SILVIS, IL – It took two days for the UBC to complete their first round of the NAIA Championship, after having to shelter in a basement amid a tornado warning on day one, but when the first 18 was finally through the Thunderbirds carded a combined +7 to sit in ninth place in the 29-team tournament.
The awful weather proved to be especially disadvantageous for the teams that started early on Tuesday, like UBC, as they had to battle difficult conditions in the morning, then wait around for upwards of eight hours, before going back to their hotel. Then they still had to finish the remainder of their round on Wednesday. Teams scheduled to play later in the day on Tuesday simply had their full rounds pushed by a day, allowing them to maintain their typical 18-hole rhythm.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Aidan Schumer shone for the T-Birds. The medalist at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship started his round at even par through six holes on Tuesday before firing a bogey-free three-under on his remaining 12 holes on Wednesday for a 68 (-3) to put him in fifth place in the tournament.
Schumer's strong play proved to be essential to keep the team in contention early on as he is the lone T-Bird in the top 40. John Paul Kahlert is next up with a solid 73 (+2) to put him in 43rd. Dylan MacDonald and Mackenzie Bickell both carded 75s (+4) to place them just inside the top-70 of the 156-player field.
Because the first round had to be played over two days, the NAIA has shortened the event from 72 holes to 54 holes, meaning cutdown day was moved to Thursday and the top 15 teams will then play only one more round on Friday to finish the Championship.
The 'Birds are back on the tee at 8:50 a.m. (PT) on Thursday, beginning from the first hole in 10-minute intervals.
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