BARK RIVER, Mich. - A little over four months after taking home the MVC Championship and earning a berth into the NCAA Regional, the Illinois State Redbirds take back to the course for the 2023-24 season opener and will look to defend the title they shared last season at the Island Run Intercollegiate, hosted at Sage Run Golf Club in Bark River, Michigan.
Event: Island Run Intercollegiate
When: Sunday, September 3 - Monday, September 4
Where: Sage Run Golf Club // Bark River, Mich.
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,375
Live Scoring: Spikemark
Participants (2022-23 Golfstat Rankings): Michigan (57), UCF (68), North Texas (103), Coastal Carolina (104), Illinois State (108), St. Mary's (Calif.) (118), Miami (Ohio) (139), Boise State (149), Bowling Green (195), South Dakota State (213), Ohio (253)
Redbird Lineup:Â Alex McCulla, TJ Barger, Will Troy, Parker Wisdom, Felix van Dijk. Individuals: Valentin Peugnet, Jack Paeglow
History at the Event: Last season, in the first year of the event, the Redbirds tied for first with a team score of 856. Valentin Peugnet carded a tournament score of 203, the second-lowest individual tournament score in propgram history, behind rounds of 65 in the last round (tied for fourth-best in school history) and 66 in the second round (tied for 13th-best in program history) en route to him being named the MVC Golfer of the Week. Felix van Dijk shot a 214 including a final-round 69, with Will Troy carding a 219.
About the Golf Course:Â Sage Run, ranked among Golf Digest's America's Best New Courses, meanders through beautiful Upper Peninsula hardwoods and open vistas with very dramatic views. A natural drumlin, or elongated hill or ridge formed by glacial ice long ago, is the primary feature on Sage Run. A variety of golf holes meander off of and around the hill offering a scenic variety of shots creating a fun thrill ride for golfers. The challenging combination of long holes with creative short par fours lined with fescue grasses and strategic bunkering will challenge golfers of all abilities.
Last Time Out: The Illinois State Redbirds closed play at the 2023 NCAA Bath Regional by tying for 10th place overall in a deep tournament field, as the Redbirds used a final-round 285 to end with an 869, tied with San Diego for 10th overall. van Dijk led the way for the Redbirds with a 216, while Parker Wisdom (220), Peugnet (222), Pietro Pontiggia (222), and Alex McCulla (223) rounded out the deep Redbird squad at the event.
