Springfield, IL - The fifth-ranked Illinois Central College Men's Golf team led off its postseason journey on Monday and Tuesday, making the short trip down Interstate 55 for the Region 24 Championship at Panther Creek Country Club. Perhaps a region of brutality, the #5 Cougars were there, as was #4 Parkland and #9 Heartland. Due to region strength, there were three bids at stake - if your team finished in the top three - you were headed to Nationals. Well, the Cougars battled through and would take the third and final spot, with DJ Norman (T-5th), Peyton Woods (T-8th), and Quinn Cox (T-10th) all finishing in the individual top 10 as well. 

DJ NORMAN | T-5TH | +6 / 222
Norman played a really consistent Region tournament, staying within four strokes on all three of his rounds. On his first Monday round, Norma played +1 through the front nine, including a birdie on the par-five 4th. A few bogeys on the back nine pushed the scorecard up somewhat, but he would still keep it under 80, ending at a +4/76. 

The second Monday round for Norman was his best of the tournament. His front nine were exceptional, going for four birdies and a -2/34. That also saw Norman birdie the par-four 1st, 2nd, and 3rd holes. The back nine added a fifth birdie, ending in an E/72 and quick math added up to a +4/148 going into Tuesday's final round. 

Norman finished strong as well, as his Tuesday round saw the fewest bogeys of the event (three in 18 holes). He would birdie the 7th once again, and once more on the 12th for a +2/74 to end the three rounds. 

PEYTON WOODS | T-8TH | +14 / 230
Woods had his best round of the three on his first Monday round, playing +1 through the front nine, including a birdie on the par-five 7th, a seemingly popular hole. His back nine was -4 through the first four holes, even getting an eagle on the par-five 510-yard 10th. 

Woods would birdie four times over his next two rounds, including twice on, yes, the par-five 7th, sitting below 80 at a +3/75 on Tuesday. 

QUINN COX | T-10TH | +15 / 231
Cox played well through the first two rounds, getting seven birdies, with five of them coming on par-five holes. His best nine-hole segment came on the front nine of the second Monday round, going E/36 with two birdies on the par-four 1st and par-3 fifth. 

On his Tuesday round, Cox would birdie the par-five 7th one more time, concluding his third round with a +5/77. 

TREY BOECKER | T-14TH | +19 / 235
Boecker was -2 through seven on his first Monday round, with a couple par-five birdies on the 4th and 7th. Another birdie on the back nine from the par-five 10th. Six pars on the front nine, and two more birdies by the end of the round for a +8/80 and a +12/156 through the first two rounds. 

Boecker improved his score by one stroke on his Tuesday round, going +4 on the front nine and +3 on the back nine for a +7 / 79. That round saw Boecker birdie the par-five 10th as well. 

BROCK TAYLOR | T-22ND | +27 / 243
Taylor rebounded from a +14/86 and made a nine strike improvement from his first to second round on Monday, going -3 between the 4th and 7th holes, with birdies coming on the par-five 4th, par-four 6th, and par-five 7th. One more birdie on the par-five 15th helped Taylor to a +7/79 and +21/165 going into Tuesday. 

Taylor would birdie twice more for a total of eight birdies at the Region tournament, with his two Tuesday birdies coming on the par-five 7th and par-five 10th. 

HE SAID IT - QUOTE FROM COACH SEAN KENNEDY
"The Cougars are excited to earn our bid to Nationals. The Cougar squad enjoyed some success at Swan Lake in the fall (same course as Nationals) in the NJCAA National Preview. The Cougars will spend a week preparing for Final exams, but look forward to a strong week of practice after." 

TEAM SCORING
1st | #9 Heartland | +28
2nd | #4 Parkland | +34
3rd | #5 COUGARS | +50
4th | #32 Danville Area | +68
5th | #20 Vincennes | +92
6th | Lincoln Trail | +123
7th | Lewis & Clark | +139
8th | Rend Lake | +146
9th | Southwestern Illinois | +190

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
2025 NJCAA Division-II National Tournament
Tuesday - Friday, May 20th-23rd
at Swan Lake Resort
Plymouth, Indiana