Bradley University Athletics

Valpo Fall Invitational Up Next For Men’s Golf

Duane Zehr, Bradley University ITPS

Live Scoring

Men's Golf 9/18/2021 11:50:00 AM

PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley Men's Golf returns to a familiar setting next week with the Braves marking the halfway point of their fall schedule by playing at the Valpo Fall Invitational in Chesterton, Ind., Monday and Tuesday.

Action at the par-72 Sand Creek Country Club begins Monday with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. Tuesday's final round will begin with tee times starting at 7:30 a.m.

The 12-team field for this year's Valpo Fall Invitational includes Missouri Valley Conference rivals Evansville and tournament-host Valparaiso. Joining Bradley in the field are Chicago State, DePaul, Detroit, Eastern Illinois, Green Bay, North Dakota, Western Illinois, Wright State and Xavier.

Playing in Valparaiso's Fall tournament each of the last four seasons, excluding the 2020-21 school year when Bradley did not play a Fall schedule, the Braves have won the event twice with team titles in 2018 and 2016.

Several Braves will be returning to where they started their Bradley careers. Senior Jalen Hodges made BU debut with a five-over 221 (T30th) at the then Crusader Collegiate at Sand Creek Country Club to start the 2019-20 season. Hodges wrapped up the 2019 event with a pair of one-over 73's.

Junior Josh Kirkham has led Bradley in each of the first two outings of the 2021-22 campaign and boasts a team-best 76.00 stroke average on the year. Kirkham, who tied for 67th at the Crusader Collegiate as a freshman back in 2019, returned to Sand Creek Country Club this summer to play in the Northern Amateur and took fifth in the event at three-under 213. After a one-over 73 in the opening round, Kirkham fired a one-under 71 in the second round and wrapped up the tournament with a three-under 69 as he parred 39 of 54 holes.

Fellow junior Roy Radke joined Kirkham at this summer's Northern Amateur, where he tied for 11th at three-over 219. Radke carded a tournament-best three eagles over the three days and opened the tournament with a three-under 69.

Junior John Stillman also made his Bradley debut at Sand Creek Country Club in 2019 and fired his best rounds of the young 2021-22 season in each of the last two rounds at the Wildcat Invitational last week. Stillman's low round of the 2019-20 season (73) came in the final round at the 2019 Crusader Collegiate.

The Braves follow up the Valpo Fall Invitational with the Derek Dolenc Invitational in Madison, Ill., Sept. 27 & 28.

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