McNeese's opening of its spring golf season last week was highlighted by a good debut from senior Blake Elliott as he continues to move up the ladder of the nation's top collegiate golfers.

He finished in a fourth place tie in the Jacksonville (Florida) tournament at TPC Sawgrass shooting a 2-under 208 (73-66-69) while playing against some of the nation's best.

The effort was his third consecutive top-four tournament finish in the 2018-19 season. In the fall he won the Hawaiian Princeville collegiate and placed second in the Quail Valley collegiate.

Last week's score lifted him a few more spots in the college rankings compiled by Golfstat, up to the 71st spot. He's tops among Southland Conference players and the only Louisiana golfers ahead of him are LSU's Michael Sanders (No. 59) and Philip Barbaree (No. 66).

His 70.14 scoring average ranks higher among the collegians, but Golfstat also bases its rankings on head-to-head competition of the golfers and courses played. This season (and this includes the fall tournaments) Elliott is 2-0 vs. top 25 competition, 2-2 vs Nos. 26-58 and 6-5 vs Nos. 51-100.

Mike Fluty, the Cowboys' interim head coach, called the tournament a challenging event with nine of the 14 teams entered "ranking among the top 45 in the country.

"Blake did a fine job. He drove the ball well and that's a strong part of his game. He will put the ball in play and he's very good around the greens with soft hands. When he's on his game he's tough."

Fluty said the senior had a chance to win, making five birdies on his last round but he also had four bogeys over the par-70 course.

Elliott did lead the tournament in one department, that was score on the par-3s as he was 4-under for the three rounds with a 2.67 average.