First Round Results
KOHLER, Wis. – Illinois State men's golfer Trent Wallace fired an even-par 72, including a 2-under-par 34 on the back nine, and sits in an 11-way tie for 16th place, as the freshman started NCAA Regional play Monday at Blackwolf Run's Meadow Valleys Course. Seventy-five student-athletes are competing in the field, with 65 coming from the 13 teams participating.
Wallace shot even par over the first four holes, before bogeying five. He then parred six and birdied seven but bogeyed eight and nine to finish the front nine at 2-over-par.
The Joliet, Illinois native played a clean back nine, which featured seven pars and two birdies. The first birdie came at the par-5 11th, and the second one occurred at the par-3 17th.
"Trent is off to a very solid start and right where he needs to be," head coach Ray Kralis said. "The golf course didn't give you much today and held its own against a field of great players. The pin locations and challenging green complexes made it difficult to get the ball close on approaches and tested your short game all day. Trent made a few key up & downs to keep the momentum going, and he did a great job of staying patient, composed and in the moment. The course and championship set up will demand more of the same tomorrow."
Florida and Idaho sit at the top of the team leaderboard, as both schools finished at 5-under-par (283). Florida State's Hank Lebioda, South Dakota State's Grant Smith and Idaho's Daniel Sutton and Ryan Porch all shot 3-under-par 69's to pace the 75 contestants.
Wallace returns to action Tuesday morning when his second round tees off at 10:23 a.m. on the 10th hole. The event's final 18 holes will take place Wednesday, May 18.
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