McLean County Times

CINCINNATI, Ohio – Facing a strong tournament field early in the season, the Illinois State men's golf team was led by freshman Aiden Cudney at the Bearcat Invitational. Cudney shot a four-over 146 to tie for 37th place, with all five ISU golfers within four strokes of each other through 36 holes.

Louisville leads the field with a six-under 562, followed by Kansas (566) and tournament host Cincinnati (569). Little Rock (572), Iowa State (573), Sam Houston State (575), Florida Gulf Coast (576), Augusta (577), BYU (577), Kentucky (577), Furman (578), Middle Tennessee (578), UNC Greensboro (580), Memphis (582), and Chattanooga (585) are ahead of Illinois State's 588. UCF (593) and Southern Miss (597) trail behind.

ISU will compete in the final round alongside Memphis and Chattanooga on Tuesday morning.

Freshman Aiden Cudney is tied for 35th overall individually with rounds of 71 and 75. His first round included five birdies and four over-par scores, resulting in an even-par 71. In the second round, he recorded one birdie and twelve pars to finish with a four-over 75.

Alex McCulla is tied for 52nd overall after rounds of 72 (+1) and 75 (+4). His opening round featured back-to-back birdies on his fourth and fifth holes along with thirteen pars. The second round also saw back-to-back birdies on his second and third holes, concluding with ten pars for a four-over 75.

Redshirt junior TJ Barger had thirteen pars in the first eighteen holes for a five-over 76. He improved in the second round with a team-round-low of one-over-72, which included an eagle, two birdies, and eleven pars, placing him tied for 61st.

Pietro Pontiggia and Will Troy both have two-round totals of eight-over-150, tying them for 80th overall. Pontiggia scored three birdies and ten pars for an opening-round seventy-three before adding three more birdies in his six-over-77 second round. Troy carded an opening-round seventy-five with three birdies and nine pars, repeating this score in the second round with one birdie and thirteen pars.

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