Robles Delval Take Fifth to Pace Eagles in the Desert

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (EMUEagles.com) – Daniel Robles Delval finished fifth overall, including placing ahead of six players ranked among the national top 100, to lead the Eastern Michigan University men's golf program to a ninth-place finish at the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate in Scottsdale, Ariz., March 8-9. The Eagles battled the elements and 16 other teams on the par-72, 7,107-yard Outlaw Course at Desert Mountain Golf Club as rain delayed the start of the tournament by two hours Saturday morning and darkness suspended play that night, forcing the second half of the second round to be played ahead of Sunday's final round.

As a team, Eastern shot 19-over 883 (295-290-298) to tie for ninth place with the University of Kentucky and Virginia Commonwealth University, who EMU Head Coach Andy Walker coached the previous three seasons. The Eagles were second among teams in the Mid-American Conference as Miami University was eighth at 16-over 880 (290-299-291) and Central Michigan University was 16th at 87-over 951 (307-323-321). Overall, No. 27 Mississippi State University took the team title at 11-under 853 (275-292-286) with No. 10 University of Utah taking second at 6-under 858 (284-294-280).

Individually, Robles Delval (Albacete, Spain/Escuela Nacional Blume/Rogers State) finished 6-under 210 (68-69-73) to place fifth overall, just three strokes out of the top three, while tying his best 54-hole score after he also shot 210 at the 2023 Spring Bulldog Clash as a member of the Rogers State University program. He finished under par in a 54-hole tournament for the first time with the Eagles and the fifth-time in his career while posting his first two rounds of 69 or better with EMU. Overall, Robles Delval finished ahead of six players that are currently ranked among the top 100 players in the nation according to the latest Scoreboard/Clippd rankings, including three players from the top 50, including #36 Hunter Thomson of Michigan (sixth), No. 38 Gabriel Palacios of Utah (t-13th), and No. 10 Sergio Jimenez of Utah (t-16th).

Tim Chan (Hong Kong, China/Loretto School/New Mexico JC/VCU), who played in a tournament against his former team (VCU), finished tied for 27th at 3-over 219 (74-74-71) while Rory McDonald-O'Brien (Shrewsbury, England/Shrewsbury School/South Carolina Aiken) tied for 46th at 10-over 226 (75-71-80). Bavake Sihota (Caledon, Ontario/Independent Learning Center/Michigan) , who previously played for host Michigan, shot 18-over 234 (78-799-77) while James Baxter (London, England/Highlands School & Sixth Form) tied for 78th at 21-over 237 (84-76-77).

Up Next
The Eagles will return to the Valley of the Sun for the Bell Bank 'Pay It Forward' Collegiate, hosted by the University of Minnesota, at Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Ariz., March 24-25. The field of 16 teams will play two rounds on March 24 and the final round on March 25.

Results
Desert Mountain Intercollegiate
Desert Mountain GC - Outlaw Course • Scottsdale, Ariz.
Par 72 • 7,107 yards • 54 holes
Saturday-Sunday, March 8-9, 2025
Team Standings
1. #27 Mississippi State • 275-292-286=853 (-11)
2. #10 Utah • 284-294-280=858 (-6)
3. Grand Canyon • 289-290-280=859 (-5)
4. Minnesota • 293-294-280=867 (+3)
5. #48 Kansas • 286-295-292=873 (+9)
6. Pacific • 290-289-295=874 (+10)
7. Michigan • 295-296-285=878 (+14)
8. MIami (OH) • 290-299-291=880 (+16)
9. Eastern Michigan • 295-290-298=883 (+19)
9. VCU • 295-298-290=883 (+19)
9. Kentucky • 288-301-294=883 (+19)
12. UTEP • 296-304-289=889 (+25)
13. Southern Illinois • 295-299-297=891 (+27)
14. James Madison • 307-299-306=912 (+48)
15. Lamar • 302-313-315=930 (+66)
16. Central Michigan • 307-323-321=951 (+87)
-- Oral Roberts • 301-302-WD=603 (DNF)

Individual Results (Top 10 + EMU)
1. Matthew Diehl (GC) • 68-65-69=202 (-14)
2. Braxton Watts (UT) • 69-72-66=207 (-9)
2. #99 Garrett Endicott (MSU) • 67-68-72=207 (-9)
4. Jack Crousore (MN) • 69-73-67=209 (-7)
5. Daniel Robles Deval (EM) • 68-69-73=210 (-6)
6. #36 Hunter Thomson (MI) • 71-72-69=212 (-4)
7. Chun-Ta Wu (MN) • 70-73-70=213 (-3)
8. Jack Schoenberger (KY) • 71-71-72=214 (-2)
8. Luke Honner (KS) • 70-73-71=214 (-2)
8. Brett Podobinski (MOH) • 69-73-72=214 (-2)
8. Dain Richie (MSU) • 70-72-72=214 (-2)
8. Harrison Davis (MSU) • 71-75-68=214 (-2)
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t27. Tim Chan • 74-74-71=219 (+3)
t46. Rory McDonald-O'Brien • 75-71-80=226 (+10)
74. Bavake Sihota • 78-79-77=234 (+18)
t78. James Baxter • 84-76-77=237 (+21)

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Players Mentioned

James Baxter

Tim Chan

Rory McDonald-O'Brien

Daniel Robles Delval

Bavake Sihota

Eastern Michigan Athletics