DU Men Are Summit League Champions

Pioneers take both individual and team titles

Despite having to play 36 holes due to possibly poor weather on Tuesday, the University of Denver golf team dialed up its best when it mattered most on Monday. As the Pioneer women’s team did last week, the men took home the Summit League Championship. The Pioneers closed out the tournament with a 15-stroke win.

Par for the 6,931-yard course was 72 at the Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kan.

The victory gave DU its first league championship since 2014, also the last time both the men’s and women’s teams both won their respective league tournaments.

The Crimson and Gold opened the day with a 6-over 294 to take a three-shot lead through two rounds. But Denver went to another level for the final 18 holes, going low and shooting a 288, the low round of the tournament, to pull away from the rest of the field.

Head coach Erik Billinger went with the lineup of Cal McCoy, Esteban Missura, John Sand, Eric Hagen and Carson Griggs.

McCoy continued his sensational freshman season, capturing individual medalist honors after winning a four-man playoff that included fellow teammate Missura by sinking a long putt in the wind. The Highlands Ranch native closed out his 54-hole tournament at 3-over.

Missura was at his best again in the most important round, firing an even-par 72 in his final 18 holes to force the playoff. The Ecuador native racked up his first runner-up finish of his career and second top-5 finish of the season.

Griggs had his best outing of the year, tying for sixth at 5-over.

Sand notched his second top-10 finish this year, tying for 8th for a second straight tournament at 6-over.

Hagen closed out his tournament tied for 25th.

Denver now will see where it heads for the NCAA Regional with the Selection Show to air on Wednesday at 7 p.m. MT on the Golf Channel.

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