Illinois men’s golf got hot this weekend at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational. Outstanding scores from all the players ended with the team taking second place.
Jackson Buchanan’s comeback
Senior Jackson Buchanan led the charge this weekend, securing his fourth collegiate title. He showcased his resilience and skill by overcoming a shaky start with an impressive comeback.
Opening the tournament with 75(+3) in the first round, Buchanan soon found more of a rhythm for himself with better scores in rounds 2 and 3.
Buchanan’s fast track to victory was fueled by an amazing 11 birdies, which catapulted him from 39th to first place, finishing out with a 54-hole total of 209 (-7).
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Both LSU’s Árni Sveinsson and Ole Miss’ Kye Meeks finished one stroke behind Buchanan, tying for second place.
Depth prevails
All of the players on the team further highlighted the depth of the Illinois roster this season with their performance at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational.
Sophomore Max Herendeen had an outstanding final round of 67 (-5). This secured him a tie for fourth place. Herendeen is a very consistent player during tournaments, and this quality was important to helping Illinois’ overall score this weekend.
The rest of the lineup contributed to Illinois’ second-place finish with great scores. Junior Ryan Voois finished with a tie for 17th at 217 (+1), sophomore Ethan Wilson tied for 41st at 223 (+7) and freshman Jake Birdwell, competing as an individual, shot 227 (+11) in his third collegiate event.
Freshman Trey Marrion had a career-best finish. He scored 1-under par at 215, earning him a tie for ninth place overall.
The team tied for second place at 11-under par, falling behind co-host Ole Miss, the second-ranked team. The Illini’s second-place tie was bolstered by their collective final-round push, marking a significant improvement from their Round 1 standing.
What’s next?
With three Illini golfers finishing in the top 10 and strong contributions from across the lineup, the team’s performance at Fallen Oak sets the stage for a promising conclusion to the fall season.
Illinois will next head to the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational hosted by South Alabama on Oct. 26-27, where they will look to continue their momentum and close out their fall season on a high note.
@mattisonleskis
