Riddle Tied for Second; Pioneers in Sixth After Opening Day of AMC Tournament

Riddle Tied for Second; Pioneers in Sixth After Opening Day of AMC Tournament- Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 4/20/26

Pioneer Golf teed off at the American Midwest Conference Championship earlier today, aiming to improve on last year's finish. After the opening 36 holes, the Pioneers sit in sixth place as a team with a total score of 646 (+70).

Melbourne, AR- At Cooper's Hawk Golf Club, freshman Christopher "The Bear" Riddle paced the Pioneers, finishing the day at +1 with a two-round total of 145, tying him for second place overall. Riddle posted an impressive opening round of 71 (-1) with three birdies. He followed that with a +2 performance in round two, recording three more birdies but offset by four bogeys.

Fellow freshman Christian Walls currently ranks second on the team, finishing the day at +11 with a total of 155 strokes. Walls closely trailed Riddle after the first round, shooting a 74 (+2) with three birdies. However, he slipped in the standings after a second-round 81 (+9), which included no birdies, placing him just outside the top 10 in 12th overall.

Sophomore Blake Brothers sits third for the Pioneers with a total score of 170 (+26), placing him 31st overall. Brothers recorded one birdie in each round, sinking his first on hole three in round one and another on hole 18 in round two.

Senior Kyle Russell holds the fourth spot for the Pioneers, totaling 176 strokes (+32) across the two rounds. While Russell did not record a birdie, he improved in round two by shaving two strokes off his opening round score. He currently sits 32nd overall, just behind Brothers.

Competing in the alternate position, freshman Slayde Barker is in 35th place overall with a total score of 193 (+49). Barker recorded one birdie on hole 15 in round one and showed notable improvement in round two, reducing his score by seven strokes from his first-round performance.

Up Next: The Pioneers return tomorrow for the final 18 holes of the AMC Championship, looking to shave off strokes and finish strong. #GOPIONEERS