COAL VALLEY, Ill. – Behind a MVC Championship-tying round of 65 (-6) from Felix van Dijk, and the lowest single-round team score at the MVC Championship over the last 25 seasons, the Illinois State Redbirds lead the field of 10 schools after the first of three days at the 2023 conference Championship.
ISU's opening-round 276 is tied for the fifth-lowest single-round in program history, while the 65 by van Dijk – the reigning MVC Golfer of the Week – is tied for the fourth-best single-round in Redbird men's golf history.
Despite the Redbirds' low round, ISU stands just three shots ahead of Valparaiso, who opened the tournament with a 279, tied for the second-lowest single-round at the MVC Championship over the same era. Belmont (284), Northern Iowa (287), Southern Illinois (287), Southern Illinois (287), Northern Iowa (287), Bradley (288), Murray State (289), Evansville (294), Missouri State (297), and Drake (298) round out the 10 teams in the tournament field.
van Dijk is the individual leader after his record-tying round, as he had six birdies and a dozen pars and did not have a bogey over the opening round. The senior opened his round strong with three birdies over his first four holes, and stayed the course throughout, with birdies on the seventh, 12th, and 18 holes for his career-low round.
Valentin Peugnet had the rounds' first eagle on the day, when he carded a three on the par-five 13th hole, and he closed the day with a two-under 69 and is tied for fourth with 36 holes remaining in the championship. He was never over-par on the day, as he opened his round with a birdie, before dropping back to even par with a bogey on the fourth hole. He went back-to-back holes of birdie-bogey on the seventh and eighth, before closing the final 10 holes of the day at two under par with the eagle and nine pars.
Parker Wisdom tied his career-low for the third time in his last four rounds with a one-under 70 and is tied for ninth individually. He started his day with three pars and a pair of bogeys through the opening five holes; however, he rebounded strong with three birdies and 10 pars over the remainder of the round to finish with the 70.
Alex McCulla finished with a one-over 72 on the round and was one under par over the back nine, closing in a tie for 17th place. He alternated between par and non-par for the entire front nine with pars on his first, third, fifth, seventh, and ninth holes, with a birdie on the fourth and bogeys on the second, sixth, and eighth. His back nine opened with a birdie, a bogey, a par and a birdie before closing his day with five straight pars to finish one over for the 18 holes.
ISU's fifth score came from freshman Pietro Pontiggia – playing in his first conference championship – as he finished with a four-over 75 and is tied for 32nd with two rounds to play.. He had six pars and three bogeys over his front nine and closed the day with a one-over back nine with six pars and a bird on the par-three 14th hole.
The Redbirds tee off – weather and frost permitting – at 9:00 a.m. on Monday with Pontiggia leading off ISU, while McCulla will go off the opening tee at 9:10 a.m., Wisdom at 9:20 a.m., Peugnet at 9:30 a.m., and van Dijk at 9:40 a.m.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Â Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
