COLUMBIA, Mo. (July 29, 2026) – Host Missouri turned in one of its strongest performances in Southern Junior Cup history this week at The Club at Old Hawthorne, finishing runner-up. Missouri entered Wednesday’s singles session with an 8.0-6.5 lead over the defending champions and remained in contention throughout the day. Alabama rallied by earning 9.5 of the 12 available singles points, but the championship remained undecided until Missouri’s Lisa Zhang and Alabama’s Kamdyn Kelley walked to the 18th tee.
With the Southern Junior Cup hanging in the balance, Zhang won the 17th hole to square the match, sending the championship to the final hole. On the 18th, Zhang narrowly missed a birdie putt that would have earned Missouri a full point and the Southern Junior Cup. Both players converted par, halving the match and awarding each team a half point, allowing Alabama to escape with a half-point victory.
Wednesday’s singles matches were contested under clear skies with temperatures in the mid-80s and featured one of the finest individual matches of the championship between Missouri’s Anson Munzlinger and Alabama’s Rawlin Sutter.
Munzlinger fired a remarkable 9-under-par 63, but Sutter answered with an even better 10-under-par 62. The pair battled throughout the day before Sutter secured a 1-up victory on the 18th hole in a match worthy of deciding a championship.
Missouri earned six full points during Wednesday’s singles session. Hudson Shy of St. Charles defeated Oklahoma’s Luke Newton, 5 & 4, while Alexi Omillian of Kansas City earned a commanding 7 & 6 victory over Oklahoma’s Charlotte Dixon. Cooper Toalson of Eldon defeated Arkansas’ Carter Pulley, 4 & 3, and Landon Barks of Poplar Bluff claimed a 2-up victory over Oklahoma’s Seth Gilliam. Haven Evers of Eldon added a 1-up win over Oklahoma’s Autumn McMahan, while Morgan Nute of Wright City earned a 2 & 1 victory over Arkansas’ Roccelle Manns.
The Southern Junior Cup is a Ryder Cup-style, co-ed team competition featuring Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Teams compete over three days in four-ball, foursomes and singles match play, with each match worth one point toward the overall team total.
Missouri Golf extends its sincere appreciation to the players, coaches, volunteers, and The Club at Old Hawthorne for their outstanding efforts in making the 2026 Southern Junior Cup a memorable championship.
For complete results and additional information on the Southern Junior Cup, visit mogolf.org and follow Missouri Golf on all social media platforms.
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About Missouri Golf
Missouri Golf is the official governing body for amateur golf in Missouri. Founded in 1905, Missouri Golf is dedicated to promoting and protecting the game of golf in Missouri through championship competitions, handicapping services, course rating, junior golf programs and various educational initiatives. Missouri Golf serves thousands of golfers across the state and is committed to ensuring that golf remains accessible, enjoyable and thriving for generations to come. For more information, visit mogolf.org.
