Freeport, Ill. - The Illinois Central College men's golf team started the 2025 season the same way they began the 2024 campaign---by winning the 52nd annual Highland 36 tournament on Friday at Park Hills West Course. The tourney began with an 8am shotgun start on Friday, the first official day of college golf and featured a strong field of 116 players on 21 teams, four of whom qualified for the 2025 NJCAA National Championship last May. 

After 11 hours, 36 holes, and 12 miles of walking the course twice, the Cougars successfully defended their 2024 title in impressive fashion.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cougar squad fired a 5-over par 293 in the morning round, good enough for a 6-shot lead over Highland CC after Round 1.  Highland made an early charge to start the afternoon round, trimming ICC's advantage to a single stroke with 12 holes to play. Black Hawk College made a strong afternoon push, making it a 3-team race to the finish. 

Returning NJCAA All-American Trey Boecker (SO - Grant Park IL) rolled in a 20-foot eagle putt to start the final 9 holes giving the Cougars breathing room on a lead they would not relinquish.  The Cougars' afternoon round was 2 shots better than the morning, firing a 3 over par 291 yielding a 6-shot victory over runner-up Black Hawk College. 

BOECKER, WATSON FINISH 1-2
Individually, the Cougars were just as successful winning the top 2 awards. Boecker was the Tournament Medalist firing a 3-under par 69 in the morning round and a phenomenal 8-under par 64 in the afternoon, narrowly missing tying the Park Hills course record of 63.  Tournament runner-up, Connor Watson (FR - East Peoria) was impressive in his college debut as he was the only other player in the 116-player field under par.  He fired a 4 under par 68 to start his day, and backed up his excellent start with a solid 1-under par 71 in the afternoon.

KENNEDY PLEASED WITH EFFORT 
"Fantastic effort, focus, and execution for this new look Cougar squad," Kennedy said. "We lost four players from last year's NJCAA National Championship Runner Up squad but Connor Watson, Brooks Cluver (SO-Clinton IL), Drake Kaufman (SO-Ottawa-IL,), and Logan Smith (SO-New Berlin, IL) met the moment with the scrutiny of 20 other teams wanting to take us down. Andrew and Alex Kuykendall (FR-Charleston) both gained valuable experience in their first-ever collegiate event."

Kennedy continued: "Connor was just brilliant in his Cougar debut with his 5-under par and tournament runner-up finish. And Trey was just Trey; I have already run out of ways to describe just how special a player he is. I mean, he shot 11-under par in the season opener. That's how All-Americans lead an inexperienced squad." 

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
 After a very enjoyable bus ride home from Freeport, the Cougars will have a short turnaround to get ready for Monday's Chanay 36 hosted by Black Hawk College at Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley.

HIGHLAND 36 LEADERBOARD: /documents/2025/8/23/Highland_36_Leaderboard.pdf