JOPLIN, Mo. — October 8, 2025
Mission University men's golf turned in another consistent showing this week, finishing 5th overall at the Evangel Fall Invitational hosted at Twin Hills Golf & Country Club in Joplin, Missouri. The two-day, three-round event featured a competitive NAIA field, and the Patriots closed with a team total of 924 (312–305–307) to secure their third straight top-half finish this fall.
Team Recap
The Patriots' steady improvement across rounds two and three helped them climb into the top five, finishing just nine strokes behind Hesston College (+51) and ahead of Southwestern College (KS) and Evangel's B team.
Tournament host Evangel University placed second, while Friends University dominated the leaderboard with an impressive team total of 858 (-6) to take first place by 47 strokes.
Mission's consistent depth continued to be a strength, as all five scoring players posted at least one round under 80 on the 6,842-yard par-72 layout.
Individual Highlights
Landon Luna (10th, +7 / 223 – 74, 76, 73)
Luna led the Patriots once again, securing his second straight Top 10 finish and showing impressive composure across all three rounds. He fired a final-round 73 (E on the back nine) to climb into the Top 10 overall, finishing as Mission's low man for the week. Luna's steady play was highlighted by back-to-back birdies on holes 3 and 7 in round one and a bogey-free closing stretch on day two.
Colby Noblitt (13th, +11 / 227 – 79, 75, 73)
Noblitt followed closely behind, finishing T-13 thanks to a strong closing 73 on Tuesday. His second-round 75 included birdies on holes 5 and 9, and his improved accuracy off the tee helped Mission post its lowest team score of the tournament (305) in round two.
Luke Heavin (17th, +14 / 230 – 79, 76, 75)
Heavin added another solid showing, carding rounds of 79–76–75 for a T-17 finish. His final round featured three birdies, helping Mission record two players inside the Top 20 of a 50+ player field.
Zane Malone (42nd, +28 / 244 – 80, 78, 86)
Malone's opening round 80 set the tone for a competitive start, while his second-round 78 marked one of Mission's key counting scores on day two. He finished tied for 42nd overall.
Tyson Young (54th, +49 / 265 – 86, 83, 96)
Young contributed in rounds one and two, improving by three strokes in the second round. Despite a tough finish, his consistent front-nine play helped the team stay competitive through the middle of the pack.
Jacob Beecham (IND, 51st, +39 / 255 – 78, 87, 90)
Competing as an individual, Beecham opened strong with a 78, his best round of the fall, before rounding out his event with scores of 87 and 90.
Coach's Outlook
The Patriots' fifth-place team finish marked another encouraging step for the program early in the 2025–26 campaign. Mission continued to trend upward with a 17-stroke improvement from round one to round three, showing improved course management and mental toughness on a demanding course setup.
"We're starting to find our rhythm," said Head Coach Dallas Meinders. "Landon, Colby, and Luke gave us really steady rounds, and I'm proud of how our guys battled from start to finish. We're competing in strong fields now, and each week we're learning how to close those final few strokes that separate us from the top three."
