First Day Results
HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The Illinois State men's golf team started the 2016 Missouri Valley Conference Championship Monday at the par-70 Prairie Dunes Country Club and completed the first two rounds in a third-place tie with Missouri State. The Redbirds shot a 29-over-par 589 (293-296) and sit seven strokes behind leader Southern Illinois, who shot a 22-over-par 582 (289-293) in the nine-team field.
"Prairie Dunes is such a great test of golf for our championship, as it is demanding from tee to green, and leaves a very small margin for error in so many places," head coach Ray Kralis said. "You don't always get rewarded for quality shots, so you have to be very patient and accept what it gives you. The guys did a great job of that today and have us right in the mix with one round to play."
Freshman Trent Wallace sits all alone in second place on the individual leaderboard after carding a 2-over-par 142 (73-69) thanks to a sizzling 1-under-par 69 in the second round, after shooting a 3-over-par 73 over the first 18 holes.
Junior Christian Crabill and senior Tyler Gentilella both sit in a tie for 18th place with 9-over-par 149's. Crabill came out of the gates red hot and fired a 1-under-par 69 in the first round but would not have his score count towards the team's total in the second round after shooting an 80. Gentilella was steady, as he shot a 5-over-par 75 in the first round, before shooting a lower score over the second 18 with a 4-over-par 74.
Sophomore Zach Burry carded a pair of 6-over-par 76's to finish at 152, with the former rounding out the scoring for ISU in the opening round. Freshman Michael Mounce shot a pair of 7-over-par 77's, but his first 77 did not count towards the overall team total over the first 18 holes.
"Christian's opening round of 69 steadied us in the morning, and Trent's 69 in the afternoon was a big lift," Kralis said. "The winds are definitely a factor here and are expected to blow tomorrow, so anyone in the top half of the field is within striking distance. It should make for a very exciting finish."
The Redbirds look to shoot low scores all around and rally Tuesday to claim the conference championship with the third and final round. The winner earns an automatic berth to next month's NCAA Tournament.
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