Eric Gilpin Assistant Coach & Director of Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Eric Gilpin Assistant Coach & Director of Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Fighting Illini men's golf team began the NCAA Stanford Regional with a strong performance, securing a four-stroke lead at Stanford Golf Course. The team's success was driven by Max Herendeen's outstanding debut, leading the 18-hole round.
The Illini players collectively recorded birdies on Hole 1, contributing to their overall score of 17-under 263. This positioned them ahead of top-seeded Florida State and host Stanford. Ole Miss and Texas A&M shared fourth place at 271 (-9). The Illini's current standing gives them a significant lead over UCLA in sixth place.
Max Herendeen, recognized as the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year, achieved a career-low score of 63 (-7), tying for the second-lowest individual round in program history. His performance included multiple birdies on both the front and back nines.
Jackson Buchanan and Tyler Goecke are close behind Herendeen with scores of 65 (-5) each. Buchanan matched his season-best from October, while Goecke surpassed his previous best as an Illini player.
Sophomore Ryan Voois scored an even-par 70, while senior Piercen Hunt ended with a score of 73 (+3).
Round two will begin on Tuesday morning. The Illini will start alongside Florida State and Stanford. Live scoring can be accessed through Golfstat.
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