Chambana Sun

The ninth-ranked Fighting Illini men's golf team commenced the 2024-25 season with a runner-up finish at the Folds of Honor Collegiate held at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan.

The Illini recorded a 54-hole team score of 847 (-5), led by top-10 individual finishes from senior Jackson Buchanan, sophomore Max Herendeen, and freshman Trey Marrion, who made his collegiate debut. The team finished seven shots behind 16th-ranked Alabama (-12) and ahead of No. 8 Texas (+3), co-host Michigan State (+9), and defending tournament champion Notre Dame (+11). This performance also secured early head-to-head victories over several top programs, including No. 3 Florida State, No. 17 Arkansas, and No. 22 Ohio State.

Buchanan spearheaded Illinois' efforts with a final round of 5-under 66 on Wednesday, advancing two spots to third place in the 75-player field. He began the week with consecutive rounds of 1-under 71 and was even-par through eight holes in Round 3 before finishing strong with birdies on five of his last ten holes. Buchanan concluded two shots behind medalist Dominic Clemons of Alabama. This marked Buchanan's 13th top-five career finish and his second at the Folds of Honor after placing third in the inaugural event in 2022.

Herendeen placed ninth with an even-par score of 213 for his seventh top-10 finish in fourteen career stroke play events as an Illini. Marrion finished one shot behind Herendeen, tying for tenth at 214 (+1).

Sophomore Ethan Wilson tied for nineteenth at 218 (+5), marking his fourth career top-20 finish. Junior Ryan Voois ended one shot behind Wilson in a tie for twenty-third at 219 (+6), highlighted by an even-par round of 71 that saw him climb ten spots on the leaderboard for his tenth career top-25 finish.

Next up for Illinois is hosting another prestigious collegiate event: the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational from September 20-22 at Olympia Fields Country Club's North Course. The event features thirteen ranked programs or those receiving votes in the preseason Bushnell/Golfweek Coaches Poll: Arizona State (2), Florida State (3), North Carolina (5), Texas (8), Florida (10), Georgia Tech (11), Texas Tech (15), Alabama (16), Texas A&M (19), Oklahoma State (20), Stanford (23), Northwestern (RV), Baylor, and Michigan.

Fourteen out of fifteen programs competing participated in the NCAA Regionals last May, including eleven that advanced to stroke play at the NCAA Championship and four that competed in match play for the championship trophy at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.

For more updates on Fighting Illini men's golf, visit FightingIllini.com or follow @IlliniMGolf on social media platforms X, Instagram, and Facebook.