Litchfield, AZ – The Big Sky Conference Golf Championship is destined for a thrilling finish following a closely played first round at Wigwam Golf Club. The Portland State Vikings are in ninth place among 10 teams, but are in the midst of eight teams separated by only nine shots.
 
The Vikings shot a team total of 303 on Monday in the 90-degree heat. They are one shot behind Northern Colorado, two behind Weber State, three behind Eastern Washington… and so on. In fact, the Vikings are only eight shots back of third place with two rounds to play.
 
To no one's surprise, conference favorite Sacramento State took the first-round lead with a team score of two-under par 282. Montana State is in second place with 287. Only those two schools have created separation from the pack.
 
Three Vikings shot four-over par 75 on Monday, led by juniors Payten Shimizu and Bayler Brundage and sophomore Momo Udom. They are among a group tied for 21^st among 50 golfers competing.
 
Shimizu rallied on the back nine, shooting a one-under par 34 after sinking a birdie putt on the 18^th hole. She and Brundage are each playing in their third Big Sky Golf Championship.
 
Sophomore Cynthia Valerie Ong and graduate student Avery Kageyama each posted first-round scores of 78. They are tied for 37^th.
 
Five players posted subpar rounds on Monday. The individual leader is Darla May Dela Torre of Sacramento State. She carded a three-under par 68. Scarlet Weidig of Montana State and Gabriella Ilardi of Eastern Washington are each one shot back at 69.
 
Scores were actually higher than last season's first round on the Wigwam Blue Course, a par-71, 5,951-yard track. The scoring average for the day were 75.22.
 
There is potential for lots of birdies and volatility on the leaderboard over the next 36 holes. More hot weather is expected over the next two days with highs in the low 90s.
 

TAP-INS

• The second round of the Big Sky Championship takes place on Tuesday. Tee times for the Vikings begin at 6:30 a.m. Live scoring can be found here.
• BIRDIE WATCHING (18 holes): Payten Shimizu, 2; Cynthia Valerie Ong, 2; Avery Kageyama, 2; Momo Udom, 2; Bayler Brundage, 1

 
Big Sky Conference Championship
April 14-16, 2025
Wigwam Golf Club
Par 71/ 5,951 yards
10 teams/50 players
 
TEAM SCORES
1. Sacramento State, 282
2. Montana State, 287
3. Montana, 295
4. Northern Arizona, 297
5. Idaho, 298
6. Eastern Washington, 300
7. Weber State, 301
8. Northern Colorado, 302
9. Portland State, 303
10. Idaho State, 304
 
TOP 10 PLAYERS
1. Darla May Dela Torre, Sacramento State, 68
t2. Scarlet Weidig, Montana State, 69
t2. Gabriella Ilardi, Eastern Washington, 69
t4. Maddie Montoya, Montana State, 70
t4. Raina Ports, Montana, 70
t6. Jade Gruher, Weber State, 71
t6. Tova Hatton, Sacramento State, 71
t6. Caitlin Maurice, Sacramento State, 71
t6. Elle Higgins, Montana, 71
10. Four tied at 72
 
PORTLAND STATE SCORES
t21. Payten Shimizu, 75
t21. Bayler Brundage, 75
t21. Momo Udom, 75
t37. Cynthia Valerie Ong, 78
t37. Avery Kageyama, 78