Riddle Wins AMC Championship with Record-Low Six-Under

Riddle Wins AMC Championship with Record-Low Six-Under- Wil Teague, Sports Information Director, 4/21/26

In the Pioneers' final 18 holes of the AMC Championship, freshman Christopher "The Bear" Riddle etched his name into the Pioneer Golf record books, becoming the first player in program history to win an invitational outright, capturing the 2026 American Midwest Conference Championship in commanding fashion.

Melbourne, AR- Freshman Christopher Riddle carved his name into Pioneer Golf history with a historic and masterclass performance in the final round, firing a blistering 66 (-6) fueled by eight birdies. Riddle entered today's home stretch in second place, trailing one stroke to Mission University's Franco Safe, but with Riddle delivering a strong performance of confidence and precision, he would go on to claim the tournament by a three-stroke margin. Riddle finished the three-round tournament at 211 (-5), tallying 15 birdies overall in the historic event. 

Christian Walls delivered a strong showing as well, finishing eighth overall to earn a top-10 placement. Walls shot a 76 (+4) in the final round, matching the middle ground of his earlier scores and climbing four spots on the leaderboard. He recorded five birdies across the tournament and finished with a total score of 231 (+15). The 8th-place finish marks Wall's second top 10 finish of the spring. 

Blake Brothers slotted in third for the Pioneers, closing out the tournament with an 85 (+13) in the final round. He recorded one birdie on the day, bringing his tournament total to three. Brothers finished with a 255 (+39), placing 30th individually.

Senior Kyle Russell maintained his position from day one, finishing 32nd overall. The Walnut Ridge, AR native shot a 93 (+21) in the final round. While still in search of his first birdie of the tournament, Russell highlighted his day with an eagle on hole two. He concluded the event with a total score of 269 (+53).

Freshman Slayde Barker rounded out the Pioneer lineup as an alternate, finishing 34th overall. Barker shot a 110 in the final round and improved one spot from the previous day's standings, ending the tournament with a total of 303 (+87).

As a team, the Pioneers placed sixth in the AMC Championship, finishing with a combined score of 966 (+102).

For All-Conference Awards, Riddle was named 2nd Team All-Conference in the American Midwest Conference, and senior John Wilson was awarded the Champion of Character.

Up Next: Thanks to his historic finish, Riddle has qualified to represent CRC in the 74th Annual NAIA National Golf Tournament at TPC Deere Run on May 12th-15th in Silvis, IL. #GOPIONEERS 

Graphic: Natalie Harrell