McLean County Times

After a break between tournaments, the Illinois State Redbirds men's golf team will compete in the Purdue Fall Invitational, which begins on Monday at the Kampen-Cosler Golf Course in West Lafayette, Indiana. The event will run from October 13 to October 14 and is played on a par-72 course measuring 7,465 yards.

The tournament field includes teams such as Purdue, Nebraska, Toledo, Illinois State, Northern Illinois, Ball State, Butler, Western Kentucky, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois, Loyola Chicago, Valparaiso, Oakland, Purdue Fort Wayne and Ohio. Teams are ranked based on their final standings from the previous season.

Representing Illinois State in the team event are TJ Barger, Pietro Pontiggia, Max Faucquez, Sam Ottwell and Francis Bautista.

This marks the fourth consecutive fall that the Redbirds have participated in this tournament. Since first competing in 2021 at this event they have finished tied for sixth (2021), tenth (2022), second (2023) and ninth most recently in 2024.

The Kampen Course is an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Pete Dye. It features large bent-grass greens and fairways with challenging elements such as sand bunkers and native grasslands. The course offers five sets of tees with championship tees playing over 7,400 yards.

Alongside the main invitational is the Purdue Fall Individual tournament at Birck Boilermaker Golf Course. Illinois State golfers Gonzalo Cuellar and Aiden Cudney will participate as individuals there.