FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Behind a final-round 290 – the third-best team round in the three rounds of the tournament – the Illinois State Redbirds climbed four spots and finished in a tie for sixth overall in the 16-team field of the Ram Masters Invitational.
The Redbirds closed the three rounds with a 924 as the weather turned around to normal conditions with light wind for the final 18 holes. Tournament host Colorado State took home the team title with a 901. Pacific carded a three-round total of 909, with Sacramento State (920), Utah Valley (920), and Grand Canyon (921) all finishing just ahead of the Redbirds. Wichita State shared the sixth spot with the Redbirds, as Creighton (925), Northern Colorado (927), Wyoming (929), South Dakota (941), Cal State Fullerton (945), UC San Diego (946), Air Force (957), UNI (960), and Utah State (962) rounded out the 16 schools in the tournament.
Leading the way for ISU in the final round was Joe Hodgson, whose even-par final-round 70 gave him a three-round score of 229, tied for 16th overall in the tournament. Valentin Peugnet's final round 75 (+5) put him at a three-round score of 231, tied for 22nd, with Parker Wisdom's one-over 71 pushed him to a 235, tied for 35th overall. Andrew O'Brien (237 – tied for 40th) and Alex McCulla (239 – tied for 46th) rounded out the five Redbird golfers in the field.
Hodgson was never over par in his final round, opening with three birdies over his first six holes to stand two strokes under par. Over the final 12 holes he had 10 pars and a pair of bogeys to finish at even par with a 70.
Peugnet had one birdie – on his 10th hole of the course – as he added 11 pars and six bogeys to finish with the five-over 75.
Bloomington native Wisdom had 15 pars in his final round, in addition to a birdie on the par-five first hole, while adding two bogeys for the one-over 71.
O'Brien struggled through his first nine holes, with seven bogeys and two pars. He answered back strong on his final nine holes with two birdies over a three-hole span, before closing the tournament with a final-round 81.
Freshman McCulla had a pair of birdies along with 10 pars over his final round to finish with the four-over 74 in his second collegiate tournament.
The Redbirds turn around and head back on the road to compete at the Badger Invitational on September 26-28.
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