Litchfield, AZ – Cynthia Valerie Ong paced the Portland State Vikings on the opening day of the Big Sky Conference Golf Championship, shooting an even-par 71. It was the best round by the Viking junior in three seasons competing in the tournament at Wigwam Resort and one shot off her PSU career best.
 
Portland State's first-round 12-over par 296 was also the best round by a Viking team on the Wigwam Blue Course in the three years it has hosted the event. The Vikings are currently in seventh place in the 54-hole event, with the final 36 holes played on Tuesday and Wednesday. PSU is looking to improve on last year's eighth-place finish.
 
Northern Arizona leads the tournament with a two-under par 282 after the first round. Northern Colorado and Montana State are tied for second at even-par 284. Defending champion Sacramento State is fourth with 287.
 
Sacramento State's Sophia Lee leads the tournament after a four-under par 67. In all, nine players shot under par.
 
Ong is tied for 10^th on the individual leaderboard. She went out in 37 and came home in 34, making a pair of birdies on the back nine.
 
Sophomore Maddie Dustin shot two-over 73 for the Vikings. Playing in her first Big Sky Championship, she is tied for 18^th among 50 players.
 
Freshman Caithlyn Ong, Cynthia's younger sister, is also playing in her first Big Sky Championship and posted a 75 to tie for 27^th.
 
Senior Payten Shimizu also posted a counting score with a 77 for the Vikings. Senior Bayler Brundage shot 78.
 

TAP-INS

• BIRDIES WATCHING (18 holes): Cynthia Valerie Ong, 3; Maddie Dustin, 2; Bayler Brundage, 2; Caithlyn Ong, 1; Payten Shimizu, 1.
• Portland State has posted 10 rounds in the 290s as a team this season (out of 25). PSU had only two such rounds last season. The last time PSU had 10 rounds under 300 was the 2018-19 season (in 28 rounds).
• The second round of the Big Sky Conference Champions is Tuesday with tee times beginning at 6:30 a.m. The Vikings will tee off between 7-7:30. The final round is on Wednesday. Live scoring can be found at: https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/242922/scoring/team

 

BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP
Wigwam Golf Resort – Blue Course
April 20-22, 2026
Par 71/5,981 yards
10 teams/50 players

 
TEAM SCORES
1. Northern Arizona, 282
t2. Northern Colorado, 284
t2. Montana State, 284
4. Sacramento State, 287
5. Idaho State, 290
6. Weber State, 294
7. Portland State, 296
8. Idaho, 297
9. Montana, 305
10. Eastern Washington, 310
 
TOP 10 PLAYERS
1. Sophia Lee, Sacramento State, 67
t2. Nina Lukyanenko, Northern Arizona, 68
t2. Norah Siedl, Montana State, 68
t4. Andrea Chin, Idaho State, 69
t4. Samantha Colombine, Northern Colorado, 69
t6. Sofia Fuenmayor, Weber State, 70
t6. Darla May Della Torre, Sacramento State, 70
t6. Evan Heinz, Montana State, 70
t6. Frankie Dezis, Northern Arizona, 70
t10. Cynthia Valerie Ong, Portland State, 71
tied with four others
 
PORTLAND STATE PLAYERS
t10. Cynthia Valerie Ong, 71
t18. Maddie Dustin, 73
t27. Caithlyn Ong, 75
t36. Payten Shimizu, 77
t40. Bayler Brundage, 78