MADISON, Wis. – Heading into the final round trailing by 11 strokes, the Illinois State Redbirds found themselves in a battle for the top spot, eventually placing second with a stellar seven-under 281 for the final round and a three-round 852, a top-10 score in Redbird men's golf history.
The Redbirds were edged by Florida Gulf Coast, the 43rd-ranked team in the country in the latest Golfweek Men's Team Collegiate ranking, who finished with an 851, one stroke ahead of ISU. Tied on the leaderboard with the Redbirds, Middle Tennessee State lost on the tiebreaker of lowest final-round score. Long Beach State (854) and VCU (854) each tied for fourth to round out the top five in the tournament. Nebraska (860), Marquette (864), Central Arkansas (866), Northern Illinois (867), Wisconsin (867), South Alabama (869), Ball State (869), Eastern Michigan (872), South Dakota State (873), Western Carolina (886), Campbell (889), Loyola Chicago (898), and Maryland (911) rounded out the 18-team field.
Valentin Peugnet, who in his seven previous rounds at the Badger Invitational had never had a round over par, saved his best round for his final time around the course in the event, carding a five-under 67. Starting on the fifth hole he opened his day with two pars before running off an 11-hole stretch in which he had six birdies and five pars to drop to six strokes under par. He ended with five pars and a bogey over his final six holes to finish with the 67.
Alex McCulla, starting on the fourth hole, opened his day with three pars and a bogey before picking up the opening birdie of his round on the par three eighth home. After for more pars he hit a hot streak with four birdies, three pars and a bogey over an eight-hole span, pushing him to his three-under 69 final round, as both he and Valentin ended the tournament with a five-under-par 211, tied for fourth in the field.
Parker Wisdom, who started on the sixth hole, opened his day with three pars and a birdie, only to follow with a bogey to drop him back to even par. After four more pars he had back-to-back birdies on his 10th and 11th holes of the day. A bogey on his 13th hole dropped him back to one stroke under par for the day, as he ended his round with five straight pars to shoot a one-under 71.
TJ Barger, started strong from the fourth hole, opening his day with two birdies and four pars before he hit a five hole stretch in which he went three over par. He dropped back to even par one hole after his double-bogey on the course's 11th hole and reached back to one over par following a bogey on the 18th. Another bogey on the course's second hole saw him end his round with a two-over 74, as he and Wisdom each shot a 215 for the tournament – one stroke under par – good for a tie of 19th place in the field.
Felix van Dijk opened his day on the sixth hole with a birdie; however, evened himself back to par with a bogey two holes later. After five pars sending him into his back nine, he hit a four hole stretch with three bogeys to push him to three shots over par. He closed his day with five consecutive pars, ending with a three-over 75, as his 54-hole score of 223 was good for a tie of 61st overall.
The Redbirds get no rest as they are in the front end of a three-tournament-in-three-weekend stretch, and next travel to West Lafayette, Indiana, to compete in the Purdue Fall Invitational on Monday, October 9 and Tuesday, October 10.
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