Missouri men’s golf held a media day Sept. 30 at The Club at Old Hawthorne. More reporters were there than usual.

It didn’t faze senior standout Euan Walker, though, as he continued to go through his drills, honing his skill: the swing that has helped Mizzou reach a national level of success.

Walker took time to speak with the media, keeping his poise and answering questions with a balanced temperament. He quickly made it a point to discuss his mindset.

“I don’t measure my success in wins and losses, necessarily,” Walker said. “For my entire Mizzou career, it’s been about improvement. If I can improve on the course through each tournament, that’s what I’m going for.”

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Walker was raised in golf’s birthplace, and he has grown up around the sport’s culture. He went to high school in Troon, home to Royal Troon, one of golf’s most storied courses and the host of the 2016 British Open.

Walker began his career as a Tiger in 2013. Coach Mark Leroux said Walker came to Mizzou as a quiet young man but has developed into a rock-solid leader.

“Euan is unflappable, steady and consistent,” Leroux said. “He’s just who you want out on the course for you in tough situations. It’s very rewarding as a coach to know that you’ve got a guy like that on your side.”

It’s not just Walker’s coach who has an appreciation for his leadership style, though. Teammate junior Hayden Buckley expressed his appreciation for what Walker does for the team.

“Euan’s a calming presence on the course,” Buckley said. “A lot goes on on the golf course, and when you’re struggling or in an eventful tournament, Euan is always calm, and that transfers over to us.”

It’s fair to say Walker is a steady player. His strategy in golf is simple: hit the ball straight, hit it well and play consistently.

“It’s really simple to me,” Walker said. “My game is a matter of consistency. Really, that’s the case with all of our guys. The system of qualifying [for the starting lineup] rewards the consistent players and really sees that we have the best players playing for us week in and week out. It pushes me on to play better.”

Walker has found plenty of success in his career. The senior star has accumulated many accolades over his years at Mizzou. He’s won tournaments, played pivotal roles in team wins and earned Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team honors.

He hopes to play professionally after graduation. This Mizzou season, he’s impressed with his play and has made that goal a little closer to reality, accumulating three top-10 finishes and a No. 24 national ranking, according to Bushnell Golf.

Walker also won the East of Scotland Open over the summer, thanks to
his consistency on the course. Against top Scottish and English amateur competitors, he shot six strokes better than the second-place finisher.

The season is far from over, though, and Walker knows he and his teammates will have to give a strong effort if the team wants to have postseason success this spring.

“We’ve come a long way, and this is a more-than-ideal start,” Walker said. “But we’ve got a long way to go in the season and lots of tournaments to play. It’s going to be on me and some of the older guys to lead the charge and grind out great finishes the rest of the way.”

If he does play professionally, it’s safe to say that Walker will keep the same style he had at Mizzou: rock-solid, steady and straight.

“I’ve really loved my time here at Mizzou,” Walker said. “It’s been a great place to grow up, and I love the opportunity to make something special happen in my last season.”

_Edited by Peter Baugh | pbaugh@themaneater.com_