University of Illinois
Fighting Irish Classic
No. 4 Illini Finish Sixth at Fighting Irish Classic
October 5, 2026 | Men's Golf
RECAP
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The No. 4 Fighting Illini men's golf team finished in sixth place Monday as play concluded at the Fighting Irish Classic at Warren Golf Course.
Junior Freddie Turnell turned in the only red score of the day for the Fighting Illini, carding a 2-under 68 to ascend 13 spots into a tie for 15th with a three-round total of 211 (+1). Turnell's final round vaulted him into a tie with teammate Max Herendeen, who opened the day as the 36-hole leader before carding a closing 76 (+6).
Junior Trey Marrion (+5) finished four strokes behind Turnell and Herendeen in a tie for 29th, while classmate Jake Birdwell (+7) rose one spot into a tie for 30th. Marrion and Birdwell carded final rounds of 72 and 73, respectively. Senior Dane Huddleston (+11) closed out the scoring for the Illini in Round 3 with a 75 and finished tied for 52nd in the 81-player field.
As a team, the Illini closed the event with a three-round total of 850 (+10), two shots outside of the top five. Cal (+1) edged out No. 22 Texas A&M (+2), and host and 16th-ranked Notre Dame (+3) in the team race. No. 14 North Carolina (+6) finished fourth, followed by Georgia Southern (+8).
The Illini picked up head-to-head wins against all five of the competing Big Ten programs in the field, including 23rd-ranked UCLA.
Illinois closes out the fall schedule in two weeks, returning to action Oct. 17-19 at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational in Saucier, Miss. Illinois will compete in the event for the third consecutive season after posting a runner-up finish behind medalist Jackson Buchanan in 2024 and placing third in 2025 led by a runner-up finish from Herendeen.
| PLACE | FIGHTING IRISH CLASSIC | RD1 | RD2 | RD3 | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Illinois | 286 | 276 | 288 | 850 (+10) |
| T15 | Max Herendeen | 72 | 63 | 76 | 211 (+1) |
| T15 | Freddie Turnell | 74 | 69 | 68 | 211 (+1) |
| T29 | Trey Marrion | 70 | 73 | 72 | 215 (+5) |
| T39 | Jake Birdwell | 70 | 74 | 73 | 217 (+7) |
| T52 | Dane Huddleston | 75 | 71 | 75 | 221 (+11) |
