Live Scoring | MVC Championship Central
NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State men's golf team will compete next week in the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Golf Championship at the par-72, 7,155-yard Cog Hill Dubsdread Course in Lemont, Illinois. According to the MVC pre-championship poll, the Redbirds are projected to finish in third-place.
The 54-hole event starts Monday, April 24, and concludes Tuesday, April 25. Wichita State is favored to win the title according to a pre-championship poll of league coaches. In addition to Wichita State, Bradley and Southern Illinois (both received first-place votes in the poll) and figure to be among the leading contenders at this year's championship. The champion will advance to the NCAA Regionals next month.
The Redbirds are slated to go with a lineup of sophomore Trent Wallace, junior Zach Burry, freshman David Perkins, senior Christian Crabill and freshman Trey Tussey.
"I feel very good about our lineup going into the championship and believe our competitive schedule has prepared us well for the challenge ahead," head coach Ray Kralis said. "We have a very solid game plan for playing the golf course, which will require a little discipline, and I am confident we have the mental and emotional toughness to deal with the adversity which everyone will face over the course of the tournament. The key for us will be staying out of our own way so we can free things up and play instinctive golf. If we do that, I like our chances."
Last Time Out
Burry concluded Missouri's Tiger Invitational (April 11) in a sixth-place tie, as he shot a 1-under-par 215 (68-72-75) at the par-72, 7,221-yard Club at Old Hawthorne last Tuesday. He carded a 3-over-par 75 (35-40) in the final round and knocked down six birdie putts, including four on the front nine when he fired a 1-under-par 35.
As a team, Illinois State finished in a tie for eighth place, shooting a three-round total of 906 (302-304-300). The Redbirds produced their best round of the tournament in the final round with a 300 and finished 49 strokes behind the champion hosts.
Wallace shot a 2-over-par 74 (34-40) in the final round to finish with a 226 (75-77-74). He fired a 2-under-par 34 over the first nine holes, tallying four birdies, before shooting a 40 on the back, with one more birdie.
Senior Austin Havens and Perkins both shot 5-over-par 77s to conclude the scoring for Illinois State. Havens produced a 39 on the front, with one birdie, and a 38 on the back to finish with a 234 (80-77-77). Perkins, who missed the first day with an illness, started the day with a 1-over-par 37, which included one birdie, before shooting a 40 to end his round.
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