LAFAYETTE, La. – Illinois State freshman Max Faucquez was the Redbirds' top finisher in the opening round of the 40th Annual Louisiana Classics, hosted at Oakbourne Country Club.
Faucquez played the 36-hole opening day at one over par and is tied for 23rd individually, while Will Troy finished the day at +4, TJ Barger at +5, and Alex McCulla at +6.
Seventh-ranked LSU leads the field through the first two rounds with a 36-hole score of 561 (279-282), while 24th-ranked Texas A&M (564), tournament host Louisiana (569), and 38th-ranked Little Rock (577) round out the top four schools in the field. Sam Houston (579), South Alabama (581), Rice (583), Oral Roberts (586), Louisiana Tech (587), and Texas State (588) are just ahead of ISU's 592, with Middle Tennessee (595) chasing the group.
The freshman had a balanced start to his day, with two birdies, two bogeys, and 14 pars over his opening 18 hole even par turn around the course, and he finished his day with three more birdies, 12 pars during his one-over 73 second round.
Troy started strong on the day, with a birdie on his second hole, and he had 13 pars throughout the rest of the opening round for his four-over 76. He shot an even-par 72 over his second time around the course with three birdies and 12 pars for his even-par round.
McCulla had three birdies and nine pars in his opening round, finishing with a three-over 75. He shot a matching 75 over his second 18 holes with two birdies and 11 pars. Barger put together an opening round with four birdies and 11 pars in his two-over 74 and closed his day with a birdie and 13 pars for his second-round 75.
Pietro Pontiggia had a birdie and nine pars during his opening-round 81, before coming back with three birdies and eight pars for his second-round 78. Playing as an individual, Francis Bautista had a birdie and nine pars for his opening-round 79 and answered that with a birdie and eight pars for his 82.
The Redbirds tee off on the first hole tomorrow morning starting at 7:48 a.m. alongside Middle Tennessee and Texas State.
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