HOLLISTER, Mo. --
The Bradley men's golf team struggled during the final day of play Tuesday and finished 12th at the rain-shortened Branson Creek Invitational played at the par-71 Branson Creek Golf Club. Originally scheduled for a 54-hole tournament, thunderstorms caused the cancellation of Monday's second round and shortened the event to 36 holes.
Freshman Coby Thompson (East Galesburg, Ill./Knoxville) was the Braves top finisher, tying for 57th after shooting an 83 Tuesday to finish at 159. Sophomores Zach Wanken (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg) and Zach Zobrist (Morton, Ill./Peoria Christian) finished tied for 68th, nine shots behind Thompson at 168. Zobrist carded an 86 on the final day of play, while Wanken shot an 89 during Tuesday's action.
Senior Nick Roth (Rochester, Ill./Rochester/Illinois Central) and freshman Nathan Perry (Normal, Ill./Normal West) each turned in rounds of 84 this afternoon. Roth finished 70th overall at 170, one shot ahead of Perry, who was 71st in the standings at 171.
Tournament-host Missouri State came from four shots behind to claim the team title, edging Illinois State by two shots. The Braves shot 294 Tuesday to finish at 583, while the Redbirds carded a 300 and finished two shots back at 585. UMKC turned in the best round of the day with a seven-over par 291 to move into third in the final standings at 590.
Drake took fourth place at 596 and Murray State slipped from its third place spot after 18 holes into fifth place at 596. Eastern Illinois rounded out the top half of the team standings in sixth at 597, while Oral Roberts and Tennessee-Martin were both one shot back in a tie for seventh at 598. Creighton finished with a 609 to take ninth and Northern Iowa completed the top 10 at 611. Southern Illinois was four shots behind the Panthers in 11th with Bradley completing the field in 12th at 660 after shooting a final round 337.
The Braves return to action April 12-13 at the Illini Spring Invitational in Urbana, Ill. The Illini Spring Invitational will be Bradley's final tune up before the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament (April 21-22) in Davenport, Iowa.
