Image Courtesy of Jacob Wright

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State men’s golf team is once again in position to contend for a tournament title, sitting second after the opening day of the Flyer Invitational at NCR Country Club. The Redbirds posted a two-round team total of 575 and trail Butler by four strokes heading into Tuesday’s final round.

Senior TJ Barger led the way for ISU with rounds of 73 and 69 to finish at even par, placing him inside the top 10 individually. His steady play continues what has been a strong fall season, where he has emerged not only as the Redbird’s scoring leader but also as a consistent voice of accountability within the lineup.

“When I’m playing well and near the top of the leaderboard, I just try to stay in the present and not worry about the results,” Barger said. “My mindset going into every tournament is simple: to win. My game feels excellent right now, and I know I can go out there and compete with anyone.”

Sophomore Max Faucquez is one stroke behind Barger at +1, while Francis Bautista and Pietro Pontiggia also contributed important rounds on Monday to keep ISU within striking distance. Freshman Samuel Ottwell sits tied for 45th after posting a 72 in the first round.

For Head Coach Ray Kralis, the opening day in Ohio is the latest example of a team that has been trending in the right direction throughout the fall.

“We’ve achieved numerous victories as of recent,” Kralis said. “At Wisconsin and Purdue, we went something like 22-4-1 as a team and did really well against Big Ten competition. We compete, we climb leaderboards, and we finish rounds. That toughness is what’s starting to define us.”

Kralis credited Barger’s leadership as one of the driving forces behind the Redbird’s success.

“TJ sets the standard for us,” Kralis said. “He’s competitive, he puts the work in, and he holds himself and his teammates to a high level. The growth he’s shown as a leader has been huge for this group.”

Barger said he embraces that responsibility.

“We’re a young team, but we’re tight,” he said. “We push each other. Pietro and I have tried to be more vocal this year, and I think that chemistry shows up in our scores. We’re having more than two guys show up every tournament; that’s what it takes to win.”

Kralis said the focus for Tuesday is simple: stay disciplined and finish.

“NCR South is a demanding golf course,” Kralis said. “You have to control your speed on the greens, and you have to stay committed for 54 holes. We want to finish this fall the right way, confident and competitive.”

Illinois State tees off Tuesday morning at 7:45 a.m. as they look to close the 2025 fall season with a statement finish in Ohio.

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