OLYMPIA FIELDS – With two holes left to play at the Fighting Illini Invitational, Josele Ballester looks to clinch the individual title on Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m. when round three play resumes.
Due to weather in the forecast on Sunday, round three was moved up to Saturday where the field would play both rounds two and three. Ballester has a one shot lead over Georgia Tech's Benjamin Reuter as they head into the final two holes. In the second round, Ballester carded five birdies and an eagle to shoot a 4-under, 66. His first 16 holes in round three resulted in one birdie and one bogey before the horn was blown to signal the end of play for the day. His second round also set a new individual record at the Invitatinoal with a 130/-10.
The team sits two strokes back behind Georgia Tech at 11-under. They kept their record of the lowest scoring average on the par 4's and also tied for first with most eagles at 2. ASU set a tournament record for the lowest 36-hole score at 549/-11 for the Fighting Illini Invitatinoal.Not only does the reigning US Am champ set the new OFCC-Fighting Illini 36-hole individual record @ 130/-10, @sundevilmgolf sets the new team 36-hole record @ 549/-11
— College Golf Book (@CGolfBook) September 21, 2024
They have an opportunity to break more records this afternoon as they pursue ????
????https://t.co/vLnZSUKNLC https://t.co/EGGdQVcLMB pic.twitter.com/XjSt8AptRE
Freshman Peer Wernicke sits tied for eleventh after shooting 208 (69-70-69) for the tournament. Throughout the tournament, he carded 11 birdies. Connor Williams finished the tournament tied for eighteenth with a total of seven birdies over three rounds.
Nicholas Prieto carded the second eagle for the Sun Devils and finished tied for 28th.
Play has been suspended with two holes to play at the Fighting Illini Invitatonal
— Sun Devil Men's Golf (@sundevilmgolf) September 22, 2024
Josele Ballester will resume play at 7:30 a.m. CT with a one-shot lead tomorrow morning
??: https://t.co/xlC8UCPLzA pic.twitter.com/4HDEQAEbUr
OLYMPIA FIELDS COUNTRY CLUB/FIGHTING ILLINI INVITE
OLYMPIA FIELD COUNTRY CLUB
OLYMPIA FIELD, IL
SEPT. 20-22
TEAMS (15)
Georgia Tech 279-277-TBD=549/-13
Arizona State 273-279-TBD=552/-11
Oklahoma State 284-277-278=839/-1
North Carolina 279-277-283=839/-1
Texas 281-283-279=843/+3
Stanford 280-285-283=848/+8
Texas A&M 286-279-283=848/+8
Florida 279-287-TBD=566/+9
Illinois 280-286-283=849/+9
Texas Tech 287-286-277=850/+10
Florida State 280-289-281=850/+10
Alabama 291-286-279=856/+16
Northwestern 283-285-290=858/+18
Baylor 295-289-293=877/+37
Michigan 300-290-288=878/+38
INDIVIDUALS
T1. Josele Ballester, ASU 64-66-TBD=130/-10
T1. Benjamin Reuter, Georgia Tech 64-70-TBD=134/-6
T11. Peer Wernicke, ASU 69-70-69=208/-2
T18. Connor Williams, ASU 69-68-73=210/E
T28. Nick Prieto, ASU 71-72-70=213/+3
T44. Preston Summerhays, ASU 72-73-71=216/+6
Keep following Sun Devil Men's Golf on Twitter/X and Instagram for all the latest news and highlights.