LAFAYETTE, La. – A third consecutive sub-300 round with a third-round 297, the Illinois State men's golf team placed in a tie for ninth at the 36th Annual Louisiana Classics, hosted by the University of Louisiana.
The Redbirds' 297 gave ISU a three-round total of 879, the lowest tournament total this season for the 'Birds. Illinois ran away with the title, carding a three-round 823 (-41), with host Louisiana coming in second with an 861 (-3). North Texas (864), Sam Houston (867), and Louisiana Monroe (873) rounded out the top five teams in the field.
David Perkins was the team's top finisher, tying for 16th in the field with a one-over 73 over the final round. Opening the day on the first hole, the Redbird senior started his round with six consecutive pars before he recorded his second eagle of the tournament, as he had a three on the par-five seventh hole. Back-to-back bogeys sent the senior into the turn back at even par. His back nine started with a par and birdie, to keep him at even or below par for the round. He stayed at one shot under par until a bogey on the 17th hole put him back at even, and a tournament-ending bogey ended his day with a one-over 73.
Senior Joe Hodgson closed his balanced tournament with a third consecutive 74, as his three-round 222 saw him tie for 39th overall. Hodgson opened his day with a par, bogey, and birdie to emerge from the opening of the round back at even par. Three more pars followed, before he recorded back-to-back bogeys and then a birdie to make the turn a stroke over par. His back nine was consistent, as he had eight pars and a bogey to end the round two strokes over par.
Felix van Dijk, whose three-over 75 saw him close his tournament with a 223 which is tied for 223rd. He went through the front nine with six pars and three bogeys, making the turn three shots over par. He started his back nine with three consecutive birdies, dropping his aggregate score to even par. He followed that with a double bogey, par, bogey, and birdie, pushing him to two shots over par, closing with a par and bogey, ending the round with a final score of 75 for the round.
After rounds of 72 and 77, senior Dan Anfield met in the middle for his third-round score, carding a three-over 75 and his 224 saw him tie for 51st in the field. He opened his day with a pair of pars sandwiching a birdie and was one shot under par through five holes. A bogey followed on the sixth hole to keep him back at even par. He went into the turn with three consecutive pars, and opened his back nine with another par before a birdie dropped him to a shot under par. His last seven holes were up and down, as he had a birdie, two pars, three bogeys, and a double bogey.
Parker Wisdom opened his final round strong with his only birdie of the day, as he closed his round with 10 pars and seven bogeys, as his final-round 78 gave him a three-round 225, which is tied for 54th overall.
Illinois State returns to action on Sunday, March 28 when the team takes part in the three-day Craft Farms Intercollegiate, hosted by Eastern Michigan University in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
