PADUCAH, Ky. – Behind a team-low final-round score of 69 from freshman Alex McCulla, the Illinois State Redbirds closed play at the 2022 MVC Championships with a third-place finish at the yearly event.
Southern Illinois ran away with the team title with a three-round 874, while Valparaiso took second with a 891 with the Redbirds right behind with a 903. Drake (908), Missouri State (909), Evansville (929), Loyola (930), Bradley (932), and Northern Iowa (933) rounded out the nine schools in the field in the event.
McCulla, who ended the tournament tied for 10th opened his day with two pars followed by back-to-back birdies and was never over par on the day. A bogey on the sixth hole dropped him to one under par; however, he closed the front nine with a birdie to get back at two shots under par. A birdie on his second hole of the back nine dropped him to three under, and a bogey a hole later put him back to two under. After five consecutive pars he closed the tournament with his fifth and final birdie of the round to give him the three-under 69.
Felix van Dijk tied for fourth in the field, as he ended the tournament with a two-over 74. He started his day strong with a birdie on the second hole, before back-to-back bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes pushed him over par. He closed the front nine with three straight pars and opened the back nine with two before a bogey on the 12th hole. He ended his day with six consecutive pars to close out the two-over 74.
Andrew O'Brien shot a final-round 78 to finish the tournament tied for 30th, as he had a rough start with two pars, two bogeys, and two double bogeys to push him to six over par through six holes. He was steady over his final 12 holes of his collegiate career, as he had two birdies, eight pars, and two bogeys to finish with a six-over 78.
Valentin Peugnet ended his first season at ISU with a final-round 81, a round where he had two birdies and seven pars, closing play in 20th place individually in the field
Joe Hodgson closed his college career with a final-round 84, one that saw 10 pars, as he tied for 25th in the conference field.
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