MOBILE, Ala. – The No. 5-ranked Fighting Illini men's golf team opened its spring schedule on Monday with a strong showing at the Hal Williams Collegiate at Magnolia Grove Golf Club's Crossings Course. The Orange and Blue staked to a two-stroke lead atop the team leaderboard as play was halted due to darkness with just a few holes remaining in Round 2.

The tournament is set to resume early Tuesday morning with the conclusion of Round 2, followed immediately by the final 18 holes.

All five members of the Illini scoring lineup posted top-16 scores through at least 17 holes in Round 2, led by Adrien Dumont de Chassart. The fifth-year senior carded a 68 (-3) in Round 1, and is -3 with one hole remaining in his second round to sit in a tie for fifth, four strokes off the pace of Texas State's Kasper Nyland.

Piercen Hunt and Matthis Besard are just behind Dumont de Chassart in a tie for eighth at 5-under, followed by Tommy Kuhl at -4 in a tie for 12^th. Sophomore Jackson Buchanan also sits under par at -3 in a tie for 16^th. 

Three Illini also teed off as individual competitors Monday. Nico Lang, whose day was highlighted by an eagle on the Par-5 sixth hole in Round 2, opened with a 70 (-1) and is 2-under through 17. Jerry Ji opened with a 68 in Round 1 and is -1 overall with one hole remaining in Round 2, while freshman Ryan Voois – making his collegiate debut – sits in a tie for 37^th with at 1-over. Voois carded a 74 (+3) in Round 1, but found his rhythm in Round 2 with four birdies to offset a pair of bogeys and is -2 with three holes remaining in Round 2.

Round 2 Update: 
Following the completion of Round 2 Tuesday morning, the Illini led by five strokes over second-place Arkansas as play continued into Round 3. 

Illinois matched its Round 1 score with another 11-under 273 in Round 2 to sit at 22-under with 18 holes to play.

Dumont de Chassart and Besard are tied for fourth to pace the Illini at 6-under, four strokes off the individual lead.