ELDON, Mo. (May 28, 2025) – For the first time since 2001, the Eldon High School boys golf team returned home as state champions — the result of a program built on player development long before tournament week.
Led by head coach Matt Frey and assistant coach Michael Cummings, the Mustangs captured the Class 3 state title at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club with a two-day team total of 613. The Missouri Golf Association congratulates Eldon on a well-earned championship fueled by months of hard work and preparation.
Eldon’s roster features a blend of both youth and experience. Freshman Eli Cummings led the team with back-to-back rounds of 71 to finish as individual runner-up, while junior Brody Rader carded two steady rounds of 76 to tie for 14th. Both earned All-State honors for their top-15 finishes, showcasing the Mustangs’ depth.
“This win was insane in the best way,” sophomore Cooper Toalson said. “It’s something none of us will ever forget.”
The Mustangs have steadily improved their state finishes in recent years — placing fourth in 2019, third in 2023 and second in 2024 — and this year, everything finally came together. After cruising to a district title with a team score of 311, led by top-five finishes from Cummings, Rader, Toalson and junior Talon Hull, Eldon carried that momentum into the state championship.
A key factor in the program’s sustained success is its strong junior pipeline. Coach Cummings credits much of that growth to their PGA Junior League program, which introduces kids to the game in a fun, team-focused environment.
“It has to start at a young age,” Cummings said. “That’s been the beauty of what we’ve developed — a feeder system into the high school program that keeps kids engaged and excited about the game.”
Many of Eldon’s players — including Cummings, Toalson and Rader — have sharpened their skills by competing in the Missouri Junior Tour and larger MGA events such as the Junior Amateur and Junior Match Play championships.
“Playing in MGA tournaments has really helped me develop by giving me experience in high-pressure situations,” Toalson said.
That progression is familiar to MGA Executive Director Scott Hovis, who has seen firsthand how early opportunities can lead to long-term success.
“Competing in these events often transforms players,” Hovis said. “By the next high school season, they’re more comfortable, more confident and ready to perform. The Missouri Junior Tour truly serves as a springboard for young golfers to learn, grow and enjoy the game.”
The impact of that development is especially visible in smaller towns like Eldon, where golf has become a community cornerstone.
“What Mike Cummings and the golf leaders in Eldon have accomplished shows that when professionals and community members invest in junior development, the results can be transformational — not just for the players, but for the entire town,” Hovis said.
Toalson’s advice to the next generation of Mustangs is simple:
“Keep having fun with it,” he said. “And play in as many tournaments as you can.”
Congratulations again to the Eldon Mustangs on an incredible season and a well-deserved state championship.
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ABOUT MGA: The Missouri Golf Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the best interests and true spirit of golf throughout the state of Missouri.
Founded in 1905 in St. Louis, the MGA was established to conduct the Missouri Amateur Championship, originally hosted by four founding clubs—St. Louis Country Club, Algonquin Golf Club, Glen Echo Golf Club, and Normandie Golf Club. In 1909, the invite-only championship expanded to Kansas City’s Evanston Club, and by 1911, the MGA became formally organized under Bonner Miller, its first Secretary and Executive Director. Since then, the MGA has grown to provide a variety of competitive tournaments, junior programs, and resources that support golfers of all ages and skill levels, continuing its mission to grow and enhance the game across Missouri.
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