SAUCIER, Miss. – Senior Jackson Buchanan claimed the fourth collegiate title of his career to lead the No. 15-ranked Fighting Illini men’s golf team to a tie for second behind a strong closing push at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational on Monday at Fallen Oak at Beau Rivage Resort’s Fallen Oak Course.
Buchanan, the reigning Big Ten Golfer of the Year, picked up his first win of the 2024-25 season, storming back from an opening 75 (+3) in Round 1 by carding 68 (-4) and 66 (-6) in Rounds 2 and 3, respectively, to secure the come-from-behind victory at 209 (-7). Buchanan, who combined to record 11 birdies and just one bogey over the final 36 holes, was tied for 39th after 18 holes and vaulted nine more spots up the leaderboard in Monday’s finale.
The effort was just enough to hold off late pushes from LSU’s Arni Sveinsson and Kye Meeks of Ole Miss, who each finished at 6-under for the week in a tie for second after Buchanan’s round had concluded.
Buchanan was one of three Illini to post top-10 scores. Sophomore Max Herendeen also posted a stellar final round of 67 (-5), which included a stretch of five consecutive birdies on Holes 13-17, to close his week in a tie for fourth at 212 (-4). Freshman Trey Marrion posted a 1-under 215 for a career-best finish (T9).
Junior Ryan Voois also closed with his best score of the tournament in Round 3, a 1-under 71, to tie for 17th at 217 (+1). It marked Voois’ second top-20 finish of the season.
Sophomore Ethan Wilson tied for 41st at 223 (+7), and freshman Jake Birdwell – competing as an individual – shot 227 (+11) in his third outing of the season.
Co-host and No. 2-ranked Ole Miss (-20) won the team title by nine strokes over the Illini and fifth-ranked LSU at 11-under. No. 29 Georgia (-3) and No. 23 South Carolina (-1) rounded out the top five with under-par team scores, while No. 22 Mississippi State (E) tied for sixth.
UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini return to the Gulf Coast to close out the team’s fall schedule, Oct. 26-27, at the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational, hosted by South Alabama at Steelwood Country Club in Loxley, Ala.
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