LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The No. 12 Fighting Illini men's golf team opened play at the Southern Highlands Collegiate on Sunday, battling windy conditions to post team score of 302 (+14). The Illini are tied for sixth with 36 holes to play.
Trey Marrion posted the Illini's lowest individual round of the day, carding a 1-over 73 to pace the Orange and Blue in a tie for 11th in the 84-player field. Marrion opened with eight straight pars before back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 9 and 10 moved him to 2-over. A birdie on the Par-4 16th hole slid the freshman inside the top 15. He enters Round 2 six shots back of the leader, host UNLV's Caden Fioroni (-5).
Sophomore Max Herendeen, who opened with a 75 (+3), and senior Jackson Buchanan, who posted a 76 (+4) are tied for 22nd and 30th, respectively. Sophomore Ethan Wilson rounded out the scoring for the Illini with a Round 1 score of 78 (+6). Wilson is tied for 51st, one shot ahead of junior Ryan Voois in a tie for 59th.
Freshman Jake Birdwell, playing as an individua, opened his week with a 77 (+5). He is tied for 41st entering Monday's second round.
No. 2-ranked Auburn leads the team race at 2-under, followed by host UNLV (+2). No. 24 Pepperdine and New Mexico are tied for third, at 7-over, followed by No. 9 Virginia (+9) to round out the top five. The Illini are tied with 26th-ranked Texas A&M, five shots outside of the top five and 16 shots off the lead.
Round 2 is set for Monday, with tee times off Holes 1 and 10 beginning at 11 a.m. CT/9 a.m. PT. The Illini, paired with UNM and UVA, tee off of No. 1, beginning at 11:50 a.m. CT/9:50 a.m. PT. Live scoring is available via Clippd Scoreboard.
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