DORADO, P.R. - After a record-setting tournament in Texas to open the spring season - one that saw the team tournament record fall - the Illinois State men's golf team travels to Puerto Rico to compete in the Dorado Beach Collegiate, hosted by UNC Greensboro at TPC Dorado Beach.
Event: Dorado Beach Collegiate
When: Sunday, Feb. 25 - Tuesday, Feb. 27
Where:Â TPC Dorado Beach - Sugarcane Course // Dorado, P.R.
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,112
Live Scoring: GolfStat
Participants (Men's Team Collegiate Rankings): UNCG (42), Illinois State (54), Kent State (88), West Virginia (94), Ball State (96), ULM (102), UTSA (112), Southern Miss (125), Valpo (160), Butler (177), Old Dominion (186), Winthrop (195), George Mason (196), Maryland (213), Denver (215), Bryant (252), Army (267)
Redbird Lineup (national rank / starting hole):Â Valentin Peugnet (70 / 12), Alex McCulla (101 / 13), TJ Barger (686 / 14), Parker Wisdom (728 / 14), Felix van Dijk (741 / 15) INDIVIDUALS: Will Troy (756 / TBD), Pietro Pontiggia (637 / TBD). The Redbirds will be golfing alongside Denver, Louisiana Monroe, and Valparaiso
Last Time Out: The 2024 fall season started off in a big way, as the Redbirds set the school record for lowest team tournament score, while Valentin Peugnet tied the individual school tournament record, becoming just the second golfer in program history to shoot a tournament score under 200 en route to him earning his third MVC Golfer of the Week honor this season. Teammate Alex McCulla was the individual runner-up, carding a three-round score of 204, which tied for the fifth-lowest single-round in the history of the Redbird golf program. In all, four of the lowest eight tournament scores in program history have come during the first six tournaments of the 2023-24 season.
History at the Tournament: This is the first season that the Redbirds have competed at this event.
About the Course:The Dorado Beach Plantation Sugarcane Course is the more challenging of the two Plantation courses at this Caribbean golf resort, although it boasts larger fairways and greens. The course features more forced carries and deeper bunkers that can penalize you for an errant shot. The back nine is surrounded by newly created rivers and lakes and offers a much different look, never seen at the old Cerromar and Dorado Courses, making this a hidden gem amongst Puerto Rico golf courses. Players have an opportunity for birdies early in the round, but par is a great score on most every hole on the back nine.
