The SIU men’s golf team placed second in the 2018 MVC Championships on Tuesday, 15 strokes behind first-place Bradley.

The top-three scorers from the tournament — junior Drake Bushong, senior Ethan Brue and junior Michael Mounce — all represented Bradley in the school’s first-ever MVC championship.

Southern’s three-round team score of 898 was no match for the Braves’ score of 883.

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The Salukis top scorer came as a bit of a surprise as junior Luke Gannon tied for fourth with a 221, five strokes over par. Gannon’s play also earned him a second election to the MVC All-Conference team.

Junior Hunter York was four strokes behind Gannon in a tie for ninth with a total of 225 through his three rounds of play.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Cameron Hupp

Junior golfer Peyton Wilhoit prepares for his next drive Tuesday, April 24, 2018, during the final round of the Missouri Valley Conference Championships at the Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. (Cameron Hupp | @CHupp04)

Just missing the top 10 was senior Dirk Kuehler with a total of 226, good enough for an 11th-place tie.

Failing to crack the top 20 was junior Peyton Wilhoit, the Salukis’ most consistent and dominant golfer over the course of the season. He finished at 16-over-par in a tie for 21st, his lowest finish since the Golfweek Conference Challenge in September.

Despite a disappointing showing Wilhoit was named the MVC Golfer of the Year, the first time that a Saluki has won the award. He won eight Golfer of the Week awards this season and also got the nod to All-Conference team.

Sophomore Frankie Thomas rounded out Southern’s scorecard with his score of 234, tying him for 28th.

Although the conclusion of the tournament marked the season’s end for the Salukis, they did manage to secure their second-best standing in the tourney since 2016. Southern also moved up three spots from its fifth-place finish last season.

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The Salukis will be back in action in the fall of 2018 and will feature a strong core of golfers including Wilhoit, Gannon, York and Thomas.

Sports editor Nathan Dodd can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @NathanMDodd.

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