For the eighth time in the last 11 years, Wichita State earned the
team title at the State Farm MVC Men's Golf Championship. Teammates
Dustin Garza and
Connor McHenry shared medalist honors in leading the
Shockers to the title, as each fired a three-round even-par 216 to
eclipse the field. The 2009 championship was played at the par-72,
7,242-yard layout at Dalhousie Country Club in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
The Shockers outdistanced second-place Illinois State by 15 strokes,
taking the team title with a three-round 295-296-291=882, while the
Redbirds claimed the runner-up trophy with a three-round 897. Southern
Illinois claimed its third top-three finish since 2006 as the Salukis
ended up with a team score of 915. Missouri State claimed fourth
(929), narrowly edging Drake (931), Evansville (933), Bradley (936) and
Northern Iowa (937). Creighton finished ninth with a three-round 952.
Wichita State's team title was its second-straight and a
league-record 14th overall. It also marked the 14th time a Wichita
State individual had claimed medalist honors - also a league record.
Individually, three Shockers finished in the Top 10, including Garza
and McHenry (216), and Zac Potter (t7th-226). A pair of Redbirds
finished in the Top 5, including Kyle Bragg (3rd-222) and Tommy
Bliefnick (t4th-225). Bliefnick was in a three-way tie for fourth with
Jay McBride of Missouri State and Todd Obergoenner of Southern Illinois.
The top six finishers at the conference tournament, plus at-large
selections based on regular-season GolfStat ratings earned
all-conference honors and they include: Dustin Garza, Connor McHenry
and Zac Potter from Wichita State; Todd Obergoenner and Jordan Cox from
Southern Illinois; Kyle Bragg, Tommy Bliefnick, Joe Emerich, and Jeff
Kellen of Illinois State; and Missouri State's Jay McBride.
During the awards ceremony, the league also recognized its Golfer of
the Year (Garza), Newcomer of the Year (Jordan McLaurin of Missouri
State) and Coach of the Year (Grier Jones of Wichita State). It marks
the seventh time Jones has earned Coach of the Year honors.
Despite poor weather in regions just surrounding the area, Tuesday's
final round was played in good conditions, with a slight breeze, party
cloudy skies, with temperatures approaching 70. Monday's 36-hole round
was played with a strong wind with gusts that eclipsed 40 mph.
The Shockers will now await their NCAA Regional assignment.
-Wichita State-
