BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – The NMU men’s golf team finished round one from the DU Panther Invitational in 7th place of 12 teams, led by Brady Badker and Walter Ylitalo.

The team shot a combined score of +19 (307), averaging a score of 76.75 between the four rounds counted toward the team total. The team shot better than average, as the course played an average score of 77.72 from 69 rounds of golf. 

The Wildcats are in a group of four in the middle of the pack, led by Purdue Northwest (+13) in 6th, NMU (+19) in 7th, Lewis (+20) in 8th, and LSSU (+22) in 9th. Ohio Dominican (-7) and Saginaw Valley (-6) are one and two, followed by Gannon and Davenport (E).

The ‘Cats were one of six teams to shoot under on the par 5s (-2), and recorded one of the three eagles today.

Full results and live scoring for tomorrow can be found here.

Brady Badker and Walter Ylitalo sit atop the Wildcat scorecard and T24 individually with their scores of 76 (+4).

Badker opened his round on 11, where he shot four over in his opening four holes. The turn around began on 15, as he shot one-under his next 13 holes, featuring a birdie on the par five fourth and an eagle on the par five seventh, one of only three athletes to register an eagle on the day. Badker would bogey his final hole of the day to bring his evening back to +4, turning in a 35 (-1) on the front and 41 (+5) on the back.

Ylitalo, starting on nine, had two birdies in his opening five holes, but found himself five over with six holes to go. Walt would then shoot -1 with no bogeys in his final six holes en route to turning in his score of +4 on the day,

Younger brother Arthur Ylitalo finished only one stroke back of the team leaders, finishing with a +5 (77) and T30 individually. Like his brother, he also started with a bogey on hole nine, and found himself seven over with five holes left. Birdies on the par three fifth and par five seventh to go -2 in his final five holes was good enough to bring him back toward the team lead. Art played the par 3s even on the round, T4 among individual averages. 

One shot back of Arthur was Tyler Annala with his score of +6 (78), featuring birdies on the par four third and par five seventh.

Russell Sprecher turned in a score of +8 (80), and Levi Pennala competed as an individual, where he recorded a round of +11 (83).