Illinois men’s golf wrapped up the Windon Memorial Classic on Monday at Conway Farms Golf Club, finishing in sixth place.
In its third tournament of the season, Illinois posted a final team score of 861 (+9) over 54 holes of play. Northwestern hosted the event and featured several top-ranked programs.
Arizona took home the title with an impressive 10-under-par total, followed by Marquette (-7) and host Northwestern (+2). Kansas (+6) and South Florida (+8) rounded out the top five, with Illinois (+9) just behind them in sixth.
The Illini faced tough competition, with seven teams in the field ranked or receiving votes in the latest coaches poll. Despite finishing outside the top five, the Illini notched key head-to-head victories over notable programs, including No. 25-ranked Pepperdine.
Senior Jackson Buchanan was the top performer for Illinois, finishing tied for 10th place individually. He carded a three-round score of 212 (-1), which included a strong final round of 67 (-4). Buchanan’s final-round surge moved him up 11 spots on the leaderboard, marking his second top-10 finish of the season.
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After opening with a 70 (-1) in Round 1, Buchanan struggled during the second round, finishing with a 75 (+4). However, his comeback performance in round three was a bright spot for the Illini, helping the team remain competitive in the final standings.
Sophomore Max Herendeen also impressed, finishing tied for 15th with a total score of 214 (+1). His second round of 66 (-5) was a season-low for the Illini and the lowest individual round for the team during the tournament. Though his final round saw him slip slightly with a 75 (+4), Herendeen’s consistency through the event contributed to Illinois’ solid performance.
Freshman Trey Marrion continues to showcase his potential early in his collegiate career, posting a 218 (+5) and finishing tied for 25th. Marrion shot rounds of 73, 71 and 74, securing his second top-25 finish of the season. His ability to remain steady through tough conditions shows promise for the Illinois lineup.
Sophomore Ethan Wilson and junior Ryan Voois rounded out the scoring for Illinois. Wilson tied for 41st with a three-round total of 221 (+8), closing the tournament with back-to-back rounds of 73 (+2). Voois improved in his final round, posting a 71 (E) to tie for 64th overall at 227 (+14). Voois’ final round marked his best of the tournament.
Two Illini competed as individuals. Freshman Jake Birdwell tied for 46th with 222 (+9), while fellow freshman Joseph Buttress finished 88th at 246 (+33).
Illinois will look to build on its strong start to the season as it heads to the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational. Co-hosted by Southern Miss and Ole Miss, the event will take place at Fallen Oak Golf Club in Saucier, Mississippi, from Oct. 19-21. The Illini will face another challenging field as they aim for continued success.
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