Sautron Captures Gopher Invite Title

In the best debut performance by a Nebraska men's golfer in history, Rudy Sautron captured medalist honors with a three-round total of 208 (-5) to power the Huskers to a third-place finish at the season-opening Gopher Invitational in Independence, Minn., on Monday.

Sautron, a sophomore from Reunion Island, France, closed an impressive tournament with a one-under-par 70 on Monday to tie the best 54-hole by a sophomore in school history, matching three-round tournament totals of 208 by Brady Schnell (2004-05) and Seth Porter (1999-2000).

Sautron, who was playing his first tournament as a Husker after transferring from NCAA Division II Cameron University in Oklahoma, held off Noah Kumar from Rutgers by one stroke. Kumar finished at 209 (-4), including a final-round 68 (-3). Iowa's State's Luke Gutschewski and Furman's Harris Barth tied for third at 211 (-2), while Georgia Southern's Parker Claxton and New Mexico's Mesa Falleur tied for fifth at 212 (-1) as the only other golfers in the tournament to finish better than par over three rounds.

"I'm extremely happy for Rudy," Nebraska Coach Judd Cornell said. "To win in a field this strong in his first Division I tournament shows the type of player he is. He has adjusted quickly to the Division I game and the stressors of school and golf. I'm so glad he's a Husker."

Sautron's performance helped the Huskers to a third-place finish with an 865 (+13) on the par-71, 7,586-yard layout at the Windsong Farm Golf Club. Nebraska finished five strokes behind the team champions from Iowa State (860) and three shots behind the hosts from second-place Minnesota (862). The Huskers defeated Big Ten counterparts Iowa (4th, 868) and Rutgers (5th, 869) in a strong 15-team field in Minnesota. 

The third-place performance marked Nebraska's best team finish since taking third in a nine-team field at the Hoosier Invitational in early April of 2021.

Fellow Cameron transfer Hamish Murray, who is in his second season with the Huskers after producing a team-best 72.69 stroke average for the Big Red a year ago, was Nebraska's No. 2 finisher. The senior from Sydney, Australia closed with a 74 (+3) to finish in a tie for 24th at 219 (+6) over 54 holes. It was Murray's sixth top-25 finish in 11 events as a Husker.

Redshirt sophomore Evan McDermott climbed the final-round leaderboard with a solid 72 (+1) on Monday. McDermott finished in an eight-way tie for 38th at 223 (+10) in an 80-player field.

Husker graduate student Reed Malleck closed one stroke back of McDermott in a tie for 46th at 224 (+11), while true freshman James Ackerman completed the Husker contingent in a tie for 60th at 228 (+15). Ackerman's first collegiate tournament included a second-round 70 (-1) for the Big Red.

In addition to Nebraska's efforts at the Gopher Invitational, Husker freshman Jackson Benge performed well at the Minnesota Golf Classic (Sept. 7-8), competing as an individual at the Pioneer Creek Golf Course in Maple Plain, Minn. 

Benge, a true freshman from Omaha, tied for fourth in a 109-player field with an even-par 54-hole total of 216. His performance included a final-round 70 (-2).

Nebraska will be back in action when the Huskers play host to the Git-R-Done Invitational at Firethorn Golf Club (Sept. 23-24). It marks Nebraska's first home invitational since April of 2021.

Gopher Invitational
Sept. 8-9, 2024
Independence, Minnesota
Windsong Farm Golf Club (Par 71, 7,586 Yards)

Final Team Results
1. Iowa State - 292-289-279=860 (+8)
2. Minnesota - 288-2284-290=862 (+10)
3. Nebraska - 292-284-289=865 (+13)
4. Iowa - 286-285-297=868 (+16)
5. Rutgers - 292-287-290=869 (+17)
6. Marquette - 290-288-292=870 (+18)
7. Kent State - 286-289-297=872 (+20)
8. Furman - 299-283-292=874 (+22)
9. New Mexico - 300-286-290=876 (+24)
10. Baylor - 292-296-295=883 (+31)
11. UNCW - 305-294-285=884 (+32)
12. West Virginia - 297-290-301=888 (+36)
13. St. Thomas (Minn.) - 304-296-296=896 (+44)
14. Georgia Southern - 310-300-290=900 (+48)
15. Northern Illinois - 302-312-297=911 (+59)

Final Individual Results
1. Rudy Sautron, Nebraska - 69-70-69=208 (-5)
2. Noah Kumar, Rutgers - 69-72-68=209 (-4)
T3. Luke Gutschewski, Iowa State - 74-66-71=211 (-2)
T3. Harris Barth, Furman - 70-68-73=211 (-2)
T5. Parker Claxton, Georgia Southern - 72-76-64=212 (-1)
T5. Mesa Falleur, New Mexico - 72-70-70=212 (-1)
T7. Will Morlan, Furman - 76-66-71=213 (E)
T7. Eduardo Galdos, Minnesota - 73-69-71=213 (E)
T9. Cormac Sharpe, Minnesota - 70-69-75=214 (+1)
T9. Paul Beauvy, Iowa State - 70-71-73=214 (+1)
T9. Jordan Gilkison, Kent State - 69-72-73=214 (+1)
T9. Gage Messingham, Iowa - 68-71-72=214 (+1)

Nebraska Individuals
1. Rudy Sautron - 69-70-69=208 (-5)
T24. Hamish Murray - 72-73-74=219 (+6)
T38. Evan McDermott - 75-76-72=223 (+10)
T46. Reed Malleck - 79-71-74=224 (+11)
T60. James Ackerman - 76-70-82=228 (+15)

Individual
Minnesota Golf Classic
Sept. 7-8, 2024
Maple Plain, Minnesota
Pioneer Creek Golf Course

T4. Jackson Benge - 73-73-70=216 (E)