GRAND HAVEN, Mich. – The No. 9-ranked Fighting Illini men's golf team opened the 2024-25 season on Monday with a team score of 286 (+2) to sit alone in second place after Round 1 of the Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes Golf Club.
The Illini, winners of the inaugural Folds of Honor Collegiate in 2022, are 11 shots behind 16th-ranked Alabama after 18 holes. The Orange and Blue enter Tuesday's second round with a one-shot edge over defending tournament champion Notre Dame, co-host Michigan State, and eighth-ranked Texas, to round out the top five in the team standings with 36 holes remaining.
Four Illini posted top-20 scores in Monday's opening round, led by senior Jackson Buchanan who carded a 1-under 70. Buchanan is tied for seventh, six shots off the individual pace set by Alabama's Jack Mitchell (-7). Buchanan overcame a slow start that put him at 3-over through four holes. Birdies on Holes 6 and 10 moved him to 1-over just after making the turn before he capped his day with back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to move under par.
Freshman Trey Marrion (E), making his collegiate debut, is one shot off Buchanan's pace in a tie for 10th. Junior Ryan Voois (+1) and sophomore Max Herendeen (+2) rounded out the Round 1 scoring for the Fighting Illini tied for 15th and 18th, respectively. Sophomore Ethan Wilson (+3) is tied for 27th, but did not factor into the Illini's Round 1 team score.
Play continues Tuesday morning with the Illini set to tee off in Round 2 beginning at 7:45 a.m. CT. Live scoring is available via Scoreboard powered by Clippd. Golf Channel coverage also resumes in Round 2 beginning at 8:30 a.m. CT.
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