The Vikings are warming up with Spring as they head to balmy Arizona for the final two tournaments of their 2025-26 season. Portland State comes off its best tournament of the season – and in fact, best score by a Viking team in eight seasons – as it heads to the Bobcat Desert Classic on Apr. 13-15 in Goodyear, AZ. The Big Sky Conference Championship follows on Apr. 20-22, in Litchfield, AZ.
 
The Vikings last played at the Jackrabbits Invitational in mid-March, but hopefully they remember that performance and build off it. PSU shot a season-best 878 total, including a three-over par 291 in the final round. No Viking team has posted better numbers since 2018 and 2019, respectively.
 
Leading that effort were sisters Cynthia and Caithlyn Ong, who each placed in a tie for 8^th at two-over par 218. Maddie Dustin (223), Bayler Brundage (career-best 225) and Payten Shimizu (229) all shot solid scores as well. Those five will start at the Bobcat Desert Classic. Momo Udom will also compete as an individual.
 
Portland State placed fifth at the Jackrabbits Invitational, its best finish of the spring (PSU had a second-place finish in the fall at the Sun Mountain Intercollegiate).
 
The Bobcat Desert Classic will be a partial preview of the Big Sky Championship as seven Big Sky teams take part. In addition, future Big Sky member (2026-27), Utah Tech, is a participant in the 13-team field. This marks the fourth consecutive year the Vikings have played in the tournament. Last season, PSU was eighth of 10 teams. In 2024, the Vikings were 13th of 17 teams.
 
Cynthia Valerie Ong, a junior, currently leads the team in scoring with a career-best 75.28 stroke per round average. That ranks 16^th-best in PSU history. Sister Caithlyn, a freshman, ranks second in scoring at 76.25, though she has competed in only four of seven events. Shimizu is at 76.83 – a career-best for the senior. Dustin, a sophomore transfer, has a 76.86 scoring average, while Brundage, a senior, is at 78.19. Udom, a junior, has a 77.00 scoring average in three events.
 

TAP-INS

• SCORING AVERAGES/rounds (7 tournaments): Cynthia Valerie Ong (75.28/21); Caithlyn Ong (76.25/12); Payten Shimizu (76.83/18); Maddie Dustin (76.86/21); Momo Udom (77.00/9); Francesca Tomp (78.00/9); Bayler Brundage (78.19/21).
• BIRDIES/rounds (7 tournaments): Cynthia Valerie Ong, 40/21; Maddie Dustin, 36/21; Payten Shimizu, 33/18; Bayler Brundage, 32/21; Caithlyn Ong 22/12; Francesca Tomp, 17/9; Momo Udom, 13/9. Eagles: Dustin, 1; Brundage, 1.
• Rankings at Portland State: Career rounds played: Bayler Brundage, 97/10th; Payten Shimizu, 90/t13th. Career Scoring Average: Cynthia Valerie Ong, 76.41/8^th; Payten Shimizu, 77.63/13^th. Career Birdies: Bayler Brundage, 151/6th; Payten Shimizu, 139/8^th. 

BOBCAT DESERT CLASSIC

Date: April 13-15
Course: Golf Club of Estrella, Goodyear, AZ
Par/Yardage: 72/6,218 yards
Live scoring: https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/239082/scoring/team
Play: 54 holes with 18 holes of play each day. Shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. each day.
Teams competing (13): Montana State, Seattle, Cal Baptist, North Dakota State, Weber State, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah Tech, Utah Valley, Eastern Washington, Portland State, Idaho State

2025-26 SEASON SCHEDULE

FALL SEASON
Sept. 15-16, Yellowstone Intercollegiate, hosted by Montana State, Riverside Country Club, Bozeman, MT, 9^th of 11 teams, 299-304-301=904
Sept. 22-23, Kalispel Invitational, hosted by Eastern Washington, Kalispel Golf and Country Club, Spokane, WA, 12^th of 14 teams, 314-298-304=916         
Sept. 29-30, Pat Lesser-Harbottle Invitational, hosted by Seattle, Tacoma Country Club, Tacoma, WA, t13th of 15 teams, 304-314-306=924
Oct. 6-7, Sun Mountain Intercollegiate, hosted by Montana, The Ranch Club, Missoula, MT, 2^nd of 6 teams, 294-297-295=886
 
SPRING SEASON
Feb. 10-11, Bowling Green Intercollegiate, hosted by Bowling Green State, Wigwam Golf Club, Litchfield, AZ, 12^th of 15 teams, 310-306-312=928
Mar. 2-3, Fresno State Spring Classic, Fresno State, Fort Washington Golf and Country Club, Fresno, AZ, 10^th of 11 teams, 315-310-310=935
Mar. 16-17, Jackrabbits Invitational, South Dakota State, Boulder Creek Golf Club, Boulder City, NV, 5^th or 10 teams, 294-293-291=878
Apr. 13-15, Bobcat Desert Classic, Montana State, Golf Club of Estrella, Goodyear, AZ
Apr. 20-22, Big Sky Championship, Big Sky Conference, Wigwam Golf Club - Blue Course, Litchfield, AZ