With the Masters Golf Tournament arriving on televisions this weekend it's a reminder that the most important tournament of the Big Sky Conference season is also on the docket. The pros conveniently finish on Sunday evening as the Portland State Vikings tee off Monday morning in the Big Sky Championship at Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield, AZ.
 
The Vikings are coming off their best tournament score of the season, a 908 at the Bobcat Desert Classic in similar conditions in Goodyear, AZ. All five Vikings shot at least one round between 69 and 75 in the tournament, so they all have quality scores in their recent memory on a desert course. PSU will try to build on those performances as they take on the entire league in the 54-hole conference championship, running Monday through Wednesday.
 
The Big Sky will using the Blue Course at Wigwam, a 5,948-yard, par-71. Portland State's Monday tee times will be 7:10 to 7:42 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday will be determined by tournament standings.
 
Leading the way should be junior Payten Shimizu as she comes off the best tournament of her career. Shimizu finished 11^th at the Bobcat Desert Classic earlier this week, turning in her best individual round (69), best tournament score (218) and most birdies (11) in three seasons as a Viking. Shimizu's previous best round (70) and tournament (221) came at the Big Sky Championship in 2023 when she tied for 13th. So, she has gotten good results in the hot weather.
 
The Vikings leading scorer this season has been Cynthia Valerie Ong. The sophomore has a 76.85 stroke average. She has improved her game by .25 strokes per round over her freshman season. Ong tied for 30^th in last year's Big Sky Championship.
 
Junior Bayler Brundage is at 78.26 per round this season. That is more than one stroke per round better than her sophomore year. Brundage is capable of going low as she leads the team in birdies (38) this season and shot a career-best, two-under par 70 last fall at the PSU Invitational. Brundage tied for 30^th in last season's Big Sky Championship.
 
Graduate student Avery Kageyama, a first-year player for the Vikings, will compete in her first Big Sky Championship. Kageyama has played in big tournaments before as she was a member of George Fox University's 2023 NCAA III National Championship team.
 
Kageyama posted an even-par 72 in the second round of the Bobcat Desert Classic. She has a 78.80 scoring average this season.
 
Also starting for the Vikings will be sophomore Momo Udom. Her final round at the Bobcat Desert Classic was a 75 and she brings a 79.83 scoring average to the tournament.
 

BIG SKY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Date: Apr. 14-16
Course: Wigwam Golf Club (Blue Course)
Par/Yardage: 71/5,948 yards
Live scoring: https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/237689/scoring/team 
Play: 18 holes each day. Tee times begin at 6:30 a.m. each day.
Teams competing (10): Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Sacramento State, Weber State.
 
Monday tee times (Tuesday and Wednesday tee times based on standings)
6:30 a.m.-7:02 a.m. – Montana State, Weber State
7:10 a.m.-7:42 a.m. – Portland State, Northern Colorado
7:50 a.m.-8:30 a.m. – Idaho State, Sacramento State, Idaho
8:40 a.m.-9:20 a.m. – Montana, Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona
 
HISTORY: This will be the 32^nd Big Sky Conference women's golf championship. Sacramento State won the 2024 title, played at The Wigwam Club. Portland State began its women's golf program in 1997-98, and between 2003 and 2014 won seven Big Sky Championships (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014).
 

PORTLAND STATE PLAYERS IN THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Payten Shimizu
2023: 77-74-70=221, t13th
2024: 79-DNP-75
 
Bayler Brundage
2023: 80-85-79=244, 44^th
2024: 75-73-78=226, t30th
 
Cynthia Valerie Ong
2024: 75-76-75=226, t30th
 
Momo Udom
2024: DNP-80-DNP
 

TAP INS

• Portland State placed eighth in last season's Big Sky Championship, with an impressive 893 total.
• SCORING AVERAGES (rounds): Cynthia Valerie Ong, 76.85/14; Payten Shimizu, 77.31/19; Bayler Brundage, 78.26/19; Avery Kageyama, 78.80/15; Momo Udom, 79.83/18
• BIRDIE WATCHING (rounds): Bayler Brundage, 38/22; Payten Shimizu, 36/22; Cynthia Valerie Ong, 29/17 (1 eagle); Momo Udom, 22/21; Avery Kageyama
   18/18

2024-25 SEASON SCHEDULE

FALL SEASON
Sept. 16-17, Kelsey Chugg Invitational, Wolfcreek Golf Club, Eden, UT, hosted by Weber State, t9th of 11 teams, 312-318=630     
Sept. 22-23, Eagle Invitational, Circling Raven Golf Course, Worley, ID, hosted by Eastern Washington, 12th of 13 teams, 317-303=620
Sept. 30-Oct. 1, Pat Lesser Harbottle Invitational, Tacoma Country and Golf Club, Tacoma, WA, hosted by Seattle, 16th of 17 teams, 318-305-298=916
Oct. 14-15, Portland State Invitational, Columbia Edgewater Country Club, Portland, OR, hosted by Portland State, 9th of 10 teams, 305-302-321=928
           
SPRING SEASON
Feb. 10-12, Mountain Classic Match Play, The Classic Club, Palm Desert, CA, hosted by Wyoming and Boise State, 6^th of 8 teams, 1-2 in matches 
Feb. 15-17, Alice and John Wallace Women's Golf Classic Monterey Country Club, Palm Desert, CA, hosted by Long Beach State, 21^st of 21 teams, 315-316-306=935
Mar. 31-Apr. 1, Fresno State Classic, Copper River Country Club, Fresno, CA, hosted by Fresno State, 7^th of 8 teams, 311-312-310=933        
Apr. 7-9, Bobcat Desert Classic, The Golf Club of Estrella, Goodyear, AZ, hosted by Montana State, 8^th of 10 teams, 304-301-303=908
Apr. 14-16, Big Sky Championship, Wigwam Golf Club, Litchfield, AZ