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Illinois Men's Golf Advances to NCAA Championships Finals

After a strong outing at the Urbana Regional, the Illini qualified for next week's NCAA Championships finals in Carlsbad, California

Pranav Hegde

Jun 14, 2024; Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA; Jackson Buchanan chips on the 13th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Pinehurst No. 2. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images
Jun 14, 2024; Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA; Jackson Buchanan chips on the 13th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Pinehurst No. 2. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

The University of Illinois men's golf team advanced to the 2025 NCAA Men's Golf Championships on Wednesday, clinching a tie for first place in the Urbana Regional at Atkins Golf Club to share the top spot with Oklahoma State.

The top five teams from each of six regionals advance to the finals May 23-28 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. This year marks Illinois' 18th trip to the national tournament since 2000.

The Illini took advantage of a bit of home cooking at Atkins GC and some excellent individual play this week to secure a spot in the finals. Senior Jackson Buchanan set the tone in Monday's opening round by firing a course-record round of 63 (8-under).

A strong day-two effort headlined by a 67 (4-under) from sophomore Ryan Voois put Illinois in firm position to finish in the top five Wednesday. The Illini and Cowboys finished knotted at the top with matching 15-under-par totals, while other qualifiers from the Urbana regional included UNLV, Troy and Texas Tech.

Coach Mike Small's group will head west hoping to put last season's disappointment behind them. After making the national tournament last year, the Illini shined in the stroke-play portion of the tournament, finishing first and qualifying for the quarterfinals. But they were upset there by No. 8 seed Georgia Tech.

Back with a skilled and experienced lineup and led by one of the best coaches in the country, the Illini will again take aim at a national championship next week in southern California.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.