SEASIDE, Calif. – Using a balanced effort, and a one-over-par round from Pietro Pontiggia, the Illinois State men's golf team climbed two spots into 12th overall with 18 holes to play in the Leadership and Golf Collegiate Championship.
The Redbirds shot a second-round 302, climbing ahead of UC Santa Barbara and Cal Baptist in the process. BYU leads the field with a 36-hole 569, while Santa Clara (573), Sam Houston (575), Seattle (580), Pacific (580), Loyola Marymount (581), San Francisco (585), Nevada (585), Saint Mary's (587), UC Irvine (592), and Sacramento State (600) stand ahead of ISU's 605, while UC Santa Barbara (611) and Cal Baptist (614) chase the field in the final round.
Leading the way for the Redbirds on the day was Pontiggia, who opened his day with two birdies, three pars, and two bogeys over his first seven holes, before settling down with 10 pars and a bogey over the final 11 holes of the day to finish with the one-over 73 and is tied for 51st overall with one round to play in the tournament tomorrow.
The two-round leader for the Redbirds is senior Alex McCulla, whose second-round 75 has him tied for 39th in the field. He had a pair of birdies along with 11 pars over his second round. Classmate Will Troy is tied for 51st after his second-round 77, in which he had a trio of birdies and seven pars on his round.
Playing as the team's individual in the tournament, Francis Bautista carded a second consecutive four-over 76, and had three birdies and 10 pars on his round, as his 152 has him tied for 56th. Aiden Cudney kept his steady performance with a second straight 77 with two birdies and 11 pars to tie for 65th. TJ Barger rounds out the Redbirds in the field with a six-over 78, as he had five birdies and six pars on his round.
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