In an amazing conclusion to its fall season, No. 12 Illinois men’s golf took their first win of the year at the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational.
The hard work paid off, finishing with a three-round total of 834 (-30), winning by two strokes. It marks the team’s 92nd win under head coach Mike Small’s leadership over 25 seasons.
Buchanan shines again
Senior Jackson Buchanan led the charge, fresh off a win at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational. He placed third at Steelwood and had a three-round total of 204 (-12), which was his lowest of the season.
This performance marked Buchanan’s third top-three finish of the fall season. This demonstrates his consistency and determination throughout the season, proving he is the real deal.
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Rising players: Herendeen and Wilson
Sophomores Max Herendeen and Ethan Wilson made significant progress on the leaderboard. It came mostly in the final round and was crucial to the win.
Herendeen delivered a standout performance, carding a three-round total of 209 (-7). It earned him a tie for eighth place, an impressive 15-spot jump. Wilson also excelled, finishing tied for 24th with a score of 214 (-2) and moved up 14 places.
The whole team makes moves
Junior Ryan Voois contributed to the team’s success with a solid tie for 16th, marking his fourth top-25 season finish. Freshman Trey Marrion tied for 33rd with an even-par total of 216; he consistently contributed valuable scores throughout the tournament.
Competing as an individual, freshman Jake Birdwell made headlines and tied for 10th place with a career-best 210 (-6).
Overall team standings
Illinois’ score of 834 (-30) placed it ahead of Kennesaw State (-28) and significantly ahead of Kansas State, who finished in third at -18. Rice (-14) and Memphis (-11) rounded out the top five, highlighting Illinois’ amazing overall performance.
The fall season wrapped up, and the Illini will officially kick off their spring schedule from Feb. 13-15 at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate in Hawaii, hoping to carry their momentum into the new year.
@mattisonleskis
