SAUCIER, Miss. – The Fighting Illini men's golf team opened play at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational on Saturday, carding an opening team score of 298 (+10) to sit in a tie for seventh place after Round 1 at Fallen Oak at Beau Rivage Resort's Fallen Oak Course.
Illinois, ranked No. 15 in the initial NCAA men's golf team ranking of the season and No. 13  in the latest Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches Poll, sits five strokes outside of the top five and 11 shots behind leader Georgia.
Junior Ryan Voois paced the Illini on Saturday, carding a 1-over 73. Voois is tied for 22nd, four strokes off the lead held by South Carolina's Frankie Harris after 18 holes.
Behind Voois, the other four members of the Illini lineup – senior Jackson Buchanan, sophomores Max Herendeen and Ethan Wilson, and freshman Trey Marrion – all carded rounds of 75 (+3) and are tied for 39th. Â
Freshman Jake Birdwell, competing as an individual, opened his weekend with a 7-over 79 and sits in a tie for 68th in the 75-player field.
The Illini tee off in Round 2 on Sunday beginning at 9:30 a.m. CT. Live scoring is available on Golfstat.com.
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