ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Illinois State redshirt junior TJ Barger broke the program single-round scoring record last Saturday, and as a result, has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Golfer of the Week, announced by the conference office on Thursday morning.
Barger broke the previous mark of 63 set in 2007 by Tommy Bliefnick and Joe Emerich on back-to-back days. In the second round Barger had a bogey-free round with eight birdies and 10 pars for his eight-under 62 on the par-70 course. His two-round score of 132 also set the school record for a 36-hole tournament, breaking the previous record of 135 set by Felix van Dijk in February last season.
This season he averages 73.4 strokes per round, second-best on the team, and trailing teammate Alex McCulla by just six total strokes over the 29 rounds. His stroke average is the sixth-best in a season by a junior, while his nine at- or under-par rounds this season is the 11th-most in a season by a junior. His three top-10 finishes this season are tied for the most on the team and is the only player on the squad this season to earn medalist honors.
The team is set to compete in the two-day Hawkeye Invitational on April 13 and 14, setting the stage for the MVC Championship a week later.
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