VALDES COMPLETES HISTORIC CAREER AT NATIONAL TOURNAMENT

PLYMOUTH, Ind. – Northeast Community College men's golfer Santiago Valdes (Mexico City, Mexico) competed in the 2023 NJCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship on May 23-26 at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana. Valdes finished the four-day event in a tie for 41st out of 130 competitors.

Valdes entered the tournament on a roll as he claimed the title of North Central District Champion to punch his ticket to nationals and was looking to bolster his Honorable Mention All-American performance at last year's event. The sophomore started off hot as he rolled in five birdies and nine pars to finish Round 1 at one-under par and in a tie for 17th.

The middle rounds were the difference for Valdes as five bogeys and a double bogey hurt his score in Round 2, but the lefty fought back to birdie the final two holes to end the day in a tie for 21st on the scoreboard. Valdes couldn't buy a break in Round 3 as his five bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey on what was a tight course slid him down to a tie for 52nd with one day left to play.

However, Valdes found his groove again in Round 4 in what was the final competitive round at Northeast for the NCAA Division I Nicholls State University commit. Valdes battled to complete the back nine at even par and climbed the leaderboard with a 74 on the final day.

STAT SHEET:

Santiago Valdes (Mexico City, Mexico):

T41 | +15 | 308

Round 1: -1 | 71

Round 2: +4 | 76

Round 3: +10 | 82

Round 4: +2 | 74

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head men's golf coach Ty Heimes on how Santiago Valdes navigated the event:

"He got off to a good start on the first day," Heimes said. "He struggled with his driver in rounds two and three, and that course will make you pay if you are a little wild off the tee. He bounced back in Round 4 and ended the tournament on a high note."

Heimes on what Valdes has brought to Northeast over the last two years:

"Santiago is a person that every coach wants in their program," Heimes said. "He possesses all the traits a good leader needs to have. Santiago's work ethic is exceptional. When you work as hard as he does there is no surprise that he has found so much success. He came to Northeast with one goal in mind and that was to transfer to a Division I school, which is exactly what he has done. I can't wait to follow his career at Nichols State University."

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