Mizzou opens spring with 10th place showing at GADO North Texas Classic. Click here to find out more!

NUEVO VALLARTA, Mexico - - The University of Missouri men's golf squad shot a final round 301 on Tuesday to finish in 10th place at the GADO North Texas Classic in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. The tournament was the first for Missouri this spring.

Junior Peter Malnati led the way for Mizzou, recording the second-best finish of his career as he tied for fifth with a three-round total of 212. Malnati shot a two-under-par 70 on Tuesday, his second under-par round of the tournament.

Junior Ryne Fisher carded a final round 76 and finished in 40th spot with a 225 final total, while freshman Tyler Hillis tied for 53rd place with a three-round score of 231. Freshman William Harrold finished one shot behind Hillis with a 232 total, placing him in 55th spot. Sophomore Bud Reynolds tied for 63rd place with a three-round total of 237.

The Tigers will return to action on Feb. 29-March 3 in the Ron Smith/USF Invitational in Dade City, Fla.

MIZZOU MEN'S GOLF
GADO North Texas Classic
Flamingo Golf Club - Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
6,853 yards/Par 72

TEAM STANDINGS
1. Louisiana-Lafayette 178-188-192=848
2. Cal State-Northridge 286-294-290=870
3. New Orleans 283-299-290=872
4. Southeastern Louisiana 292-288-293=873
5. Middle Tennessee State 291-295-290=876
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10. MISSOURI 290-303-301=894
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
1. Kyle Nicolson (Cal State-Northridge) 69-71-67=207
2. Jose Toledo (New Orleans) 70-70-69=209
3. Matthew Carvell (Southeastern La.) 75-66-69=210
4. Cedric Scotto (Southeastern La.) 70-72-69=211
5.  Peter Malnati (MIZZOU) 67-75-70=212
 Thomas Petts (La.-Lafayette) 68-74-70=212
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40. Ryne Fisher (MIZZOU) 74-75-76=225
T53 Tyler Hillis (MIZZOU) 76-80-75=231
55. William Harrold (MIZZOU) 73-79-80=232
T63. Bud Reynolds (MIZZOU) 82-74-81=237  

Hock Takes Playoff; Wins Back-To-Back On Champions Tour

Naples, FL (AHN) - Scott Hoch made an eight-foot birdie putt on No.18 to force a four-hole playoff, then rolled in another eight-footer on the first playoff hole to win The ACE Group Classic for his second straight Champions Tour victory on Sunday.

The 52-year-old Hoch picked up the top prize of $240,000 a week after winning the Allianze Championship in Boca Raton. He now has three Senior titles. He won 11 times over a 25-year PGA career.

Hoch, Tom Jenkins, Tom Kite and Brad Bryant all finished regulation at 14-under par 202. Jenkins, Kite and Bryant had all made pars on No. 18 before Hoch made his birdie.

On the playoff hole, Jenkins and Kite both missed chip shots after going over the green. Bryant lipped out a birdie putt.

Said Hoch, "I just said, 'Let's end it here. I don't want to play anymore. Anything else could happen."

18-Hole Course Planned for Missouri Town

The owner of 193 acres near the town of Marilla, Mo., is planning to convert his property into an 18-hole golf course. Daniel Handy is the owner of the land, located on Stolle Road, at the end of Eldridge Road. If all goes well, residents in the “Southtowns” area of Missouri will have an upscale public course to play by spring 2006.

Handy has been leasing the land for agricultural purposes for the past eight years, but just recently decided to turn it into a golf course. He promises to build a links-style layout, one “more or less European style. There are not many of them around,” Handy told the St. Louis-based Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion newspaper. He believes there is “a little niche there.”

The as-yet unnamed course will be semiprivate. Handy intends to sell two types of lifetime memberships – one non-transferable and other transferable once. The first membership – good for only one player – will cost $15,000, and include 10% off guest fees, 30% off cart rentals, and 10% off merchandise. The latter membership, priced at $25,000, features the same discounts but allows the member to sell his stock once.

Handy’s golf course was approved at the April 2004 Marilla town meeting, according to Marilla Supervisor John Foss, who’s pleased that the course will provide a new place for employment. Work on the course is set to begin this year or next, depending on the project’s financing.

“We’ve gone through all the permitting stages,” Handy told the Home Companion. The budding golf course developer said that a clubhouse should be built by the fifth year of the club’s operation, with a double-wide trailer serving in the interim.

For more information about Daniel Handy’s new golf course and club memberships, call 314/655-0294 or 314/864-5351.

Potter in Second Place Heading into Final Round of Central District Invitational

PARRISH, Fla. - - The Missouri women's golf team is in sixth place after the first day of play in the Central District Invitational in Parrish, Fla.

Sophomore Julia Potter leads the way for the Tigers after day one as she is tied for third place in the individual standings with a two-round total of 145. Potter made four birdies on the back nine in round one on her way to a 73. She the followed that with an even-par 72 in the second round, which included a 35 on the front nine where she made eight pars and one birdie.

"Potter had a good day," Head Coach Stephanie Priesmeyer said. "There is something about her and tournament golf where she gets focused and turns it up a notch."

Sophomore Michelle Morgan had rounds of 79 and 76 on Monday and is tied for 28th place with a 155 total. Junior Chelsea Schriewer is in a tie for 36th spot with a157 score, one shot ahead of Madison Marcolla who is tied for 43rd place. Senior Madde Augustsson had a two-round total of 161, putting her in a tie fore 55th place.

"I feel good about our team," Priesmeyer said. "I think we got all the first tournament of the season jitters out today. The tournament is really competitive and we are right there were we can do some good things and we have an opportunity to beat some really good teams here."

The final round of the Central District Invitational will be played on Tuesday.

MIZZOU WOMEN'S GOLF
Central District Invitational
River Wilderness Golf Club - Parrish, Fla.
6,099 yards/Par 72

TEAM STANDINGS
1.  Michigan State 291-298=589
2. Kent State 304-299=603
3. Texas A&M 302-302=604
 Ohio State 308-296=604
5 Texas 304-303=607
6. MISSOURI 306-305=611

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
1. Sara Brown (Michigan State) 70-70=140
2. Julia Potter (MIZZOU) 73-72=145
 Kira Meixner (Kent State) 73-72=145
4. Aimee Neff (Michigan State) 71-75=146
5. Kirby Dreher (Kent State) 75-72=147
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T28. Michelle Morgan (MIZZOU) 79-76=155
T36. Chelsea Schriewer (MIZZOU) 79-78=157
T43.  Madison Marcolla (MIZZOU) 75-83=158
T55. Madde Augustsson (MIZZOU) 82-79=161 

Men's Golf 12th After First Round Of Spring Opener

St. George, Utah - The UMKC men's golf team is in 12th place out of 18 teams following the first day of the SUU/Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invitational. The Kangaroos finished with an 18-hole total of 297 at the Sunbrook Golf Course, which puts them 19 shots behind first place Louisiana-Monroe.

Redshirt freshman Josh Taylor is the top golfer for UMKC through the first round. The Overland Park, Kan., native finished with an even par 72 to put him in a tie for 24th place. Junior Michael Schnegelberger, meanwhile, is the only other Kangaroo competitor among the top-35, as he is tied for 31st place with a one over par 73.

Sophomore Alex Hogben is tied for 55th after firing a 75, junior Brett Iliff is tied for 75th with a 77, and senior Stephen Clark is tied for 90th with a 79.

ULM has three players among the top-15 on the individual leaderboard, as it finished with a team total of 278. The Warhawks' Nathan McMullen is leading the charge for the medalist honor after shooting a seven-under par 65.

The Kangaroos will close out the competition in St. George on Tuesday.

Best Missouri Golf Courses

Rank	Golf Course	Location
1	Boone Valley Golf Club - Boone Valley Course	Augusta, MO
2	Fred Arbanas Golf Course At Longview Lakes - Longview Lake Course	Kansas City, MO
3	Bellerive Country Club - Bellerive Course	Saint Louis, MO
4	Rivercut Golf Course - Rivercut Course	Springfield, MO
5	St. Louis Country Club - St. Louis Course	Saint Louis, MO
6	Loch Lloyd Country Club - Loch Lloyd Course	Village Of Loch Lloyd, MO
7	Riverside Golf Club - Riverside Course	Fenton, MO
8	Sunset Lakes Golf Club & DR - Sunset Lakes Course	Saint Louis, MO
9	Branson Creek Golf Club - Branson Creek Course	Branson, MO
10	Perche Creek Golf Club - Perche Creek Course	Columbia, MO
11	Deer Lake Golf Club - Deer Lake Course	Springfield, MO
12	The Club At Old Kinderhook - Old Kinderhook Course	Camdenton, MO
13	Springfield Golf & Country Club - Springfield Course	Springfield, MO
14	Highland Springs Country Club - Highland Springs Course	Springfield, MO
15	National Golf Club of Kansas City - National Course	Kansas City, MO
16	Holiday Hills Resort & Golf - Holiday Hills Course	Branson, MO
17	Mid Rivers Golf Links - Mid Rivers Course	Saint Peters, MO
18	Ledgestone Country Club - Ledgestone Course	Reeds Spring, MO
19	Meadowbrook Country Club - Meadowbrook Course	Ballwin, MO
20	Old Warson Country Club - Old Warson Course	Saint Louis, MO
21	Country Club of St. Albans - Tavern Creek Course	St. Albans, MO
22	Hidden Valley Golf Links - Hidden Valley Course	Clever, MO
23	Country Club of Sugar Creek - Sugar Creek Course	High Ridge, MO
24	Thousand Hills Golf Club - Thousand Hills Course	Branson, MO
25	Missouri Bluffs Golf Club - Missouri Bluffs Course	Saint Charles, MO