By Ryan Keith 16.5

For SIUC men’s golf coach Leroy Newton, the difference between his team finishing at the top instead of the bottom of the field at the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate Monday was a few bad holes.

After two consecutive top-10 finishes this season, Newton’s Salukis finished 16th in the 18-team event at Illinois State University in Normal by firing a three-round team total of 926. SIUC posted an opening-round score of 302 Sunday and followed that with a second-round total of 299.

Advertisement

But the Salukis finished with a final-round mark of 325 Monday to finish 74 strokes behind the top finishers in the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University.

Newton said the cause of his team’s struggles Monday was a poor showing in the team’s final holes.

We’ve improved a great deal, Newton said. We just let a good tournament slip away. We couldn’t have won it, but we could have finished pretty high in there. It’s just the fact that the last couple of holes killed us.

Northern Iowa used consistent three-round scores of 291, 293 and 304, while Iowa State shot a 297, 290 and 301 to tie the Panthers and notch a three-day total of 888. Drake University ended the tournament with a score of 893 for third place, while host Illinois State University finished fourth with a total of 895.

Other Missouri Valley Conference team finishes included Bradley University in seventh at 908, Creighton University in 10th at 911, Southwest Missouri State University in 13th at 915 and the University of Evansville in 14th at 925.

The Salukis were led individually by the play of John Raski. Raski opened with an even-par 71 and finished with rounds of 73 and 78 for a 10th-place finish and a 222 total.

Ryan Pickett and Craig Castrale each finished in 67th place after firing a three-round score of 235. Pickett shot rounds of 77, 75 and 83, while Castrale finished at 76, 76 and 83.

Advertisement*

Ryan Browning ended up in 79th with a 239, while Phillip Moss rounded out the Salukis’ efforts in 85th after firing a 245.

Pickett said the team’s final standings after Monday were misleading, and his solid play has resulted from a summer of hard work.

I think we played all right, Pickett said. We played some of the best golf we played all year, but we just ran into some stiff competition.

I practiced all summer, pretty much every day. I got some feedback and lessons from one of the pros at our club, and that has really helped a lot.

Northern Iowa’s Nate Lubs claimed medalist honors with a three-day total of 215. Lubs opened with an even-par 71 and added a 70 and 74 to claim the individual crown. Iowa State’s Matt Lewis and Drake’s Ben Pettitt shot rounds of 70, 73 and 74 to finish in a second-place tie at 217.

The Salukis opened the season with a seventh-place finish at Southeast Missouri State University Sept. 8. SIUC followed that finish with a 10th-place showing at the University of Tennessee-Martin Sept. 23.

While Monday’s performance fell short of the team’s expectations, Newton is looking to Raski and Pickett to show leadership on the course.

John has been playing pretty consistent, Newton said. He’s been working hard on it. He doesn’t want the other kids to beat him. He’s a senior and he’s doing a good job for us.

Pickett has been one of the mainstays. He and John Raski have played well in just about every tournament.

The Salukis travel to Peoria for the Bradley University Fall Classic Oct. 12 and Oct. 13.