The No. 10 Illini closed their trip out West on a high note, securing their third win of the season at the Duck Invitational at Eugene Country Club in Oregon. Junior Max Herendeen, competing as an individual in this tournament, took first place for the fourth time in his career. He shot 11-under, five strokes better than the second-place finisher.
Depth in Ducktown
The rest of the lineup was just as dominant, with four other Illini placing in the top 10. Sophomore Freddie Turnell tied for third with Michigan State graduate student Ashton McCulloch, marking the best finish among scoring players.
In a tie for fifth came sophomore and the Illini’s top-ranked golfer Trey Marrion, while senior Ryan Voois finished in a tie for seventh.
For the rest of the scorers, juniors Ethan Wilson and Dane Huddleston shot 4-over and 16-over in the tournament, respectively. Sophomore Jake Birdwell (2-over) and freshman Dujuan Snyman (11-over) rounded things out as individuals.
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Second round surge
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Illinois. After a first-round team score of 2-over, the squad found itself in a tie for fourth place.
It was a huge second round by the team that jolted the Illini. All members scored par or better except Huddleston, who just missed, shooting 1-over.
The team combined for a 3-under performance that round, jumping all the way up to first place.
All four other teams competing with the Illini that round really struggled. First-place Michigan State shot 9-over, second-place Oregon State and fourth-place Oregon each shot 7-over and third-place Boise State shot 10-over.
Rain then rout
It was a rainy Tuesday that caused all teams to falter in the tough-conditioned final round. Illinois tied with Oregon with a 6-over performance to secure its victory at the tournament. No other team shot better than 10-over that day.
Despite the rain, Washington native Herendeen looked right at home in the Pacific Northwest conditions, firing an incredible 66. Birdwell, also competing as an individual, finished with an impressive final round 69. Three even par rounds by Turnell, Marrion and Wilson kept the Illini firmly in control as they cruised to a 10-stroke win.
Augusta awaits
The Illini head to Augusta, Georgia next for their own version of the Masters April 4–5. They’ll compete at Augusta’s Forest Hills Country Club in a prelude to the Masters, which begins April 9. In a loaded field that includes five other top-25 teams, No. 10 Illinois will have the opportunity to climb even higher, with No. 4 LSU and No. 7 Oklahoma State also in the field. All of it is building toward Augusta’s biggest week.
