2013 #GLVCgolf Championship Headquarters | Team | Player | Combo | Stats
2013 GLVC Match Play Tee Times
COLUMBUS, Ind. – University of Missouri junior Joe Atkisson was crowned the 2013 Great Lakes Valley Conference men’s golf champion on Monday, following a one-hole, sudden-death playoff against Rockhurst University’s Tanner Bulejski at Otter Creek Golf Course in Columbus, Ind. In addition, Missouri-St. Louis (8293-292-292—877), Bellarmine University (296-295-293—884), University of Indianapolis (303-293-292—888) and Lewis University (312-285-297—894) finished in the top-four spots in the team standings to advance to Tuesday’s medal/match play competition to determine the 2013 GLVC Champion.
Monday, however, put the individual race in the spotlight and Atkisson (70-73-71) and Bulejski (72-72-70) did not disappoint as both players carded a 2-under-par 214 – the only 54-hole rounds under par. In the sudden-death playoff, Atkisson opened by striping a drive off the 528-yard, par-5 first hole, while Bulejski blocked his drive right of the cart path, forcing a punch out to the fairway where the ball came to rest approximately 220 yards from the hole. Noting after the playoff that he could not resist the temptation to go for the green in two based on where he lay, Atkisson made the attempt for the first time this week and scorched a 235-yard fairway metal right in line with the flagstick, coming to rest in the back fringe, some 20 feet away. Bulejski needed five shots to get to the putting surface, but after a chip that nestled five feet away from the pin, Atkisson dropped in the birdie putt to secure UMSL’s first-ever individual championship in school history.
The Tritons will have an opportunity to claim the school’s second-ever team GLVC Championship on Tuesday as UMSL’s lone conference title in any sport came back in 2003 when the baseball team defeated Quincy for the historic team victory.
As for Atkisson, the Springfield, Mo., native’s win was coupled with All-Conference distinction, which was awarded to the top-five finishers including ties. Joining Atkisson and Bulejski on half of the All-Conference squad were UMSL’s Chase Smith (71-69-77—217) and Bellarmine’s Bryan Ratterman (71-74-72—217) tied for third, and Lewis’ Harrison Carmichael (75-69-74—218) and Indianapolis’ David Frank (74-73-71—218) tied for fifth.
The remaining five spots on the 10-member squad will be voted on by the conference coaches next week along with the major postseason honors, including Player, Freshman and Coach of the Year.
Tuesday’s action at Otter Creek will feature two 18-hole medal/match play semifinal contests and an 18-hole championship match to determine the 2013 GLVC Champion and the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Championships. Top-seeded UMSL will face No. 4 Lewis off the No. 1 tee at 8 a.m. ET, while No. 2 Bellarmine squares off against No. 3 Indianapolis at 8 a.m. off No. 10.
Stay tuned to
GLVCsports.com/GLVCmgolf13 for more information or follow live updates on the conference’s official Twitter handle @GLVCsports, hashtag #GLVCgolf.