MOBILE, Ala. – Behind two-over 74's from both Dan Anfield and Joe Hodgson, the Illinois State Redbirds shot a 12-over 300 in the opening day of the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate and stand in 14th place in the loaded field.
Illinois holds the team lead in the strong field, with Louisville, Kent State, UAB, and Indiana rounding out the top five teams in the field.
Anfield and Hodgson each carded two-over 74's in the opening round, and are each tied for 50th in the field, while David Perkins and Felix van Dijk carded 76's behind two birdies each to tie for 67th. Andrew O'Brien's nine-over 81 is 84th in the field, while Jack Paeglow – playing as an individual – carded a four-over 76, including an eagle on the par-five fourth hole.
Starting on the 10th hole, Anfield had a birdie and two bogeys on the opening nine holes, to make the turn at a stroke over par; however, a double-bogey on the first hole (his 10th hole) and a bogey on the fourth pushed his total score to four over. He closed the day strong with birdies on the sixth and eighth holes to drop his score to the two-over 74.
Hodgson had 15 pars in his opening round, including over the first four holes of his tournament. His first over-par hole came on the 14th hole with a double bogey, but a birdie two holes later sent him into the turn at a stroke over par. He started his back nine with seven consecutive pars – pushing his total to nine straight including the final two holes on the front nine – but a bogey on the eighth hole sent him into the clubhouse with a two-over 74.
Reigning MVC Golfer of the Year Perkins got off to a slow start on the day, as he bogeyed his first two holes before answering back with a birdie on the par-four 12th hole. He closed the front nine with four pars and two bogeys to go into the turn three shots over par. He opened his back nine with five consecutive pars before recording a birdie on the par-five sixth hole to drop his score to two shots over par; however, a birdie on the seventh and ninth holes sent him into the clubhouse with a four-over 76.
van Dijk opened his tournament with a par and a birdie and followed with four more pars. A birdie on the 16th hole (his seventh) evened his score at even par, which is where it stood heading into the turn. Another par followed before a triple bogey on the second hole pushed him to three strokes over par. He responded strong and followed with a birdie on the next hole to drop back to two strokes over par, but a bogey on the seventh and ninth holes sent him into the clubhouse with a 76 on his scorecard.
O'Brien recorded bogeys on his first and fifth holes; however, a birdie on his seventh hole dropped him back to a stroke over par. A bogey on his ninth hole put him at two strokes over at the turn. The Clive, Iowa, native finished seven over par during his back nine, and finished with a nine-over 81.
Playing in his first collegiate event, Paeglow opened his Redbird career with a par and birdie, before closing the final seven holes of his front nine six strokes over par. After making the turn at five strokes over par overall, the DeKalb, Illinois, native started his back nine with back-to-back birdies, and after a bogey followed with the team's only eagle of the day on the 540-yard par-five fourth hole (his 13th hole of the day). He closed the day with three pars and two bogeys to finish with a four-over 76.
The Redbirds return to action on Monday morning, for the second of three days at the tournament.
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