GRAND HAVEN, Mich. – The Fighting Illini men's golf program, ranked No. 9 in the preseason Bushnell/Golfweek Division I Coaches Poll, open the 2024-25 season Monday-Wednesday, Sept. 9-11, at the Folds of Honor Collegiate, co-hosted by Folds of Honor, Michigan State, Florida State, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), and HNS Sports Group, at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan.
The Folds of Honor Collegiate is a one-of-a kind collegiate event with proceeds benefitting Folds of Honor and its mission to provide educational scholarships to the children and spouses of our fallen and disabled military and first responders. Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has provided almost 54,000 educational scholarships (worth close to $250 million).
THE SETTING
The Folds of Honor Collegiate, now in its third year, will be hosted at the Par-72, 7,213-yard American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Mich.
American Dunes is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course that is a tribute to the military and commemorates the birthplace of Folds of Honor. The facility, which is located a few hundred yards from the east shore of Lake Michigan, is a dunes-like course, utilizing the dramatic local topography and sand base that covers the property, and features generous, rolling fairways.
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
The 54-hole tournament, which features both a men's and women's field, will be played over three days with 18 holes slated for each day of competition. Men's tee times for Round 1 on Monday and Round 3 on Wednesday are set to begin at 11 a.m. CT. Tuesday's second round will begin with men's tee times at 6:30 a.m. CT.
THE FIELD
The men's tournament field features 15 programs highlighted by five programs – No. 3 Florida State, No. 9 Illinois, Notre Dame, No. 22 Ohio State, and No. 8 Texas – that qualified for the 2024 NCAA Championship. The field also features three military academies: Air Force, Army, and Navy. No. 16 Alabama, No. 17 Arkansas, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Kansas, Kentucky, and Michigan State, and NCAA Division II Championship qualifier Grand Valley State round out the competition.
FIGHTING ILLINI LINEUP
No. 1: Max Herendeen
No. 2: Jackson Buchanan
No. 3: Ryan Voois
No. 4: Trey Marrion
No. 5: Ethan Wilson
ILLINI AT THE FOLDS OF HONOR COLLEGIATE
The 2024 Folds of Honor Collegiate marks the second time that the Fighting Illini will compete in the event in its three-year history. Illinois won the inaugural tournament in 2022 behind a stellar performance (T3) from then-sophomore Jackson Buchanan, the only member of the 2024-25 Illini roster to have previously played in the event. In that first appearance, the Orange and Blue won by 15 strokes, carding a team score of 854 (-10). It was the first of seven team tournament wins for the Illini during 2022-23 season.
LIVE SCORING
Live scoring for the Folds of Honor Collegiate will be available on Scoreboard powered by Clippd. A recap and results will be posted on FightingIllini.com following each day of play.
GOLF CHANNEL LIVE COVERAGE
Live Golf Channel coverage is set for each day of competition. Monday and Wednesday, the men's tournament will feature be broadcast from 2:30-6:30 p.m. CT. On Tuesday, the men's coverage is scheduled for 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. CT.
UP NEXT
The Illini will return to home to host the 18th annual OFCC / Fighting Illini Invitational, Sept. 20-22, at famed Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill. The Orange and Blue will once again welcome a premier field of 14 peers to compete on the Par-70, 7,310-yard North Course at OFCC. The event is recognized annually for offering a demanding but fair early-season test that attracts one of the best fields in collegiate golf.
FOLLOW THE #ILLINI
For more Fighting Illini men's golf news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniMGolf on social media: X | Instagram | Facebook.
