Junior Dylan Meyer is leading the Illini charge and his two-day 4-under tally his him tied for first place. After shooting a 1-under 69 on Friday the 2016 Western Amateur winning put together a 3- under 67 in the second round. Meyer got his round off to a good start with a birdie on the opening hole, his first of five throughout the day versus just two bogeys. Besides his birdie on the 1st, Meyers also carded circles on Nos. 11, 12, 15 and 17.
First round co-leader, freshman Bryan Baumgarten fell back a couple of strokes with a 2- over 72 and he is in third place at 3-under. Junior Nick Hardy continued to be solid and he will begin the final round 1-under (68-71). Hardy is tied for fourth.
Meyer will begin the last day tied in the medalist race with Texas A&M junior Cameron Champ, who began the day tied for first. Champ dropped a stroke in the second round with a 1-over 71. His round got off to a strong start with a birdie on the 2nd hole but the rest of his day was filled with pars and two bogeys.
A total of seven players will begin the final round within five shots of the individual lead.
Team Standings Top Five:1. No. 3 Illinois (-6) 2. Texas A&M (+15) 3. No. 4 Oklahoma State (+17) 4. North Carolina (+19) 5. No. 18 Florida State (+20)
ROUND ONE RECAP
With a win already this year at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate No. 3 Illinois has jumped out to a six-stroke lead over a talented field at the Fighting Illini Invitational Golf Tournament. The field at Olympia Fields Country Club includes seven of the top-25 teams in the Preseason Bushnell Golfweek Coaches Poll.
The 6-under Illini are being paced by freshman Bryan Baumgarten who is tied for first in the medalist race. On Friday Baumgarten put together an impressive 5-under 65. Beginning on No. 1 Baumgarten birdied the opening hole before falling back to even-par with a bogey on the second. From there it was flawless golf for the 2016 U.S. Mid- Amateur finalist.
Five additional birdies followed with one coming on the 5th and then four on the back nine, including one on No. 18. Baumgarten posted a 3-under 31 on the inward nine.
Two more Illinois players are in the top-10 after the first round. Junior Nick Hardy is tied for fourth after a 2-under 70. Hardy, last weeks Big 10 Golfer of the Week after medaling at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate, birdied four and bogeyed two during his round.
One shot behind in a tie for seventh is classmate Dylan Meyer. In the opening round Meyer tallied a 1- under 70 with five birdies, two bogeys and a double- bogey. Meyer is coming off a successful summer that saw him win the Western Amateur and also advance to the U.S. Amateur quarterfinals.
Sharing the 5-under medalist lead with Baumgarten is Texas A&M junior Cameron Champ. Starting his round on No. 10 Champ parred his first four holes and then caught fire with three birdies in a row and four in five holes to turn in 4-under. Champ bogeyed his only hole of the day on the 7th and then finished birdie-birdie.
Arizona State's Ki Taek Lee is 3-under and in third while Alabama's Davis Riley is tied with Hardy for fourth at 2-under.