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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — A chaotic weather forecast chopped the MWSU Holiday Inn Express Invitational to a 36-hole sprint, but Harding junior Dennis Staykov hit his stride in the final round, propelling the Bisons from mid-pack contention to a tie for fourth place overall.

Staykov followed a strong opening-round 73 with a 2-under-par 69 on Tuesday, concluding the rain-shortened tournament at the par-71, 6,577-yard St. Joseph Country Club at even-par 142 to finish in second place individually. He finished two strokes behind medalist CJ Phillips of Central Missouri, securing his third top-5 finish in four events this fall.

Harding, which was tied for fourth after Monday’s opening round, maintained its position after Tuesday’s play, finishing with a 24-over-par 592 total (302-290). The Bisons rallied fiercely in the second round, overcoming a temporary drop to ninth place midway through the day.

The team’s performance showed a marked difference between the halves of the course. Harding played the front nine at 17-over for the tournament, but a phenomenal back-nine effort saw them shoot 4-over, bolstered by 11 second-round birdies on the inward holes. The Bisons’ strong play on par-3s, where they tied for the tournament lead at 13-over, also contributed to their standing.

Minnesota-Crookston took the team title with a 19-over 587, edging Central Missouri by just one stroke.

Staykov was the catalyst for the Bisons’ final position. His second round included a spectacular eagle 2 on the 331-yard par-4 fifth hole—his third eagle of the season and 17th of his collegiate career—along with late birdies on holes 14, 17, and 18. Staykov also tied for the best score on par-4s for the tournament, playing them at even par.

Senior Jose Manuel Peralta tied for 11th at 6-over 148 after consistent rounds of 74-74. He closed out his tournament with a flourish, birdieing his last two holes in the second round (No. 18 and No. 1).

Junior Jose Arzu made the most significant upward move for Harding. Starting the second round in 45th place after an opening 79, Arzu bounced back with a 1-over 72 to tie for 24th at 9-over 151, adding birdies on holes 5, 12, and 18 in the process.

Other finishes for the Bisons included:


Junior Conner Geist, who tied for 27th at 10-over 152.



Sophomore Austin Bibb, who tied for 42nd at 13-over 155.



Freshman William Pulley, who made his collegiate debut playing as an individual and finished 59th at 23-over 165.


This was the fourth of five tournaments for the Harding men’s golf team this fall. Their final event of the semester will be the Tulsa Cup, hosted by Rogers State at Indian Springs Country Club in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on October 27-28.