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Arthur Ylitalo

Men's Golf 3/6/2025 1:52:00 PM

Men's Golf Finishes Third at Saddlebrook

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fl. - The NMU men's golf team wrapped up its first competition of the spring season with a third place finish .

The Wildcats maintained its position after moving up one spot yesterday, posting a team score of +39 today to finish +101 on the week. No. 18 Missouri S&T dominated the field, shooting a combined team score of +5 today to finish at +36 for the week. McKendree claimed second at +71, Walsh and Roosevelt finished neck and neck in 4th and 6th with +109 and +110, respectively, and Saint Xavier rounded out the tournament at +185.

The course played relatively the same today as it did all week, with players averaging a score of 81.78 today while the full week averaged out to 81.71. The only hole to play under-par was the par-five fourteenth (4.78 average), and was the only hole to average under par all week (4.81).

NMU finished the week fifth in par three scoring (+43), fourth in par four scoring (+145), and fifth in par five scoring (+14). The Wildcats recorded the third most birdies with 30 and fourth-most pars with 137, while posting the second most bogies with 106 and third most double-bogey+ at 51.

Walter Ylitalo finished 10th as an individual and first on the Wildcats, the only player among the field with a three day total of +18. Walter posted a third round score of +8 (79), second to only his brother on the team. Walter recorded three birdies, including circles on the par-five 14th, the par-three third, and par-four 6th. Walter finished his week 10th on the field in par four scoring (+15), tied for seventh on par five scoring (-3), and recorded the second most birdies among the field with nine.

The best Wildcat round of the day came from Walter's brother, Arthur Ylitalo, who fired home a round of +3 (74), the sixth-best round of the day and moving up three spots to finish 12th with his three day total of +20. Arthur started on hole ten and recorded three birdies of his own, including the par-five 18th, par three third, and the par four fourth in a six-hole stretch that saw him shoot -3. Arthur was seventh on the field in par thee scoring (+4) and par five scoring (-3), and recorded seven birdies on his week.

Both Tyler Annala (+15) and Russel Sprecher (+16) finished with three-day totals of +33, sharing a tie for third on the team and 21st as individuals. Sprecher's round was the fourth-best on the team and rounded out the team scoring, highlighted by a birdie on the par-five 14th.

The third best round of the day came from Levi Pennala, who scored a round of +13 with a birdie on the par-four 14th to move up a spot and finish 30th individually and fifth on the 'Cats. Brady Badker finished with a round of +21 (92) today, including a birdie on the par-four 10th, for a three-day total of +55 to finish 37th.

Competing as individuals, Kyle Maki (+16, +44 total) and Joe Luke (+17, +47 total) finished 31st and 32nd among the field. Maki birdied the par-three eighth.

A full list of results can be found here.

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Players Mentioned

Tyler Annala: 6' 0"; Junior

Brady Badker: 5' 10"; Junior

Joe Luke: 5' 6"; Junior

Kyle Maki: 5' 11"; Senior

Russel Sprecher: 6' 0"; Senior

Arthur Ylitalo: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Walter Ylitalo: 5' 11"; Senior

Levi Pennala: Freshman

Players Mentioned

Tyler Annala
: 6' 0"; Junior

Brady Badker
: 5' 10"; Junior

Joe Luke
: 5' 6"; Junior

Kyle Maki
: 5' 11"; Senior

Russel Sprecher
: 6' 0"; Senior

Arthur Ylitalo
: 5' 11"; Sophomore

Walter Ylitalo
: 5' 11"; Senior

Levi Pennala
: Freshman