GULF SHORES, Ala. – Using strong play from its top three golfers, the Illinois State men's golf team placed eighth at the 2023 Craft Farms Intercollegiate on Monday afternoon.
Valentin Peugnet finished a stroke under par – the team's second under-par round of the tournament – while Parker Wisdom finished at even par and Pietro Pontiggia two shots over par.
Texas State led from wire-to-wire in the tournament, finishing with a three-round 861, while tournament host South Alabama finished in a close second with an 864. Western Kentucky, behind its eye-popping final round of 279 finished third with an 873, while Loyola Maryland (876), Rice (878), Oral Roberts (879), and Georgia State (888) finished just ahead of the Redbirds' 889. Oakland finished with an identical 889 as Illinois State while Bradley (893), DePaul (897), Tennessee Tech (900), Southern Indiana (902), and Samford (918).
The Redbirds return to action back in the Midwest as the team competes in the Hoosier Collegiate Invitational hosted on April 8 and 9 at the Pfau Course in Bloomington, Indiana.
Peugnet had a rough start to his tournament, opening with a par and a double-bogey. He immediately followed with a birdie and three pars to sit at a stroke over par through six holes. He caught fire with birdies on the seventh, 10th, 12th, 13th, and 14th holes to drop to four strokes under par. His hot start cooled off at the tail end of the round, as he finished one stroke under par with a 71.
Wisdom was never over par over his final round, as four straight pars paved the way to his first of two birdies on the day. After a pair of pars, he closed his front nine with a bogey and a par, making the turn at even par. Two holes into the back nine he picked up a second birdie, and followed with five pars, ending with a bogey and a par to finish at even on the day. His final-day push had him close the field in a tie of 22nd place.
The lone Redbird freshman, Pontiggia tied for the team tournament lead after a two-over day in which he had five birdies, six pars, and seven bogeys, closing the two days in a tie of 22nd place.
Alex McCulla had a pair of birdies and 10 pars in his final round of the tournament, finishing with a third-round 78 to place in a tie of 46th, while Jack Paeglow's 79 had a trio of birdies and eight pars to place in a tie of 65th. Playing as an individual, Will Troy carded a final-round 80 where he had a birdie and 11 pars, placing 58th overall.
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