CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Little Rock men's golf team delivered a commanding performance in the opening round of the 2025 Ohio Valley Conference Championship at Dalhousie Golf Club, finishing at six-under par (282) to take the outright lead. The Trojans are six shots clear of second-place Tennessee-Martin and showed early why they entered the championship as the top-seeded team. After round one, Little Rock leads the 11-team field with a total score of 282, ahead of Tennessee-Martin (288), Lindenwood (289), and Morehead State (289), positioning themselves firmly at the top heading into Monday's second round.
LEADERBOARD |
TEE TIMES
The strong start was fueled by two standout rounds of 69 from senior
Matteo Cristoni and freshman
Freddie Turnell, both of whom sit tied for second on the individual leader board at three-under. Cristoni was steady throughout the day, making birdies on holes five, seven, and eleven, and keeping a clean card until a lone bogey on the 18th. His front and back nine scores of 35 and 34 reflected his consistency and leadership in high-pressure moments.
Turnell, one of the team's breakout players this season, matched Cristoni shot-for-shot with a balanced round that included five birdies. His play on the par fives was particularly strong, and he showed composure on the back nine to come in at 34, helping anchor the team's low total.
Also contributing to Little Rock's strong showing were steady even-par rounds of 72 from redshirt sophomore
Rhett South and senior
Archie Smith, both finishing the day tied for ninth individually. South delivered a composed performance, capitalizing on key scoring opportunities and keeping a consistent rhythm throughout the round. Smith showcased his experience with a solid mix of birdies across the course, maintaining balance and momentum to help keep the Trojans firmly atop the leaderboard.
Freshman
Ed Featherstone rounded out the lineup with a 76 (+4), tying for 32nd. Despite a tough start, Featherstone steadied himself mid-round and birdied the par-three thirteenth to close with a back nine of 36.
The second round of the championship tees off Monday morning at Dalhousie Golf Club, with the Trojans beginning tee off at 10:20 a.m.
Team Leaderboard:
1 Little Rock 282 -6
2 Tennessee-Martin 288 E
T3 Lindenwood 289 +1
T3 Morehead State 289 +1
5 Western Illinois 293 +5
6 Southern Indiana 299 +11
T7 SIU Edwardsville 300 +12
T7 Tennessee State 300 +12
T9 Tennessee Tech 302 +14
T9 Bryant 302 +14
11 Eastern Illinois 306 +18
Trojan Scorecard:
T2.
Matteo Cristoni (-3)
T2.
Freddie Turnell (-3)
T9.
Rhett South (E)
T9.
Archie Smith (E)
32.
Ed Featherstone (+4)
For the latest information on Little Rock Men's Golf, make sure to check out LRTrojans.com. You can also find the team on social media at @LittleRockMensGolf on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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