WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Using a second-round score of 285 (-3), the Illinois State men's golf team closes play in sixth place in the tournament field after the first day at the Purdue Fall Invitational.
The Redbirds' rounds of 296 and 285 for a 581 has ISU the Redbirds in sixth place, just behind Nebraska (580) with 18 holes to play. Tournament host Purdue leads the field with 559 – 19 strokes ahead of second place – while Oakland (577), Southern Illinois (577), and Butler (578) are within striking distance of ISU in the final round tomorrow morning. Toledo (592), Northern Illinois (593), Ohio (593), Ball State (593), Western Kentucky (595), Loyola-Chicago (595), South Dakota State (597), Purdue Fort Wayne (600), and Valparaiso (617) round out the 15 schools in the tournament field.
Leading the way for the Redbirds is senior TJ Barger, whose rounds of 73 and 68 have him with a three-under 141 through 36 holes and is tied for fifth in the individual standings. Barger started his day on a rocky note and was at +4 through the first 10 holes of the day; however, he closed the first round strong with three birdies over his final eight holes and carded a second-round 68 (-4) on the second day, as he was -7 over his final 24 holes of the day.
Pietro Pontiggia had rounds of 74 (+2) and 69 (-3), and at -1 on the day, he is tied for 10th in the individual standings through the first day of the tournament. Pontiggia had four birdies and nine pars in his first round, with six birdies and 10 pars over his second time around the course.
Francis Bautista and Max Faucquez are both tied for 38th after 36 holes, as each carded a 149. Both golfers had a round of a 74 and a 75 on the day, Bautista with a first-round 74 and Faucquez' coming in the second round. Bautista had six birdies and 20 pars, as Faucquez also had six birdies and 21 pars.
Sam Ottwell had a balanced day with rounds of 76 and 74, and his 150 (+6) is tied for 45th. He had four birdies in his first round, and five more in the second, while combining for 15 pars between the two rounds.
Playing across the street in the Purdue Fall Individual, Gonzalo Cuellar shot a one-under 70, and he leads the field halfway through the tournament, while Aiden Cudney's 78 has him tied for 22nd in the individual field.
The Redbirds will tee off alongside Butler and Nebraska for the third and final round in tee times starting at 8:24 a.m. (CT) through 8:51 a.m.
