MOBILE, Ala. – The No. 20-ranked Fighting Illini men's golf program closed out the first event of the spring season on Tuesday, securing the team's fourth top-five finish of the year with a third-place showing at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate at Magnolia Grove Golf Club's Crossings Course.
The Illini were led by a pair of solid individual performances from senior Adrien Dumont de Chassart and sophomore Piercen Hunt, and received a spark from freshman Jackson Buchanan who was competing in the Orange & Blue lineup for just the second time in his career but factored into the scoring in each round to close as the team's third-place finisher.
"I'm happy that Adrien and Piercen had solid events for the first event of the spring," head coach Mike Small said. "The first event of the year, generally, there are some surprises and some things that you learn - things that you have to work on. There are always eye-opener things that coaches need to see, so it was positive from that side. I thought that Jackson had a solid tournament, for a freshman."
Dumont de Chassart, who was named last week to the Ben Hogan Award watch list, carded three straight rounds under par (69-70-71) to establish a season-best score of 6-under 210 to finish in a tie for fourth place, five strokes off the pace of medalist Nick Robillard of UAB. It marks Dumont de Chassart's third top-five finish of the season.
Hunt, who won the prestigious Isleworth Collegiate to close out the fall schedule in October, also closed strong. After opening with a 73 (+1) on Monday, Hunt shot a combined 5-under in Round 2 (70) and Round 3 (69) to secure his third-consecutive top-10 individual finish in a tie for seventh.
Like Hunt, Buchanan saved his best round for last, closing with a 2-under 70 to finish in a tie for 28th. His 54-hole total of 217 (+1) established a new career-best score, shaving eight strokes off his previous best set at the Isleworth Collegiate.
Senior Tommy Kuhl (219) and junior Jerry Ji (224) rounded out the Illini lineup and finished tied for 37th and tied for 56th, respectively.
Three other Illini golfers – junior Nico Lang, freshman TJ Barger and senior Luke Armbrust – competed as individuals in the event. Lang was the top finisher among the group, carding a 223 (+7) to finish tied for 51st. Barger (233) placed 78th and Armbrust (236) finished 79th.
"There are positives to take away, but at a certain point in time our team finish - in my opinion - needed to be stronger; but that happens this time of year," Small added. "There are things that we're going to work on. The season's started and now it's time to keep the momentum going and establish what Illinois golf is, and really enjoy and compete hard the rest of the spring."
UP NEXT
The Illini return to the course on Feb. 27 – March 1 at the Southern Highlands Collegiate, hosted by UNLV at Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nev.
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