Chambana Sun

The Fighting Illini men's golf team, seeded 11th, is tied for fifth place after the first round of the NCAA Championship. The event took place at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa's North Course in Carlsbad, California. The team scored a 5-over 293 on Friday afternoon.

Birdies were scarce on the newly renovated course. However, the Illini maintained a strong performance throughout most of the round before encountering challenges on the back nine. A combined 2-under finish on No. 18 with birdies from senior Piercen Hunt and freshman Max Herendeen kept them competitive, just three shots behind co-leaders Virginia and Arizona.

"It's our first time playing this golf course," head coach Mike Small said. "The conditions got a little tough there at the end - the wind picked up, and it got colder. The hardest holes on this golf course are that back nine, so everything was stacked up against us as we tried to finish, and I think maybe a little fatigue set in. But we had a couple birdies on that last hole, which was huge."

"There are a lot of positive to take away, but we also got loose in some areas, so we have to talk about those and put those behind us," Small continued. "We've got to be ready to go tomorrow morning because we're going to see the back nine first again tomorrow when it's chilly. We can't come out flat."

Hunt, Herendeen, and fifth-year senior Tyler Goecke each carded rounds of 73 (+1), placing them inside the top 25 individually. Sophomore Ryan Voois completed his round with a score of 74 (+2), tying for 41st place.

Hunt recorded par on 15 holes and managed two bogeys before sinking a birdie putt on No. 18. Herendeen's birdie was part of his recovery from an initial front-nine score of +2; he finished one under par after turning things around with his first birdie on No. 11.

Goecke achieved three birdies during his round—all coming within the front nine—while Voois ended with four consecutive pars after scoring three birdies earlier in play.

Junior Jackson Buchanan faced difficulties towards closing stages despite being even through thirteen holes initially; he ultimately fell down rankings due largely due double-bogey incidents over final five-hole stretch.

"The afternoon waves are always hardest," Small added regarding challenging conditions faced by players starting late into day."It's long day teeing off late like did... still finishing fifth overall amidst such circumstances demonstrates numerous positives."

Round two begins Saturday morning where Illinois will again pair alongside Florida Arizona commencing from Hole ten beginning precisely at Central Pacific Time slots respectively Live scores available via Golfstat.com