PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Fighting Illini men's golf rising senior Jackson Buchanan, the reigning Big Ten Golfer of the Year, is ranked sixth in the preseason PGA TOUR University Class of 2025, released Wednesday (July 31).
Buchanan is set to return to Illinois for his final season in 2024-25, having built on his breakout sophomore campaign with a highly successful junior season last year culminating in the Illini's run to match play at the 2024 NCAA Championship.
In addition to earning 2024 B1G Golfer of the Year, Buchanan was tabbed as a third team GCAA All-American, an honorable mention All-American by GolfWeek, and was also a unanimous first team All-Big Ten selection, his second straight first-team all-conference nod.
During the 2023-24 season, Buchanan competed in all 13 of the team's stroke play events, in addition to match play at the Cypress Point Classic, and closed the year with a stroke average of 70.92. He finished as runner-up at the Big Ten Championship after claiming medalist honors at a team-leading two events – the Purdue Fall Invitational and the Duck Invitational – during the regular season. Overall, Buchanan posted a team-most eight top-10 finishes. He tied for the team lead with 12 sub-70 rounds on the year and ranked second on the squad with 20 rounds of par or better. Buchanan closed as the Illini's top finisher in four events in 2023-24, tied for the most on the team.
Buchanan, who is pursuing his bachelor's degree in operations management from the Gies College of Business at Illinois, was selected to the CSC Academic All-America third team, earned Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar honors from the GCAA, was recognized as an Academic All-Big Ten selection, and was tabbed as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
This summer, the Dacula, Georgia, native made his major debut at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, played in the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, and competed in the Korn Ferry Tour's Memorial Health Championship in Springfield, Illinois.
Buchanan is the latest Fighting Illini to appear in the top 25 of the PGA TOUR University rankings. Michael Feagles finished seventh in the inaugural PGA Tour U Class of 2021, while Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Tommy Kuhl finished No. 3 and No. 15, respectively in the final 2023 ranking.
ABOUT PGA TOUR U
In partnership with the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), PGA TOUR University ranks players based on the last two years of their collegiate careers. Eligible tournaments include NCAA Division I men's team competitions, official PGA TOUR tournaments and select DP World Tour events. The ranking period for the Class of 2025 began Week 23 of 2023 and concludes May 26, 2025, following the final round of stroke play at the NCAA Championship.
The No. 1 player in the final PGA TOUR University Ranking next May will earn PGA TOUR membership, while players Nos. 2-5 (fully exempt) and Nos. 6-10 (conditional) will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2025. Additionally, players Nos. 6-25 will earn fully exempt membership for the North America Swing of PGA TOUR Americas in 2025.
Eligible players in the Class of 2025 must register to be included in the PGA TOUR University Ranking. Player registration is open, and the complete Class of 2025 Ranking will be released in September, prior to the start of the fall college golf season.
Buchanan is set to return to Illinois for his final season in 2024-25, having built on his breakout sophomore campaign with a highly successful junior season last year culminating in the Illini's run to match play at the 2024 NCAA Championship.
In addition to earning 2024 B1G Golfer of the Year, Buchanan was tabbed as a third team GCAA All-American, an honorable mention All-American by GolfWeek, and was also a unanimous first team All-Big Ten selection, his second straight first-team all-conference nod.
During the 2023-24 season, Buchanan competed in all 13 of the team's stroke play events, in addition to match play at the Cypress Point Classic, and closed the year with a stroke average of 70.92. He finished as runner-up at the Big Ten Championship after claiming medalist honors at a team-leading two events – the Purdue Fall Invitational and the Duck Invitational – during the regular season. Overall, Buchanan posted a team-most eight top-10 finishes. He tied for the team lead with 12 sub-70 rounds on the year and ranked second on the squad with 20 rounds of par or better. Buchanan closed as the Illini's top finisher in four events in 2023-24, tied for the most on the team.
Buchanan, who is pursuing his bachelor's degree in operations management from the Gies College of Business at Illinois, was selected to the CSC Academic All-America third team, earned Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar honors from the GCAA, was recognized as an Academic All-Big Ten selection, and was tabbed as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar.
This summer, the Dacula, Georgia, native made his major debut at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, played in the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, and competed in the Korn Ferry Tour's Memorial Health Championship in Springfield, Illinois.
Buchanan is the latest Fighting Illini to appear in the top 25 of the PGA TOUR University rankings. Michael Feagles finished seventh in the inaugural PGA Tour U Class of 2021, while Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Tommy Kuhl finished No. 3 and No. 15, respectively in the final 2023 ranking.
ABOUT PGA TOUR U
In partnership with the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), PGA TOUR University ranks players based on the last two years of their collegiate careers. Eligible tournaments include NCAA Division I men's team competitions, official PGA TOUR tournaments and select DP World Tour events. The ranking period for the Class of 2025 began Week 23 of 2023 and concludes May 26, 2025, following the final round of stroke play at the NCAA Championship.
The No. 1 player in the final PGA TOUR University Ranking next May will earn PGA TOUR membership, while players Nos. 2-5 (fully exempt) and Nos. 6-10 (conditional) will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2025. Additionally, players Nos. 6-25 will earn fully exempt membership for the North America Swing of PGA TOUR Americas in 2025.
Eligible players in the Class of 2025 must register to be included in the PGA TOUR University Ranking. Player registration is open, and the complete Class of 2025 Ranking will be released in September, prior to the start of the fall college golf season.
