SILVIS, Ill. – Sophomore Will McDonald (Tulsa, Okla.) collected an 18th-place finish to lead the Drake men’s golf team on the final day of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship at TPC Deere Run on Tuesday (April 29).

The Bulldogs concluded their tournament efforts with a 919 (318-293-308) scorecard, a total that was good for a seventh-place tie with Southern Illinois.

“I’m disappointed in our finish, but I’m proud of the way the guys battled in tough conditions on a very physically and mentally demanding course,” Drake head coach Matt Lewis commented. “We had a very poor first round, one which put us in a bad position, but we battled back with the second-lowest score in the second round. We were playing great in the second round yesterday before giving a few strokes back this morning. We felt pretty good going into today. We knew we could make a move from where we were, everyone shot about the same, it just didn’t happen.”

By virtue of his 18th-place performance and 54-hole total of 227 (80-77-77), McDonald earned top-18 flag honors. His second-round 70 matched the lowest score of the round by any player.

“Will (McDonald) had a nice tournament here this week to wrap up a very solid year,” said Lewis.

Three shots off his pace was senior Matt Ohl (Milford, Iowa), who capped his time as a Bulldog with a final-round 79, to card a 230 (77-74-79) tournament scorecard, good for a 26th-place tie.

Redshirt junior Devin Leland (Huxley, Iowa) fired a team-low 76 over the final 18 holes to register a 54-hole mark of 232 (80-76-76), to finish tied for 31st place.

Recording 233 (81-73-79) and 236 (82-78-76) tournament scorecards, respectively, were junior Dane Worley (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and senior Connor Steele (Cedar Rapids, Iowa).

The Missouri Valley Conference Championship concluded the spring campaign for Drake.

DRAKE RESULTS: Will McDonald (80-70-77=227/T-18th), Matt Ohl (77-74-79=230/T-26th), Devin Leland (80-76-76=232/T-31st), Dane Worley (81-73-79=233/T-34th) and Connor Steele (82-78-76=236/41st).

MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

APRIL 29, 2014 • SILVIS, ILL.

54 HOLES

1) Wichita State – 874 (291-299-284=874)

2) Illinois State – 877 (297-294-286=877)

3) Bradley – 897 (305-291-301=897)

4) Northern Iowa – 900 (296-302-302=900)

5) Missouri State – 905 (311-296-298=905)

6) Evansville – 909 (311-310-288=909)

7) Drake – 919 (318-293-308=919)

Southern Illinois – 919 (306-311-308=919)

9) Loyola – 920 (313-299-308=920)

courtesy: Drake Athletics