CINCINNATI, Ohio – Behind a final-round 287 – ISU's lowest round of the three for the tournament – the Redbirds placed 15th overall at the 2023 Bearcat Invitational, as Will Troy carded a team-tournament-low 69 over the final 18 holes.
The strong 17-team field at the tournament, including a dozen schools inside of the top-100 in last season's GolfStat end of season rankings was paced by Chattanooga who won the tournament with a three-round 838. Louisville (846), BYU (849), tournament host Cincinnati (852), and Florida Gulf Coast (856) rounded out the top five in the field. UNCG (857), Middle Tennessee State (859), Little Rock (863), Virginia Tech (863), Southern Miss (864), Nebraska (865), UCF (867), Jacksonville (868), and Arkansas State (870) rounded out the schools in front of ISU's 873, with Sam Houston State (876) and Memphis (877) finishing just behind the 'Birds.
The Redbirds had three different golfers – Valentin Peugnet, TJ Barger, and Will Troy – have birdies over three consecutive holes, as ISU was a combined four strokes under par on the par-five eighth hole with four birdies and a par.
Troy was the team's leader over the final 18 holes, carding a two-under par 69. The senior started on the 15th hole on the course, and was never more than one stroke over par. After a bogey on his second hole he came back with two birdies over a three-hole span; however, over his next four holes he alternated bogeys and pars. Sitting at one stroke over par through 10 holes he closed his final eight holes strong with three straight birdies and closed his day with five straight pars to finish two strokes under par for the round, while his eight-over 221 saw him tie for 62nd in the field.
TJ Barger and McCulla each shot a one-over 72 on the round, as McCulla was the team leader for the tournament, finishing with a three-round 219. His final round saw him finish with two birdies and 13 pars, tying for 40th.
Barger had a slow start to his round and was four over par through his first five holes, before hitting a hot streak in the middle of the round with a stretch of five birdies over eight holes, including three consecutive birdies on his 11th, 12th, and 13th holes. He closed the round with three pars and two bogeys to finish with a one-over 72 and finished with a three-round 219 to tie for 53rd overall.
Peugnet also tied for 54th overall, using a final-round 74 (+3), a round that included four birdies on his back nine, in addition to seven pars for the three-round 219.
Parker Wisdom had his second consecutive 77 (+6), and his three-round 226 had him tie for 71st in the strong field. In his final round Wisdom had a birdie and 10 pars.
The Redbirds return to action on Sunday, October 1 in the first day of the three-day Badger Invitational.
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