Picken Shoots 2 Over for Tourney, Takes Runner-Up in Playoff at Chanay Invite

­MILAN — Tyler Picken recorded the best finish of his career, taking runner-up after a sudden-death playoff as the Carl Sandburg College men's golf team opened its season at the Duane Chanay Invite on Thursday and Friday at Pinnacle Country Club.

Picken finished Thursday's first round alone in second place after shooting a 2-over-par 74. He backed that up with an even-par 72 on Friday that included six birdies. The sophomore from Pekin birdied the first, second, fourth, seventh, 11th and 16th to finish tied with Augustana's Sam Evenson, who shot 1 under in the second round of the 73-player field.

Picken and Evenson each birdied the first playoff hole before Evenson prevailed on the second hole of sudden death. A pair of fourth-place showings last season marked Picken's previous best finish as a Charger.

Sandburg freshman Logan Beers tied for 14th in his first collegiate tournament. After a first-round 81, Beers fired a 4-over 76 on Friday, shooting 38 on each side with birdies on the first, seventh and 13th.

Sophomore Kyle Shaw gave the Chargers three scorers in the 70s on Friday as he shot a 77. Shaw tied for 31st with a 162 total.

The Chargers put up a 328 on Friday and shaved 15 strokes off that score in the second round, posting a 313 to take sixth in the 13-team event. Sandburg's 641 for the tournament was two shots back of Illinois Valley for sixth and 14 back of fifth-place Knox. Black Hawk won by 13 shots over Augustana. The Braves scored rounds of 304 and 301.

UP NEXT
Charger Classic, 1 p.m. Thursday at Lake Bracken

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