Litchfield, AZ – Behind a school-record tying 67 from Cynthia Valerie Ong, the Portland State Vikings rose to a fourth-place finish in the Big Sky Conference Championship, completed today at Wigwam Resort.
 
Ong turned in the sixth score of 67 in PSU history. Her total came on a par-71 course, while the other five were on par-72 courses. Ong's four-under par round provided impetus for the Vikings to pass Idaho and three-time defending champion Sacramento State on the leaderboard and rise to a fourth-place finish. The last time the Vikings placed higher at the Big Sky Championship was third in 2021. It was also four spots higher than PSU's eighth-place result in 2025.
 
The Vikings posted a team total of 289 on Wednesday, which ranks among the top 20 team scores in program history. The Vikings 881 total over three days ranks as 11^th-best for a 54-hole tournament in school history.
 
Ong's day was highlighted by four birdies and an eagle. The Viking junior nearly aced the short 284-yard par-four 15^th hole. Her tee shot rolled within inches of the cup and she cleaned up the eagle by dropping a four-foot comebacker.
 
Ong ended the tournament with 71-75-67 for an even-par 213 total. That ties for the fifth-best tournament score in school history and her personal best. She placed seventh overall on the leaderboard.
 
Also turning in a brilliant performance for the Vikings was senior Bayler Brundage. She saved her best for last with an even-par 71. It was Brundage's best score of the season and one stroke off her personal best. She moved up 16 spots on the leaderboard and ended the tournament in a tie for 28th with 78-78-71=227.
 
Sophomore Maddie Dustin placed 19th with 73-73-75=221, matching her best tournament score this season.
 
Caithlyn Ong shot 75-72-76=223. The freshman finished in a tie for 22^nd.
 
Senior Payten Shimizu tied for 34th with a 77-76-78=231 total.
 
Northern Arizona came away champions with a brilliant team score of five-under par 282-283-282=847. Northern Colorado finished second at 284-286-282=852. Montana State was third with 284-299-284=867.
 
Lizzie Neale of Northern Arizona (71-71-65=208) and Norah Siedl of Montana State (68-73-67=208) tied for Big Sky medalist honors. They were both at five-under par and three shots clear of the next competitor. Seidl won the playoff with a birdie on the first extra hole.
 

TAP-INS

• BIRDIE WATCHING (54 holes): Cynthia Valerie Ong, 7, 1 eagle; Maddie Dustin, 5; Caithlyn Ong, 5; Bayler Brundage, 4; Payten Shimizu, 1.
• Portland State played steady golf, leading the tournament in total pars (183). Northern Arizona was next with 164… all five Vikings ranked among the top six in pars made.
• Portland State posted 12 rounds in the 280s and 290s as a team this season (out of 27). PSU had only two such rounds last season. The last time PSU had more rounds under 300 was the 2017-18 season.
• Senior Bayler Brundage ended her career with the tenth-most rounds played in PSU history (103). She never missed a tournament during her four years as a Viking Brundage is sixth all-time in birdies (159)… senior Payten Shimizu finished with 96 career rounds, 11^th most in school history. She ranks 13^th all-time in scoring average and seventh all-time in birdies (144).
• The Vikings finished the year with a 301.8 scoring average. That is the best since the Viking team shot a school record 296.5 in 2017-18.
• Cynthia Valerie Ong finished the season as the team scoring leader with a 74.81 stroke average. That ranks ninth best in program history.

 

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, 282-283-282=847
2. Northern Colorado, 284-286-282=852
3. Montana State, 284-299-284=867
4. Portland State, 296-296-289=881
5. Sacramento State, 287-302-294=883
6. Idaho, 297-294-294=885
7. Weber State, 294-302-296=892
8. Idaho State, 290-304-310=904
9. Montana, 305-304-308=917
10. Eastern Washington, 310-299-316=925
 
TOP 10 PLAYERS
t1. Lizzie Neale, Northern Arizona, 71-71-65=208
t1. Norah Siedl, Montana State, 68-73-67=208
t3. Frankie Dezis, Northern Arizona, 70-71-70=211
t3. Olivia Salonek, Northern Colorado, 71=71-69=211
t5. Samantha Colombine, Northern Colorado, 69-74-69=212
t5. Sofia Fuenmayor, Weber State, 70-72-70=212
7. Cynthia Valerie Ong, Portland State, 71-75-67=213
8. Timber Shehee, Northern Colorado, 71-74-70=215
9. Sophia Lee, Sacramento State, 67-76-73=216
10. Lauren Greeny, Montana State, 71-73-73=217
 
PORTLAND STATE PLAYERS
7. Cynthia Valerie Ong, 71-75-67=213
19. Maddie Dustin, 73-73-75=221
t22. Caithlyn Ong, 75-72-76=223
t28. Bayler Brundage, 78-78-71=227
t34. Payten Shimizu, 77-76-78=231