FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Using a career-low tournament from Pietro Pontiggia, in addition to the fourth-best team score in the field on the final day, the Illinois State men's golf team finished in 10th place among a strong field at the 2025 Ram Masters Invitational, hosted by Colorado State.
Pontiggia's final round of 68 is one off his career-best round of 67, set in 2023 at the Dayton Flyer Invitational, as he led ISU with an 11th place finish with a three-round score of 211, better than his previous 54-hole best of 212 from last season at the Dorado Beach Collegiate.
Last season's 33rd-ranked Long Beach State won the event with an even-par tournament score of 840, while host Colorado State took second with an 842. Utah Tech (848), Weber State (854), UC San Diego (855), Utah Valley (857), Denver (864), UC Davis (866), and Sacramento State (868) all finished just ahead of the Redbirds' 871 over the three rounds. Among the schools that finished behind ISU include Wichita State, UC Santa Barbara, CSU Fullerton, CSU Northridge, Utah State, and Wyoming.
Pontiggia had a slow start to his day, and was at +2 at the turn; however, he closed strong with four birdies and five pars over his final nine holes, sending him to his third under-par round this season.
TJ Barger closed his play with a one-over 71 on the 7,234-yard, par-70 course, using three birdies and 11 pars to secure a tie of 14th place with a three-round 213.
Francis Bautista finished with a three-over 73 in the final round, using a birdie and 13 pars, giving him five birdies over the 54 holes of the event.
Both Aiden Cudney and Max Faucquez closed the tournament tied for 66th place, as Cudney carded a final-round 72 with two birdies and a dozen pars, while Faucquez used three birdies and nine pars for his three-over 73.
ISU gets back on the course next weekend, as the squad travels north to Madison, Wisconsin, to compete in the Badger Invitational on September 22 and 23 at TPC Wisconsin.
