MADISON, Ill. – Missouri S&T opened the fall portion of its 2023-24 golf season Tuesday with two of its teams finishing among the top four in the standings and having four individuals among the top 11 – including the tournament medalist – at the Arch Cup at Gateway Golf Links.

Jeppe Thybo (Esbjerg, Denmark/Rybners Gymnasium), one of the returning members of the Miners' NCAA Tournament squad last season, captured the top spot in the tournament as the only player to shoot below 70 in both rounds to finish with a five-under-par score of 137.  Thybo fired a 69 in the opening round to hold a share of the lead through 18 holes, then followed that up with a 68 to take the individual title.

Thybo recorded four birdies in the first round – all from the ninth hole on – then put five more birdies on the board in round two to share the tournament lead in that category.

The Miners had two teams playing in the tournament, with the lead group that included Thybo, Carl Miltun (Gilbert, AZ/Williams Field), Connor Benjamin (Nelson Bay, Australia/St. Philip's Christian College), Joey Friedel (St. Peters, MO/Fort Zumwalt South) and Carter Schmitt (Baton Rouge, LA/Catholic) finishing in a tie for second with Missouri-St. Louis with a 10-over score of 578.  S&T's second group, consisting of Nicolas Estrada (Zaragoza, Spain/IES Valdespartera), Isaac To (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia/Real International School), Cole Komyati (Elberta, AL/Bayside Academy), Quin Hoenig (O'Fallon, Mo/Francis Howell) and Jack Coleman (Milton Keynes, England/Walton), finished fourth out of the 13 teams with a score of 581.

Estrada was second overall as he also posted a 68 in the second round to finish at four-under for the day at 138.  Miltun ended up in a tie for fifth, shooting a 72 in the first round and overcoming three bogeys in the front nine in round two with three birdies on the back side to finish at 143.  To was the fourth Miner among the top 11 as he was in a three-way tie for ninth with a score of 144.

The remainder of the first group saw Benjamin finish with a score of 150, Friedel with a score of 154 and Schmitt with a 155.  Komyati had a 149 as part of the second group, while Hoenig finished at 152 and Coleman at 160.  For the day, the Miners – who shot four shots better at 287 in round two versus round one -- had the highest number of pars with 115 and the best score on par-five holes with an average of 4.95.

McKendree edged the Miners and UMSL by one shot to capture the team championship.

Missouri S&T's next competition will take place at the University of Indianapolis Fall Invitational beginning on Sept. 25.