URBANA — Illinois men’s golf coach Mike Small said on Monday a good team will have different players stepping up at different times.
After senior Jackson Buchanan shot a course-record 8-under 63 in Monday’s first round, the No. 14-rated Fighting Illini got a 4-under 67 on Tuesday from junior Ryan Voois as they extended their team lead to three shots over No. 2 Oklahoma State, who shot a 9-under 275 on Tuesday, and No. 35 UNLV at the Atkins Golf Club.
Illinois enters today’s final round at 10-under 558, while Oklahoma State and UNLV are at 7-under 561 and rounding out the top-five are No. 23 Texas Tech at 2-under 566 and Troy at 1-under 567.
But even with a lead, the Danville native Small wants to see more from his Fighting Illini.
“We need tp continue to get some depth,” he said. “Jackson was 8-under on Monday and our team was 7-under. Ryan shot 4-under and as a team we were 3-under. We need to be deeper and more steady if we are going to do something next week.”
While Illinois hasn’t exactly secured a spot in the NCAA Championship beginning May 23 at La Costa Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif., his team is 14 shots ahead of sixth-place Marquette at 4-over 572.
Small isn’t even thinking about that. He wants the NCAA Regional title.
“We are here to win this thing. There is a chance that we may not qualify. There is a chance that we may win it. Our goal is to go out tomorrow and play from strength and move up the leaderboard,” he said. “This program never looks behind us on the leaderboard. We never look down. We talk about that the first day of practice, the first week in the fall — we always look up. We are always chasing something.
“If we are in the front, we are going after the lead. We are not looking behind us and playing scared, timid golf. I don’t like that. Fearful golf is the most unpleasant way to play this game.”
Caden Fioroni of UNLV holds the individual lead after 36 holes with a score of 7-under 135, while Buchanan and Michigan’s Hunter Thompson are tied for second at 6-under 136.
A big boost in the Illinois score on Tuesday came from freshman Trey Marrion, who was subbed into the lineup after the first round to post a 1-under 70.
“We are a team of six,” said Small, as Illinois can only play five golfers in a round. “Sometimes, a change just arises. He played solid all day.
“Tournaments are not just one round.”
The third and final round will begin at 8 a.m. today with Illinois, Oklahoma State and UNLV paired together for the first five tee times off the first hole.