MADISON, Wis. – The Illinois State Redbirds got a team-low 70 (-2) from junior Alex McCulla while two others – TJ Barger and Valentin Peugnet – each finished even par for the Redbirds in the second round of the 2023 Badger Invitational.
ISU's under-par scoring was the 11th time in the last 13 rounds at the Badger Invitational that the Redbirds have finished a round at or under par. The Redbirds return to the course tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. in a shotgun start alongside VCU and Central Arkansas.
The Redbirds climbed a spot and stand in fifth place through 36 holes with a two-round 571 and are within six strokes of second place in the field. Top-50 ranked Florida Gulf Coast (43rd) leads the way with a two-round 560, while Nebraska (92nd, 565), Middle Tennessee State (80th, 566), and VCU (105th, 568) stand just ahead of ISU, who is ranked 107th in the Golfweek National Rankings. Central Arkansas (106th, 573), Ball State (69th, 573), Long Beach State (40th, 574), Marquette (66th, 581), South Dakota State (582), Northern Illinois (583), Eastern Michigan (583), South Alabama (587), Wisconsin (590), Campbell (591), Western Carolina (593), Loyola Chicago (596), and Maryland (608) round out the 18 schools in the field.
Leading the way for the Redbirds was junior Alex McCulla, who used an incredible opening 11 holes to cruise to a two-under 70. McCulla started his front-half fireworks with an eagle on the par-five second hole and followed with four birdies over his next seven holes to make the turn with a six-under-par 30. He opened his back nine with a par and a birdie before cooling off down the stretch for his 70 – his fourth round this season under par and is tied for 17th in the field with a round to play.
Both TJ Barger and Valentin Peugnet closed their round with an even-par 72. Barger, who opened the tournament with a first-round 69, came back at even par, as he had three birdies, three bogeys and a dozen pars, and is the Redbirds' top golfer heading into the final round, tied for ninth individually. Peugnet had a trio of birdies and a dozen pars for his second consecutive 72, and his even par score has him tied for 27th of the 90 golfers in the field.
Parker Wisdom used two birdies and a dozen pars to finish two shots over par with a 74, and is tied with 27th alongside Peugnet after opening the tournament with a two-under 70 over the first 18 holes of the tournament.
Felix van Dijk carded a second-consecutive 74 and used four birdies, eight pars and six over-par scores over his round, and evenly distributed his birdies, pars, and bogeys over both the front and back nine. For his efforts he is tied for 55th with one round to play in the tournament.
Played in the Badger Individual held at TPC Wisconsin, the Redbirds got strong finishes from Will Troy and Pietro Pontiggia, as Troy tied for second and Pontiggia placed fourth as the event ended after the final 18 holes of the 54-hole event on Tuesday.
Troy had an up-and-down front nine with three birdies, four pars and two over par scores, making the turn at even par; however, hit his stride over his back nine with five birdies and four pars, closing his round with a career-low 66, and ending the tournament with another career-low with a three-round 212. Behind his stellar finish he ended one stroke behind Individual champion Thomas Salanito of FGCU.
Pontiggia had an eagle, two birdies and a dozen pars over his final round of the tournament, finishing with a one-over 72 and ending the 54 holes with a 213, a career-low for the Redbird shophomore.
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