Raiders make move on final day at Squire Creek

Tuesday, September 17

Choudrant, LA

All Day

Middle Tennessee

Jim Rivers Intercollegiate

Photo by: Tom Morris

9/17/2019 2:08:00 PM | Men's Golf

Saulo, Owens collect Top 10 finishes

By: @MTAthletics

Final Results

CHOUDRANT, La. – After challenging his team to push up the leaderboard and gain some momentum the evening before the final day of the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate, Head Coach Mark McEntire's bunch did not disappoint on Tuesday as a 5-under par 283 launched Middle Tennessee into the Top 5 at Squire Creek Country Club.

MT's best round of the week also matched the fifth lowest team round of the 2019 tournament hosted by Conference USA foe Louisiana Tech, leaving the Blue Raiders at 2-over par (866) on the week and just one stroke back of another league foe in UAB (+1).

"I'm really proud of each of the guys and our team round today," McEntire said. "I love that we were able to improve each round and I believe this team is going to do some great things this year! I can't wait to have the front row seat!"

The strong finish to Middle's season opening event was due in large part to stellar play from the two upperclassmen in the lineup, Ilari Saulo and Tanner Owens, both of whom fired a 3-under par 69 on the final day of the competition.

Saulo, competing in his first tournament for the Blue Raiders since April 2018, made a statement in his return from a medical redshirt season as he took home an individual runner-up finish at 5-under par 211 (74-68-69).

Owens joined Saulo in the Top 10 to open his senior campaign, tying for eighth at 3-under par 213 (69-75-69).

"Congrats to Ilari and Tanner on excellent finishes to open the season," McEntire added. "They really played well and will be tremendous leaders for this team throughout the year."

Sophomore Palmer Sadlowski finished the week strong with an even par 72 to move inside the Top 50 at 8-over par 224.

Freshmen duo Mattias Varjun and Michael Barnard closed out the week with rounds of 1-over 73 and 5-over 77, respectively, to post final scores of 6-over par 222 and 9-over 225 in their Blue Raider debuts.

Fellow rookie Gavin Clements finished an impressive collegiate debut of his own, using a 2-over 74 on Tuesday to card a 2-over par 218 that was good for a Top 25 finish while competing in Louisiana as an individual.

The Blue Raiders return to the course on Sep. 30-Oct. 1 when they look to ride their momentum to another top finish in Cincinnati's Bearcat Invitational at Coldstream Country Club.

"I look forward to a couple days off and then getting the band back together in Cincinnati," McEntire concluded.

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