WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. –Using a second-round 278, tied for the ninth-best single-round score in Boilermaker Invitational history, as the Redbirds head into the final round in fourth place in the 14-team field, as four Redbird golfers shot under par in the second round.
ISU opened the day with a 301 over the first 18 holes, putting the 'Birds in ninth place, before rebounding with the second-lowest round of the tournament thus far, moving the Redbirds up five spots and four shots behind Rutgers in third place. The Redbirds will tee off tomorrow morning starting at 9:23 tomorrow morning as the 'Birds will close the tournament alongside Eastern Michigan and Troy.
"It was a challenging test today with temperatures around freezing and soft conditions which added significantly to the course's length," said ISU head coach Ray Kralis. "While we didn't get out of the gate like we wanted to, the guys stayed positive and battled back like champs. Everyone contributed today, and the afternoon round was a big confidence boost going into tomorrow."
Illinois – ranked 21st in the country – leads the field with a two-round 561, while 31st-ranked Purdue is second with a 562. Rutgers (575) is the only other team ahead of Illinois State's 579. Eastern Michigan (581), Troy (591), Indiana (592), Miami-Ohio (592), Minnesota (599), Wisconsin (601), Ball State (602), Butler (611), Loyola (611), and IUPUI (623) rounded out the 14 teams in the strong field.
Joe Hodgson was the top two-round finisher for the Redbirds with a 144 (76-68), which is tied for 15th in the field, just ahead of Andrew O'Brien (73-72) and Alex McCulla (75-70) each carded matching 145's, tied for 19th. Valentin Peugnet's 147 (77-70) has him tied for 28th, while Felix van Dijk is tied for 34th after his two-round 149 (79-70).
Hodgson, a native of Adelaide, South Australia, had an up-and-down opening round that included two birdies and nine pars. He came back strong, with a birdie in his first hole of the second round, and he never ended a hole with an aggregate score at par. His score dipped as low as four strokes under par; however, closed at three strokes under par, his 12th at or below-par round of the season.
O'Brien, who opened his round on the course's ninth hole, opened with two pars and a birdie, before he hit a four-hole stretch where he went six strokes over par. He rebounded strong with an eagle on the 461-yard par-four first hole, and with two birdies and a bogey among his final seven holes to close the 18 holes with a two-over 73. His second round was a stroke better than his first, as he had three birdies and four bogeys for a one-over 72 in the round.
McCulla, a freshman, started his day with a four-over 75, with two birdies and 11 pars. He came back strong, using four birdies and three bogeys to finish the day with a one-under 70, his second-lowest single-round score of his young career.
Peugnet shot a six-over 77 in this opening round with a birdie and 11 pars, before coming back over the final 18 holes, shooting a one-under 70, his 12th round this season at or under par, as he had five birdies and 10 pars over his final time around Ackerman-Allen Golf Course for the day.
Felix van Dijk stumbled at the start of his day with six over-par scores through his first nine holes, pushing him to the turn at seven strokes over par; however, he balanced his play with eight consecutive pars before a bogey sent him to a first-round score of 79. van Dijk closed his day with four birdies and three bogeys, his fourth at or under par round this season.
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