COLUMBUS, IND. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s golf team lost a 3-2 decision to Lewis on Tuesday in one of two semifinals of the GLVC Championship Match Play.

In standard stroke-play tournament scoring, the Tritons were four shots better than the Flyers, outscoring Lewis, 298-302. However, all five positions competed for one match point today, which enabled Lewis to win and advance to the championship against Indianapolis. The Greyhounds were a 5-0 winner over Bellarmine. All four teams qualified for match play after topping the 14-team GLVC field after Sunday’s and Monday’s 54-hole stroke-play portion.

UMSL, ranked first in the Midwest Region, will officially learn of its Regional bid on Friday afternoon when the NCAA announces the field for the Division II Super Regional, which begins on May 6 at The Club at Strawberry Creek in Park in Kenosha, Wis.

No. 1 Missouri-St. Louis vs. No. 4 Lewis, LEWIS 3-2
8:00 a.m. – #5 David Abolt, UMSL (72) def. #5 Anthony Lodovico, LEWIS (76) | UMSL, 1-0
8:09 a.m. – #4 Brandon White, LEWIS (72) def. #4 Colby Yates, UMSL (75) | All Square
8:18 a.m. – #3 Robert Dofflemyer, LEWIS (77) def. #3 Warren Crow, UMSL (78) | LEWIS, 2-1
8:27 a.m. – #2 Alex Thode, LEWIS (77) def. #2 Chase Smith, UMSL (79) | LEWIS, 3-1
8:36 a.m. – #1 Joe Atkisson, UMSL (73) def. #1 Harrison Carmichael, LEWIS (78) | LEWIS, 3-2

Men’s Golf Coach, Troy Halterman has the University of Missouri-St. Louis Men’s Golf Team on a roll this spring. As is often the case in Division II golf, when a team has a few good years with Senior laden talent it requires a few rebuilding years in order to regain the same competitive level. Not so much the case for the Tritons as Coach Halterman has inserted three impact Freshmen into the lineup and his young group has quickly gained the confidence that comes only from winning.

A week ago the Tritons captured The Jewell Intercollegiate, a Midwest Regional event hosted at Cherry Blossom Golf Course in Northern Kentucky. Tritons Freshmen, David Abolt won the individual title leading the team to a 23 shot victory over 2nd place Bellarmine University. The victory moved the Tritons to the #1 ranking in the Great Lakes Region.

Earlier today the Tritons finished off another win against 30 teams, many if not all, from the Great Lakes Region. The event was hosted at Purgatory GC located just outside of Indianapolis, IN. Freshmen David Abolt again led the Tritons with a 3rd place individual finish. Also for the Tritons, freshman Anthony Cope tied for eighth place with a 72-72 (144), while freshman Colby Yates tied for 19th place with a 147 (75-72). Senior Chase Smith (74-74 – 148) tie for 27th place, while junior Joe Atkisson rounded out the scoring with a 149 (72-77), tying for 42nd place.

The Tritons aim to capture their first Conference Championship as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference when they tee it up at Otter Creek Golf Club beginning April 21.

GEORGETOWN, KY. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis  men’s golf team shot an 18-hole school record 281 on the first round at The Jewell on Saturday. The Tritons lead the 24-team field and have a seven stroke advantage over second place Bellarmine heading into tomorrow’s final round.

Freshman David Abolt carded a 65 to lead all players. That score ties the second best mark in program history in 18 holes.

Also for the Tritons, junior Joe Atkisson is tied for eighth place with a 71, while junior Warren Crow is tied for 11th place with a 72. Freshman Colby Yates followed with a 73 and is tied for 15th place, while senior Chase Smith shot a 78 and is tied for 73rd place.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s golf team shot a 300 on its final round of the Frito Lay-Taco Bell Intercollegiate hosted by Jackson State to finish in a tie for second place.

The Tritons, who carded an opening round of 308 yesterday, posted a team score of 608 to tie with Fairleigh Dickinson. Tennessee-Martin claimed the team title with a 576 (284-292).

Freshman David Abolt was the top UMSL finisher, tying for third place individually with a 144 (71-74). Ben Reeves of UT-Martin earned medalist honors with a three-under par 141 (68-73).

Junior Joe Atkisson placed 12th, shooting 151 (75-76), while freshman Anthony Cope tied for 13th place (78-74 – 162). Also for the Tritons, junior Justin Hyun, who was competing as an individual, tied for 25th place (76-80 – 156), while senior Chase Smith tied for 39th place (84-77 – 161). Freshman Colby Yates tied for 50th place (85-84 – 169) to round out the scoring.

UMSL returns to action March 3-4, when they host the Las Vegas Desert Classic.

The University of Missouri Men’s and Women’s Golf programs received a gift that will keep on giving yesterday. Don Walsworth, an MU alumnus and CEO of the Walsworth Publishing Company Inc., is a former chairman of the University of Missouri Board of Curators. He says this gift is an opportunity for his family to give back to the university that has meant so much to them.

Through their generous gift, the Walsworth family will support athletic department facility improvements and expansions, including renovations to Memorial Stadium and a new clubhouse for the men’s and women’s golf teams at The Club at Old Hawthorne. The new clubhouse will house coaches’ offices, team locker rooms, indoor heated hitting bays and the latest in swing instruction technology.

“The university has been very good to us over the years, including our children and grandchildren,” Walsworth said. “This gift is indicative of the fantastic leadership of the university and the athletic department, including the outstanding coaches and staff. We are so pleased with the organization and administration. We love the move to the SEC and how far athletics has advanced to achieve national prominence in so many different sports. Our gift is also for the-student athletes, as we believe their education should come first – an ideal I know our family shares with the university.”

“I can’t emphasize enough how much this means for our golf program,” said Mark Leroux, men’s golf coach. “The new facility will be an integral part of training our student-athletes and helping them improve their skills, but it also will greatly benefit our recruiting process as well. With this facility in place, it’s going to be a tremendous boost to both the men’s and women’s programs here at Mizzou. We are so very thankful to the Walsworth family for everything they have done, and continue to do for the University of Missouri and for Mizzou Athletics.”

“The Mizzou women’s golf program is so grateful for the support of the Walsworth family, and we are so excited for our new facility. Our players will truly have a place to call home like never before,” Stephanie Priesmeyer, women’s golf coach, said. “When I played, and even when I began coaching twelve years ago, facilities really didn’t matter much in women’s golf, from a recruiting standpoint. But now it’s everything, and the new facility will allow us to be even more competitive with the top programs in the country.”

Don and Audrey’s son, Ed, and daughter, Lynn, played on the Mizzou golf teams while attending MU, and their son, Don, Jr., was an Academic All-American golfer at Stanford University. The Walsworth family has shown their generosity to MU and the Tiger Scholarship Fund many times throughout the years. This gift brings the Walsworth family’s total giving to MU to nearly $14 million.

The University of Illinois advanced to Sunday’s action in the Big Ten Match Play Championship.