MADISON, Wis. – Led by a strong finish from Illinois State junior Max Faucquez, the Redbirds stand in 16th place after the first of three days at the 2026 Badger Invitational.
Faucquez had three birdies and four pars over his last seven holes, as he finished with a one-over 73 and is tied for 39th.
Green Bay holds the 18-hole lead in the tournament after an opening-round 278, and the Phoenix are followed by Western Kentucky (280), Southern Miss (281), Wisconsin (282), Northern Illinois (283), St. Thomas (283), South Dakota State (287), Southern Illinois (288), North Dakota State (290), Western Carolina (292), South Dakota (292), North Dakota (293), Ohio (293), Valparaiso (293), and Omaha (294), while the Redbirds – in 16th place – have a 299. Appalachian State (301), Oakland (302), and Drake (304) round out the 19 schools in the tournament.
Faucquez, who is tied for the seventh-lowest par-three scoring average in the tournament field after a round (2.80, -1) had four birdies and 10 pars en route to his one-over-par 73.
Fernando Cobo Delgado and Gonzalo Cuellar Gago finished with a two-over-par 74, as Cobo Delgado had four birdies and nine pars, and Cuellar Gago two birdies and a dozen pars, as the pair are tied for 51st.
Sam Ottwell brings momentum into the second round tomorrow with a birdie on his 18th hole of the day, as he had that birdie and 11 pars en route to his six-over 78, which is tied for 89th, while Gabriele Bravin had a birdie and nine pars for a nine-over 81, which is tied for 96th.
The Redbirds make their way back out to the course on Monday morning starting at 10:20 a.m. alongside Appalachian State, Oakland, and Drake.
Playing across town at the Goat Hill Individual Championship, the Redbirds had three golfers in the tournament, and the team was led by Aiden Cudney on the opening day with rounds of 77 and 69. His two-round 146 on the par-70 course has him tied for 15th. Rayden Tee finished with a 148 (78-70) which was tied for 20th, while Beau Eftink – in his collegiate tournament debut – opened with an eagle on his first hole, and finished with a 157 (74-83).
