OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – The Fighting Illini men's golf team, ranked No. 5 in the latest Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches Poll released Friday morning, opened the 18th annual OFCC/Fighting Illini Classic with an even-par team round of 280 to sit in a tie for fifth in a loaded field with 36 holes to play.
Three Illini opened with top-25 scores, led by junior Ryan Voois who carded a 1-under 69 to sit in a tie for 11th. Voois' opening round marked his career-low at Olympia Fields after he carded rounds of 74 and 73 in last year's weather-shortened tournament.
Behind Voois, senior Jackson Buchanan and Max Herendeen are tied for 22nd with scores of even-par 70. Buchanan overcame four bogeys on the day with four birdies, while Herendeen carded just one of each. Buchanan's 70 also marks his personal-best at OFCC, while Herendeen's score is his third straight round of par or better on the North Course.
True freshman Trey Marrion rounded out the scoring for the Illini with a 71 (+1) while Ethan Wilson carded a 76 (+6), to tie for 32nd and 67th, respectively.
Marrion's classmates, Jake Birdwell and Joseph Buttress, each made their collegiate debuts on Friday. Birdwell carded a 73 (+3) to tie for 46th, while Buttress matched Wilson at 6-over in a share of 67th.
No. 2 Arizona State (-7) holds a six-shot lead over the field, followed by No. 9 Florida, No. 16 North Carolina, and No. 17 Georgia Tech in a tie for second at 1-under. Illinois, No. 10 Florida State, and No. 22 Stanford round out the top five at even-par.
ASU's Jose Luis Ballester and GT's Benjamin Reuter share a four-shot lead in the individual race heading into Saturday's second round.
Due to the threat of inclement weather later in the weekend, Rounds 2 and 3 will be played Saturday with tee times moved up 30 minutes to now begin at 7:30 a.m. CT. If Round 3 is not completed Saturday afternoon, play will continue Sunday, weather permitting. The Illini, paired with No. 11 Texas and Big Ten foe Northwestern, will be among the first golfers off the No. 1 tee. Live scoring for the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational will be available on Golfstat.com.
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