LOXLEY, Ala. – The No. 12-ranked Fighting Illini men's golf program continued its strong play during Rounds 1 and 2 of the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational Saturday, opening a three-stroke lead with team rounds of 276 and 283 to sit at 17-under-par entering Sunday's finale at Steelwood Country Club.
Senior Jackson Buchanan, coming off his win at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational, carded back-to-back rounds of 67 (-5) to it at 10-under, alone in second place. Buchanan enters the final round four strokes off the pace set by 36-hole leader Nick Mason (-14) of Kansas State.
Junior Ryan Voois gives the Illini two members of the lineup inside the top 10. He also opened with a 67 (-5) in Round 1, before closing out his day with a 73 in Round 2 for a 36-hole tally of 140 (-4).
Behind Buchanan and Voois, sophomore Max Herendeen is 23rd at 1-under. Herendeen carded rounds of 70 (-2) and 73 (+1). Freshman Trey Marrion (+1) is two strokes behind Herendeen in a tie for 32nd, and sophomore Ethan Wilson is tied for 38th at 2-over-par.
Freshman Jake Birdwell, competing as an individual, is 6-under in a tie for fifth place. He posted a career-low score of 68 (-4) in Round 1 and 2-under 70 in Round 2, the first two sub-par rounds of his collegiate career.
Illinois holds a three-stroke edge over Kansas State (-14) and is four strokes ahead of Kennessaw State (-13). Rice (-11) and Memphis (-8) round out the top five of the team standings heading into Round 3.
Play resumes Sunday morning with tee times starting at 7:45 a.m. CT off Holes 1 and 10. The Illini, grouped with the Wildcats and Owls, will begin off No. 1 starting at 9:15 a.m. CT. Live scoring is available via Clippd Scoreboard.
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