McLean County Times

The Illinois State men's golf team is poised for a strong finish in the NCAA Urbana Regional after a balanced scoring performance on the second day of competition. All five Redbird golfers posted scores between 71 and 73, keeping the team within reach of a top-five placement.

Tournament host Illinois leads with a score of 558 after two rounds. They are followed by Oklahoma State and UNLV, both at 561, Texas Tech at 566, Troy at 567, Marquette at 572, North Carolina at 577, and Illinois State tied with Pacific at 578. The rest of the field includes Long Beach State (580), Wright State (583), Houston (585), and NC State (590).

The Redbirds will start their final round alongside Pacific and North Carolina from the first tee at 8:55 a.m.

TJ Barger led the team with an even-par 71, achieving two birdies and tying for 30th place overall. Will Troy shot a one-over 72, which included three birdies; he is tied for eighth in total pars through two rounds. Alex McCulla ended with a two-over 73 but remains the top Redbird in the standings, tied for 16th place.

Freshman Max Faucquez overcame early setbacks to finish with a two-over 73. He managed four birdies over his last six holes before adding another birdie on his back nine. Pietro Pontiggia also scored a two-over 73 with four birdies during his round.

Illinois State fans can find more information about tickets and other resources on GoRedbirds.com or through the Illinois State Redbirds App.