FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2006

Lions finish fourth at MIAA Tournament

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. -- Junior Eric Byers finished fifth overall and helped the Lions to a fourth-place finish Tuesday (April 18) at the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Tournament at Blue Springs Country Club.

The fourth-place tournament finish by Southern contingent also gives the squad a fourth-place team finish in the final MIAA seasonal standings.

Missouri Southern opened the final day with a 12-stroke lead on fifth-place Southwest Baptist. While the Bearcats were able to chip closer, the Lions held on to defeat SBU by eight strokes. MSSU shot 913 (298-148-160-307) for the tournament.

However, MSSU came into the last day just eight strokes back of a second-place tie between Washburn and Central Missouri State. Southern lost ground on both squads in the final rounds. Washburn finished second in the tournament with a 54-hole total of 886. Central Missouri State was third with a score of 893.

Southern's third-round 160 (nine holes) was seven strokes back of WU's 153. The Lions' final round 307 (18 holes) equaled the Mules' total but was 12 strokes off Washburn's 295.

Byers finished with a score of 221 that included a one-under 71 in the first round and a two-over 74 in the finale. He ended just one stroke back of a third-place tie between two Washburn golfers, Jeremiah Nelson and Matt Ewald. Junior Tommy Clifford tallied 228 (75-35-40-78) and tied for 16th overall.

Junior Tyler Goecker carded 233 (76-39-43-75) to tie for 24th, while sophomore Ben Perry had a 235 (76-38-41-81) and finished 27th. Freshman David Clark rounded out the MSSU scoring with a 240 (79-38-40-83) and tied for 30th.

Brent Moore competed as an individual in the tournament. He finished with 241 (80-38-42-81).

Missouri Western won the tournament title by 11 strokes, 875-886, over Washburn. The win cemented Western as the 2006 MIAA season champion.

The Griffons also featured the tournament's individual winner as Brice Garnett, backed by a final-round 70, won by three strokes over Central's Jon Sauer.

While Washburn, Central and MSSU were second, third and fourth, respectively, Southwest Baptist finished fifth with 921. Truman State was sixth with 942 and Pittsburg State was seventh at 966.