A 12-foot putt by Illinois State senior TJ Barger in the second round of a sudden-death playoff sent the Redbirds to their second-consecutive Missouri Valley Conference men's golf title, the first time in program history that the Redbirds have won back-to-back, and the first time by a school in the MVC since 2014 and 2015. It marked only the second team playoff in MVC Men's Golf Championship history (North Texas won in a playoff in 1971, defeating New Mexico State on the first hole that year.)
After a lightning delay that began shortly after the close of the third round, Illinois State and Murray State started a tiebreaking playoff – the first in the MVC since 1971 – with one golfer on holes 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, with each player playing one hole. After the first round of playoffs, each of the teams each carded a 22. After a second lightning delay, the teams returned to the same holes and were tied at 15-15 before the day’s third lightning delay halted play with one group left on the course. Barger’s chip shot from just off the green put him 12 feet away, which he sunk for the victory.
Murray State made it a championship to remember, firing the round of the day — a 12-under-par 272 — to pull even with Illinois State at 13-under 839 after 54 holes and force a team playoff. The Racers' final-round 272 was the lowest team score in MVC Championship history (for a par-71 layout), erasing an 11-stroke deficit. Southern Illinois finished third at six-under 846 after a seven-under 277 in Round 3. Evansville (861, +9) was fourth, Drake (867, +15) fifth, and Valparaiso (870, +18) sixth. Among the notable final-round team performances, Valparaiso posted a five-under 279 — the second-best round of the day — and Bradley shot three-under 281 to climb to seventh.
Illinois State's Francis Bautista claimed medalist honors at 10-under 203 — the low 54-hole score in the field — with rounds of 67-65-71. Bautista's three-day total stands as one of the finest performances in recent MVC Championship history. Southern Illinois' Anthony De Schutter finished alone in second at nine-under 204, closing with a four-under 67 after a difficult one-over 72 in Round 2. Evansville's Omar Khalid was third at seven-under 206, shooting a two-under 69 in the final round. Murray State's Trey Wall made the most dramatic individual move of the championship, carding a five-under 66 — tied for the low individual round of Tuesday's final 18 holes — to finish fourth at six-under 207 after opening with a three-over 74. Southern Illinois' Ben Keil rounded out the top five at five-under 208.
All-Conference Team
TJ Barger, Illinois State
Francis Bautista, Illinois State
Anthony De Schutter, Southern Illinois
Max Faucquez, Illinois State
Ben Keil, Southern Illinois
Omar Khalid, Evansville
Jaeseung Na, Southern Illinois
Nate Spear, Drake
Carter Stevenson, Bradley
Trey Wall, Murray State
Medalist: Francis Bautista, Illinois State
Golfer of the Year: Anthony De Schutter, Southern Illinois
Newcomer of the Year: Ben Keil, Southern Illinois
Freshman of the Year: Sam Ottwell, Illinois State
Elite 18 Award Winner: Daniil Romashkin, Evansville
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Chris Harpum, Belmont
Coach of the Year: Ray Kralis, Illinois State
Annbriar played its most benign of the three rounds on Tuesday, with the field averaging 71.58 strokes. The par-4 12th hole (368 yards) was the standout scoring hole of the final round, playing a remarkable 0.36 under par — yielding an eagle, 19 birdies, and just three bogeys in 45 rounds, the most birdie-friendly hole of the entire championship. The par-5 fifth (535 yards, -0.24) and par-5 14th (506 yards, -0.09) continued to offer birdie opportunities, while the par-4 second (435 yards, -0.09) and par-4 first (361 yards, -0.02) also played under par for the day. The day's most difficult hole was the par-4 11th (398 yards, +0.29), with 11 bogeys and two doubles.
Lowest Team Score, 54 Holes (Par)
833 -- Oklahoma State, 1949 (Par 70)
836 -- Illinois State, 2023 (Par 71)
838 -- Illinois State, 2026 (Par 71)
838 -- Murray State, 2026 (Par 71)
841 -- Memphis State, 1967 (Par 71)
Lowest Team Score, 18 Holes (Par 71)
272 — Murray State, 2026
273 — Illinois State, 2026
276 — Illinois State (twice, 2023)
277 — Southern Illinois, 2026
278 — Northern Iowa, 2023
Lowest Individual Score, 18 Holes (by par)
64 — Anthony Delisanti, Valparaiso, 2023 (par 71)
65 — Bo Wininger, Oklahoma State, 1949 (par 70)
65 — Francis Bautista, Illinois State, 2026 (par 71)
65 — Anthony De Schutter, Southern Illinois, 2026 (par 71)
65 — Omar Khalid, Evansville, 2026 (par 71)
65 — Gary Navarro, Wichita State, 1972 (par 72)
65 — Felix van Dijk, Illinois State, 2023 (par 71)
65 — Josh Kirkham, Bradley, 2023 (par 71)
Teams played 54 holes across three days on the par-71, 6,860-yard layout at Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Ill. This marks the third time in MVC history that the conference has held its men's championship at Annbriar. Drake won there in 1997, and Wichita State claimed the title at the course in 2000.
MONDAY RECAP
Illinois State carded a team score of 273, an MVC Championship single-round record, as the team propelled itself from third in the standings into an 11-stroke lead on the field heading into the final day of competition. ISU’s round score of 273 is the lowest score on a par-71 course in MVC Championship history, ahead of pair of 276’s by the Redbirds during the 2023 MVC Championship. The 273 is tied for the lowest team score in program history, alongside a trio of 273’s, most recently at the Border Olympics on February 21, 2024.
Illinois State's Francis Bautista delivered the individual performance of the tournament Monday, carding a six-under 65 to move to 10-under 132 for the championship — sole possession of first by a commanding five strokes. The 65 is tied for the second-lowest single-round score in MVC Championship history.
The Redbirds' 36-hole total of 12-under 556 puts them 11 strokes clear of second-place Murray State (567, -1), which shot one-over 285 Monday after holding second place through 18 holes. Southern Illinois, the overnight leader, slipped to third at one-over 569 after a six-over 290 second round. Evansville (581, +13) is fourth, Drake (585, +17) fifth, and Belmont (588, +20) sixth — with the Bruins posting the field's second-best round of the day at five-over 289. Valparaiso (591, +23), Bradley (592, +24), and Northern Iowa (603, +35) round out the field. Illinois State placed four players in the top 10 individually through 36 holes.
Southern Illinois' Anthony De Schutter and Evansville's Omar Khalid, who shared the opening-round lead with 65s, both shot one-over 72 on Monday and are tied for second at five-under 137. Southern Illinois' Ben Keil is fourth alone at four-under 138 after an even-par 71. Murray State's Trey Wall made the biggest surge of the day, firing a four-under 67 to climb into a tie for seventh at one-under 141, joined by Faucquez and Valparaiso's Adam Melliere, who shot a three-under 68. Among all players under par for the championship through 36 holes: Bautista (-10), De Schutter (-5), Khalid (-5), Keil (-4), Barger (-2), Murray State's Lennon Albans (-2), Wall (-1), Faucquez (-1), and Melliere (-1).
Annbriar played tougher in Round 2, with the field averaging 74.02 strokes compared to Sunday's 73.31. Only one eagle was recorded all day (down from three in Round 1), bogeys climbed from 170 to 189, and double bogeys or worse rose from 30 to 35. The par-4 16th hole (466 yards) was the most punishing on the course Monday, playing to a +0.67 average with 25 bogeys, three doubles, and only one birdie in 45 rounds — by far the day's most difficult hole. The par-5 14th (506 yards) was also brutal at +0.27, yielding six double bogeys. On the par-3 holes, the 173-yard 17th was the notable exception to the day's difficulty, playing under par at -0.02 with nine birdies — the most of any par-3 on the day. The par-5 fifth (535 yards, -0.27) and par-5 18th (603 yards, -0.07) remained the friendliest scoring holes on the course, combining for 31 birdies between them.
SUNDAY RECAP
Southern Illinois seized command of the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Golf Championship in Sunday's opening round, firing a five-under-par 279 to lead the nine-team field by three strokes over second-place Murray State (282, -2) and four over third-place Illinois State (283, -1). The Salukis' 279 ties the program's own record for the lowest 18-hole team score in MVC Championship history. Bradley is fourth at three-over 287, Evansville fifth at four-over 288, and Drake sixth at six-over 290. Notably, Southern Illinois has two players in the top five individually while Murray State also boasts two players in the top 10. Illinois State has two players inside the top 10.
At the top of the individual leaderboard, Southern Illinois' Anthony De Schutter and Evansville's Omar Khalid share the 18-hole honors after both fired six-under-par 65s — rounds that tie the second-lowest 18-hole score in MVC Championship history, trailing only Anthony Delisanti's record 64 in 2023. Tied for third at four-under 67 are Illinois State's Francis Bautista, Southern Illinois' Ben Keil, and Murray State's Lennon Albans. Northern Iowa's Tanner Dinnebier is alone in sixth at three-under 68. Bradley's Quinn Cox and Drake's Luke Bohmer are tied for seventh at one-under 70. Playing even-par 71 are Murray State's Sam Guest and Rocco Zakutney, Bradley's Brogan Smith, and Illinois State's TJ Barger. In all, eight players finished the day under par: De Schutter (-6), Khalid (-6), Bautista (-4), Keil (-4), Albans (-4), Dinnebier (-3), Cox (-1), and Bohmer (-1).
Annbriar proved a stern test overall, with the field averaging 73.31 strokes against a par-71 layout. The par-4 ninth hole (495 yards) was the most difficult of the day, playing to a +0.51 average, followed closely by the par-4 eighth (426 yards, +0.44) and the par-4 16th (466 yards, +0.38). Par-3 holes four (193 yards) and 17 (173 yards) each played to a +0.36 average, making them the toughest short holes on the course. On the positive side, the par-5 fifth (535 yards, -0.31) was the most birdie-friendly hole of the round, yielding 20 birdies and one eagle, and the par-4 first (361 yards, -0.13) and par-4 third (385 yards, -0.07) also played under par for the field.
Southern Illinois (2019, 2022, 2024) and Illinois State (2023, 2025) have combined to win all but one MVC men's golf championship since 2019. Illinois State leads all current league members with seven team titles; Southern Illinois has four. Murray State, a recent addition to the conference, has yet to win an MVC men's golf championship. Those three programs — Illinois State, Murray State, and Southern Illinois — will be grouped together for Tuesday's round.
CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
Nine MVC men's golf programs will compete in the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Golf Championship (April 26-28). Teams will play 54 holes over three days on the par-71, 6,860-yard layout at Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Ill.
TJ Barger of Illinois State highlights three ISU golfers who rank in the top eight in the MVC Clippd national rankings. Barger leads ISU with a 71.1 stroke average, on pace to be the 11th-lowest single-season scoring average in MVC history. Of his 32 rounds this season, 22 have been at or under par, with six top-10 finishes in 11 tournaments. He is joined in the top eight by Max Fauczuez and Pietro Pontiggia.
Five Salukis rank in the top 11 in the NCAA rankings, including Anthony De Schutter (2nd in MVC), newcomer Jaeseung Na (3rd), Ben Keil (4th), Blake Saffell (9th), and freshman Michael Mikus (11th). De Schutter carries a 71.2 scoring average and won three tournaments this season — only the second Saluki ever to do so in a single year — with four top-10, eight top-20, and nine top-25 finishes. Na averaged 72.5, recorded two top-three and five top-25 finishes, and tied SIU's school 18-hole record with a 64. Keil was named MVC Golfer of the Week after finishing third at the Hawkeye Invitational and ranked second on the team in scoring in three separate events.
Three other MVC schools have golfers in the top 10 of the Clippd MVC rankings. Bradley's Carter Stevenson averages 72.11, with three top-five finishes, seven top-20 finishes in nine tournaments, and five straight finishes of 16th or better entering the championship. Drake is led by Nate Spear (73.23 average, four rounds in the 60s, one top-five, one top-10, three top-25) and Sam Johnson (74.30 average, one top-five, three top-25). Defending medalist Trey Wall leads Murray State with a team-low 72.95 average. Across 32 rounds in 11 events, Wall had seven top-15 finishes including five top-10s, with a best finish of runner-up at both the Joe Feaganes Marshall Invitational and the Grover Page Classic.
- 2025-26 NCAA Team and Player Rankings: Click Here
- Preseason Poll (voted on by coaches in February prior to Spring play): Click Here
- MVC Golf (Men's/Women's Record Book): Click Here (PDF)
About the Course (
Website)
For 32 years, Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Illinois has welcomed golfers to a hidden gem nestled in a small town just outside of St. Louis. Since opening in 1993, Annbriar has earned recognition as a Top 50 Golf Course and has become the hometown destination for golf the whole family can enjoy. Annbriar has proudly hosted premier tournaments, including:
- Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Championship (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
- Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Championship (2026)
- Korn Ferry Tour Qualifier (2025 & 2026)
2025 Men's Golf Championship Recap
Illinois State earned a three-stroke victory over second-place Murray State in a 54-hole championship that went down to the wire. Murray State's Trey Wall took medalist honors at Missouri Valley Conference Men's Golf Championship at the par-72, 7,267-yard Des Moines Golf & Country Club (North Course) in West Des Moines, Iowa, hosted by Drake University. With a final-round 285, the Redbirds tied for the lowest round of Tuesday, and the team’s 856 out-distanced Murray State’s 859. Belmont (866), Drake (873), Valparaiso (875), Northern Iowa (880), Southern Illinois (883), Bradley (889), Evansville (896), and Missouri State (907) rounded out the 10 schools in the tournament field. Wall became the first student-athlete from the Murray State men's golf program to win the Missouri Valley Conference Individual Championship Tuesday when he carded a final round 3-under-par 69 to secure a two-shot victory. Wall, a redshirt freshman from Benton, Ky., had a tremendous first day at the event when bad weather on Sunday pushed Monday to become a 36-hole day. Wall shot a score of 70 in the morning and then posted a game-changing 67 in the afternoon to create a one-shot lead. The Racers had their best finish in three tries at The Valley title of second place, after a fifth in 2023 and a fourth in 2024.