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Illinois State University Athletics

Alex McCulla Action
Bill Salyer, ISU Athletics

Men's Golf Bill Salyer

Redbirds Get Strong First Day at Boilermaker Fall Invitational

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Illinois State men's golf team got a balanced opening-day performance at the Boilermaker Fall Invitational, and the Redbirds are in fourth place in a loaded field of 15 schools with 18 holes to play in the 54-hole tournament.

All five of the Redbirds in the field are inside of the top-40 overall, including team leader Alex McCulla who is in third place with a three-under 141 through 36 holes.

Indiana University leads the field through the first day with an 11-under 565, with Miami (Ohio) chasing them with a nine-under 567. Tournament host Purdue is the only other school ahead of ISU in the field, with the Boilermakers a shot ahead of the Redbirds 581 to 582. Marquette (584), Wisconsin (584), Iowa (584), Toledo (587), VCU (588), Northern Illinois (591), Southern Illinois (594), Ball State (599), Purdue Fort Wayne (602), Western Kentucky (604), and Butler (607) round out the 15 schools in the field.

McCulla shot rounds of 68 and 73 for his three-under 141. Pietro Pontiggia is tied for 22nd, TJ Barger tied for 28th, Aiden Cudney tied for 35th, and Max Faucquez tied for 39th individually. The Redbirds will be paired with Iowa and Marquette in the final round of the tournament, starting on holes four through seven.

Over his opening 18 holes, McCulla shot a four-under 68, tied for the lowest round by a Redbird this season. His round saw six birdies – including three in a row on his third, fourth, and fifth holes of the round – en route to his four-under-par opening round. He had three more birdies in his second round, en route to a one-over 73, and there are just two other golfers with a better score than the Quincy, Illinois, native.

Pontiggia started strong on the day and was three shots under par through his first seven holes; however, he had three over-par scores over his next nine holes, which pushed him to two shots over par, before closing with a birdie and a par to end the first round with a one-over 73. His second round opened with five consecutive pars; however, over his next five holes he had a birdie, a par and three over-par scores. Over his last eight holes he had six pars and two birdies to end with a one-over 73 – his second straight in the tournament.

Barger got off to a rocky start in the tournament, and was three shots over par through his first five holes, and for the remainder of the day – 31 holes in all – he was a combined one shot over par. His first round had three birdies and 11 pars overall, before starting his second round strong with two birdies in his first five holes. He was never over-par over his final 18 holes and finished the round with a one-under 71.

Cudney, a freshman in his second collegiate tournament, opened his day with a steady balance of pars, birdies, and bogeys, and was never more than one shot over or under par until his 18th hole when he closed with a two-over 75. He kept his steady pace through his first 13 holes of the second round, as he two pars, a birdie, and two over-par scores through his final five holes, ending with a three-over 75 on the round.

Faucquez, also a freshman in his second college tournament, started his day with an opening round of 75 with a birdie, 14 pars and three over-par scores. Over his second nine he opened with a double-bogey and followed with birdies over his next three holes, to get back to even par. He stayed at even par for five consecutive pars before closing with six pars and three bogeys to finish with the second consecutive three-over 75.

Playing in the Boilermaker Individual at the Ackerman-Allen Golf Course – the twin to the Kampen Course which the Boilermaker Fall Invitational was played on – Francis Bautista, in his first tournament with the Redbirds, and Will Troy are each in the top-10 in the 36-competitor field.

Bautista ended the first 36 holes of the individual with an even-par 142 to tie for sixth. His first round he had 15 pars, one bogey and two birdies – one each on the sixth and 16th holes – to finish with a one-under 70. His second round had another 13 pars and two birdies, while three bogeys pushed him to a one-over 72 for the final 18 holes.

Troy had an up-and-down opening round, one that saw him card six birdies, seven pars, and five over-par scores to finish with an even-par 71. His second round had two more birdies, along with 13 pars and three bogeys for a one-over 72. The pair will be golfing together in the final round on Monday morning starting at 8 a.m. CT.

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Players Mentioned

TJ Barger

TJ Barger

Redshirt Junior
Alex McCulla

Alex McCulla

Senior
Pietro Pontiggia

Pietro Pontiggia

Junior
Will Troy

Will Troy

Graduate Student
Francis Bautista

Francis Bautista

Junior
Aiden Cudney

Aiden Cudney

Freshman
Max Faucquez

Max Faucquez

Freshman

Players Mentioned

TJ Barger

TJ Barger

Redshirt Junior
Alex McCulla

Alex McCulla

Senior
Pietro Pontiggia

Pietro Pontiggia

Junior
Will Troy

Will Troy

Graduate Student
Francis Bautista

Francis Bautista

Junior
Aiden Cudney

Aiden Cudney

Freshman
Max Faucquez

Max Faucquez

Freshman