Following an up-and-down fall season, Illinois men’s golf looks to open the spring season with a bang. The Illini will take on the field over two days, with play beginning Monday and wrapping up Tuesday.
Hosted by the University of South Alabama, the 54-hole tournament will be played at the tricky Magnolia Grove Golf Club. The tournament features top college teams from several major conferences across the country. In 2023, the Hal Williams Collegiate included teams from the Big Ten, AAC, Atlantic 10, Big 12, MAC, Conference USA, Summit League, Big East and Sun Belt.
The Illini look to repeat as champions at Magnolia Grove Golf Club, shooting a dominant 36-under to take home the crown in 2023. The pressure is on Illinois to defend its crown as teams like Kansas State, who finished third last spring, look for revenge.
Junior Jackson Buchanan put on a stellar performance in last year’s Hal Williams Collegiate tournament, posting a 70-69-66 split, good for a tied-for-fourth eight-under solo finish. Buchanan has only improved his game since then, so Illinois will be looking for another big performance from the junior.
Buchanan isn’t the only big-time performer returning from last year’s win, as senior Piercen Hunt shot a respectable four-under in last year’s contest. As a junior, Hunt was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team, an honor that Hunt will look to build on this spring, starting at the Hal Williams Collegiate.
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As the tournament unfolds at Magnolia Grove, the Illini face stiff competition, with course conditions that challenge even the most seasoned golfers. Magnolia Grove Golf Club, known for its player-friendly greens and strategic water hazards, will test the team’s adaptability and composure. Despite an up-and-down fall, Illinois enters with confidence, backed by a winning mentality fostered by head coach Mike Small.
Freshman Max Herendeen was recently named to the Ben Hogan Award watch list, one of only six freshmen to be named to the list. Herendeen enters the spring season at No. 18 in the latest NCAA Men’s Division 1 rankings. Herendeen looks to keep up his momentum and live up to the lofty expectations set for the standout freshman.
The Hal Williams Collegiate tees off on Monday at 8 a.m., with a shotgun start to the first 36 holes. Tuesday’s final round will begin at 8:30 a.m.
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