BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –Tyler Gentilella shot a season low 5-under-par 66 during the final round of the NYX Hoosier Invitational Sunday and led the Illinois State men's golf team to a 10th-place finish, two strokes behind three teams tied for seventh. Gentilella finished the tournament tied for fourth on the individual leaderboard with a total score of 211 (73-73-66) on the IU Golf Course.
Head coach Ray Kralis was very pleased with Gentilella's performance at the tournament.
"Tyler Gentilella played a great round of golf and finished off a very strong tournament individually," Kralis said. "He carried us on his back as we moved in the right direction on the leaderboard, after a disappointing first day."
Illinois State carded an 878 (294-294-290), topping conference competitors Evansville and Drake. Wisconsin finished in first with a team score of 853 (286-279-288) and was followed by Cincinnati in second place with an 861 (287-288-286), while Indiana placed third with a score of 867 (295-284-288).Â
Zach Burry followed Gentilella scoring a 221 (74-74-73), while Jason Marrs was two shots behind with a 223 (71-74-78). Jordan Fahel was fourth for the team scoring, firing a 224 (76-74-74), while Tyler Pope-Ferguson carded a 234 (79-78-77) in the invitational.
The Missouri Valley Conference Championship is in two weeks and Kralis understands the quality of play that will be needed to win the conference title.
"We have two weeks to finish preparation for the MVC Championship," Kralis said. "We need to tighten some things up collectively. To be competitive there, we need a strong team effort, where we are counting a solid fourth score and getting contributions from all five golfers. We will need someone to play big like Tyler did this week and Jordan did at Arkansas State. I have seen enough to know we are capable and believe something special is going to happen."
The Redbirds will compete in the MVC Championship April 27-28.
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