It was disappointing for the Illini men’s golf season to have its necessary cancellation due to the coronavirus. The team was finding its groove, opening the spring season with a second-place finish at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate and a fourth-place finish at the John Burns Intercollegiate. This followed a below standard fall for the Illini where they didn’t finish higher than fifth in any of their five tournaments.

That doesn’t mean, however, that there wasn’t anything to take anyway from the season.

MVP: Senior Giovanni Tadiotto

The Belgium-born player was dominant in his two spring appearances, tying for fourth place individually at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate with a score of eight below par. Tadiotto also earned a third-place finish individually at the John Burns Intercollegiate with a score of six below par.

He was the Big Ten Player of the Week after their second tournament, shot the lowest round and had the lowest 54-hole score of any Illini during the spring season.

He shot a 67 during the third round of the John Burns Intercollegiate and also had the most birdies with 17. Over 54 holes, he scored a 208 at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate.

For his fast start, he gave credit to his improved mentality after the second tournament.

“Just my mentality, I developed a little more this year with coach,” said Tadiotto. “We’ve talked a lot about my expectations and … it’s just a mindset that I established in how I go to my rounds and every shot. Not getting frustrated by a bad shot or not getting too excited about a great shot.”

Having the top spot versus his teammates in both tournaments makes it hard to dispute his case for MVP of the team.

Senior who will be missed: (Other than Tadiotto) Michael Feagles

Feagles also had a solid couple outings this season, placing second on the team and tied for eighth overall at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate with a score of seven below par. He was second on the team and tied for 22nd overall at the John Burns Intercollegiate with a score of one-below-par.

What will be missed the most about Feagles is his consistency. This is a player that was a three-time All-Big Ten First Team selection, three-time PING All-Midwest Region selection and was the 2017 Big Ten Freshman of the year. He was an instant contributor to the fantastic run the Illinois men’s golf team has been on. The team has won ten of the last 11 Big Ten Championships.

What Feagles said he will miss the most is the togetherness of the team.

“When you spend every day, every hour with these guys, you know, you live with them,” Feagles said. “We all live in the same apartment complex, live right across the hall from each other. We’re together all the time, I think what brings a team together the most is when you all have a common goal and you’re chasing a common goal together. That really unifies the team and I think that definitely made us coexist.”

Honorable mention: Bryan Baumgarten

The underclassman to watch: Freshman Jerry Ji

For his first spring season, the Holland-born player finished fourth on the team and was tied for 15th overall at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate with a score of five below par. Also, he tied for second on the team and tied for 22nd overall at the John Burns Intercollegiate with a score of one below par.

For all six regular tournaments (Cypress Point Classic was a Ryder Cup-style tournament), he averaged a team finish of two and a half, the third best on the team and the best of the underclassmen.

After the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate, Feagles was very confident in the future of the Illinois men’s golf team.

“Jerry’s a pretty self-sufficient kid, he’s pretty independent,” Feagles said. “He comes in as a really high ranked player, had a great junior career and made some big splashes. We don’t have to really monitor him much. Just mostly with school and stuff like that, making sure he’s at places on time. But we’re not too worried about him on the golf course. He’s got a good work ethic and practices the right way.”

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