Wet day at Westwood Hills

Rain didn't stop the PB Invitational golf tournament Monday at Westwood Hills Country Club in Poplar Bluff. (DAILY AMERICAN REPUBLIC/Brian Rosener)

The conditions may not have been up to par Monday afternoon, but Poplar Bluff's Carr Vernon was.

The junior shot even-par 71 on a wet Westwood Hills Country Club to earn medalist honors at the PB Invitational.

Vernon edged Sikeston's Evan Deere by a stroke but the Bulldogs won the team title by the same margin, topping the host Mules, 314-315, while Notre Dame was third at 316.

Only 11 players in the field broke 80 but two of those were for Sikeston -- Deere at 72 and Ben Murray's 77 -- while Notre Dame had all four scoring players in the top 12.

Gunnar Knudtson and Jacob Seabaugh each shot 78 to lead the Bulldogs, who finished second at their own tournament March 19 by 2 strokes to Poplar Bluff.

Vernon paced the field with three birdies and 12 pars. He was 1-under after five holes during a heavy downpour but carded bogeys on three of his next six holes. Vernon, who won the Ozark Invitational at this course last spring, played 2-under over the final seven holes.

Poplar Bluff's John Gilmore shot 75 to finish tied for fourth, but his score counted for the Maroon team, which finished sixth in the 15-team field. Had the sophomore started on the varsity squad, the Mules could have defended their title.

Sikeston got an 80 from Connor Landers while Kirk Hoggatt scored with an 85.

Deere opened his round with 10 straight pars before a bogey on the par-3 16th. A birdie on the par-5 18th put him back to even before consecutive bogeys starting on No. 1, his 14th hole. After a birdie on the par-3 third, Deere closed out his round with pars to finish at 1-over.

Kennett's Hayden Combs was third at 74 while Jackson's Tanner Werner and Gilmore tied for fourth at 75. Cape Central's Travis Simmons and Zane Betz of Van Buren tied Murray for ninth.

The 18-hole tournament started just after noon in a driving downpour over the first few holes. A light rain fell for much of the day with the intensity picking up at times. It even rained when the sun finally came out after many of the players had finished their 14th hole.

Here are the scores:

POPLAR BLUFF INVITATIONAL

At Westwood Hills Country Club

Sikeston, 314; Poplar Bluff, 315; Notre Dame, 316; Jackson, 323; Cape Central 335; PB Maroon 336; Kennett, 340; Dexter, 347; New Madrid Central, 367; Bloomfield, 375; Kelly, 399; Malden, 406; Doniphan, 407; Caruthersville, 417; Fulton School 436.

INDIVIDUALS (Par 71) -- 1. Carr Vernon, Poplar Bluff, 71; 2. Evan Deere, Sikeston, 72; 3. Hayden Combs, Kennett, 74; t4. Tanner Werner, Jackson, 75; John Gilmore, PB Maroon, 75; t6. Travis Simmons, Cape Central, 77; Ben Murray, Sikeston, 77; Zane Betz, Van Buren, 77; t9. Cody Stevens, Dexter, 78; Gunnar Knudtston, Notre Dame, 78; Jacob Seabaugh, Notre Dame, 78; t12. Corey Connell, Cape Central, 80; Cody Cox, Notre Dame, 80; Brady Dixon, Notre Dame, 80; Collin Davis, Poplar Bluff, 80; Connor Landers, Sikeston, 80;

BLOOMFIELD (375) -- Seth Hill, 90; Ryan West 90; Austin Battles 96; Austin Cooper 99; Zac Goode 112.

CAPE CENTRAL (335) -- Travis Simmons 77; Corey Connell 80; Chris Reeder 88; David Watts 90; Parker Brown 99.

CARUTHERSVILLE (417) -- Taylor Haywood 89; Britten Carter 106; Draylen Callens 109; Bob Mechele 113; Clark Ledford 119.

CLEARWATER -- Anthony Markham, 116.

DEXTER (347) -- Cody Stevens 78; Logan Robey 81; Brennen Justice 88; Alan Flannigan 100; Ryan Joyner 101.

DONIPHAN (407) -- Taylor Smith 86; Brandon Buck 101; Colton Smith 104; Heath White 116; Austin Ivy 121.

FULTON SCHOOL (436) -- Sam Smally 96; Garrett Loyd 98; Andrew Williams 111; Skyler Savoy 131.

JACKSON (323) -- Tanner Werner 75; Braxton McDowell 82; Drew Hosp 83; Conner Thrower 83; Brent Leimbach 94.

KELLY (399) -- Derrick Garner 84; Jacob Buell 103; Brandon Houseman 105; Dillan Rucker 107; Josh Roberts 118.

KENNETT (340) -- Hayden Combs 74; Ryan Richardson 83; Bryce McPherson 85; Justin Lynn 98; Aaron Beck 105.

MALDEN (406) -- Nick Patillo 96; Jacob Haney 97; Sammy Shepard 102;Josh Holloway 111; Brett Montgomery 139.

NEW MADRID CENTRAL (367) -- Reese Porter 87; Loften Hayes 88; Trey Recker 99; Nick Machirain 103; T Moore 127.

NOTRE DAME (316) -- Gunner Knudtson 78; Jacob Seabaugh 78; Cody Cox 80; Brady Dixon 80; Tyler Arpin 87.

POPLAR BLUFF (315) -- Carr Vernon 71; Collin Davis 80; Hunter Pyland 81; Ryan McVey 83; Jake Russell 84.

PB MAROON (336) -- John Gilmore 75; Davis Caldwell 81; Trenton Thomas 82; Trea Norton 98; Matt Crow 98.

PB INDIVIDUALS -- Zack Roby 108; Ross Pridy 116; Austin Boner 117; Taylor McClure 120.

SIKESTON (314) -- Evan Deere 72; Ben Murray 77; Connor Landers 80; Kirk Hoggatt 85; Conor MacGillivaray 86.

VAN BUREN -- Zane Betz, 77.