McLean County Times

The Illinois State men's golf team completed the first day of the Flyer Invitational in Kettering, Ohio, with a combined score of 575, placing them in second position as they head into the final round. The Redbirds are four shots behind Butler University, which leads after an opening day total of 571. Illinois State shares its second-place standing with tournament host Dayton.

Other teams following in the standings include Ball State (582), Toledo (583), Loyola-Chicago (584), Wright State (586), DePaul (587), Ohio (593), Cleveland State (596), Oakland (602), and Marshall (605).

Senior TJ Barger led Illinois State during the first two rounds, recording scores of 73 (+2) and 69 (-2). He is currently at even par and tied for eighth place individually. Barger made three birdies and ten pars in his first round, followed by four birdies and twelve pars in his second.

Sophomore Max Faucquez is tied for 13th after shooting an even-par 71 and a one-over 72. Faucquez ended the day just one stroke behind Barger, tallying four birdies and twenty-seven pars.

Francis Bautista and Pietro Pontiggia are also among the top performers for Illinois State. Bautista sits tied for 16th with rounds of 72 (+1) and 73 (+2), totaling six birdies across both rounds. Pontiggia opened with a one-under-par 70, making six birdies, and added another birdie during his second-round score of 76 (+5). He is currently tied for 21st.

Freshmen Samuel Ottwell and Gonzalo Cuellar are tied for 45th and 75th place respectively. Ottwell scored a one-over-par 72 with two birdies in his first round before carding a second-round score of 78. Cuellar played as an individual entry, finishing with rounds of 81 and 78.

Illinois State will conclude both the tournament and their fall season on Tuesday morning beginning at 7:45 a.m., competing alongside Butler, Dayton, and Ball State.