CARLSBAD, Calif. – Fighting Illini sophomore Max Herendeen closed out the final round of stroke play at the NCAA Championship on Monday at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in a tie for 27th with a 72-hole tally of 290 (+2).
Herendeen qualified for the final stroke play round as one of the top nine individuals on a non-advancing team after Sunday's third round that saw the field cut from 30 teams to 15.
He carded a final round of 73 (+1) and closed his week in a tie for 27th at 290 (+2), recording his second consecutive individual top-30 national finish to follow up his runner-up showing as a freshman last season.
On Monday, the Bellevue, Washington, native quickly answered an opening bogey on Hole 10 with a birdie on No. 11. But a stretch of bogey, double-bogey on 12 and 13 saw the two-time All-Big Ten first team selection move to 4-over with 14 holes left to play.
Herendeen closed the back nine with birdies on 16 and 18, then answered a bogey on No. 3 with back-to-back birdies on Holes 5 and 6 to climb back to 1-over for the week in a tie for 23rd. However, after posting par-par on Nos. 7 and 8, a bogey to close his round on No. 9 pushed him just outside of top-25.
Ole Miss' Michael La Sasso (-11) won the individual national title. The Rebels (La Sasso, 2025; Branden Thornberry, 2017) now join Illinois (Scott Langley, 2010; Thomas Pieters, 2012), Oklahoma State (Matthew Wolff, 2019; Jonathan Moore, 2006), Florida (Fred Biondi, 2023; Nick Gilliam, 2001), and Georgia Tech (Hiroshi Tai, 2024; Troy Matteson, 2002) as one of five programs nationally to produce multiple individual national champions in the Mike Small era (since 2001).
