ALTON, Ill. – When the Missouri Baptist Men's Golf Team found themselves down by six strokes after the first day of the first-ever MBU Invitational on Monday, they knew they would have to go low to have any chance of claiming the title. With renewed determination they fired the lowest team score on Day 2, but still fell two stokes short in claiming second place at the tournament concluding Tuesday at Spencer T. Olin Golf Club in Alton, Ill.

Entering the day in third place, three of the five members of MBU's A-Team improved their scores by six strokes or more on day two. In a couple of cases, it could have been even more.

Grad student Drew Wielgus led the Spartans by finishing in a tie for fifth overall at +9 on the Par 72, 6,963-yard course. He finished eight shots behind the individual winner, Justin Schipper of Iowa Central Community College. If it wasn't for a rough patch to start the back nine, he might have been even closer to the lead. Three bogeys in a row on holes 10 through 12 meant Wielgus was fighting an uphill battle for much of the afternoon. He alternated birdies and bogeys over his final four holes to finish with a solid 149.

Ironically, Jack Moran's round was very similar to that of Wielgus. Moran also had bogeys on 10 and 11, as well as 16 and 17. He finished the tournament at +10, which placed him in a tie for eighth place.

Josemaria Gutierrez and Alexander Engelhardt turned in the lowest scores by Spartans in the second round, as both finished the round at 74, just two over par. Gutierrez played brilliantly on the front nine and made the turn at even par. A birdie on 11 meant he was briefly under par before fading on the final six holes. He finished the round with two bogeys, a double-bogey, two pars and a birdie. He finished the tournament at +12, in a tie for 16^th place. Like Gutierrez, Engelhardt played well at times on the front nine. He made the turn at +1 and eagled the 10th to get back to red numbers. He had a chance at challenging for the lowest round of any golfer before bogeys on 16, 17, and 18 had him finish at +2 in the round and tied for 8^th overall with teammate Moran at +10. Gutierrez improved his place 24 spots and Engelhardt 15 on Day Two.

Sophomore Jannik Daeschner struggled mightily on the first day with a +12 (84). He improved eight shots on Day Two. It could have been even more. He was at even par through 16 but finished bogey, double-bogey, bogey. He tied for 26^th at +16 (160).

MoBap fielded a second team in their tournament as well. Of note was an 18-stroke improvement by Freshman Luke Gardner from Day One to Day Two. His second round 74 was by for the lowest round for anyone on his team. Senior Triston Buckley had the lowest two-day score for the squad with a +14, which was good for 23^rd overall. Pablo Gonzalez Vazquez, Gonzalo Pacheco Gonzalez, and Collin Weinhaus also played for the team. Freshmen Ryan Bozada and Ethan Hanaman competed as individuals.

Iowas Central Community College claimed the team title with a 614, just two shots better than the Spartans' 616. MBU's Day Two score of 300 was two shots better than any team, and the lowest single-round score.
 
The MBU Invitational concludes the regular season for Men's Golf. Next up is a clash with conference foes in the AMC Championship Tournament next Monday and Tuesday at the Big Creek Golf Club in Mountain Home, Ark.