Despite the frequent wind and showers throughout the weekend, Illinois men’s golf secured its eighth consecutive Big Ten championship heading to the East Coast this past Sunday at the Galloway National Golf Club in New Jersey. This marks the longest stretch of conference titles in Big Ten history. The program also secured title No. 13 of the last 14 dating back to 2009.

Fifth-year senior Adrien Dumont de Chassart felt good about the team moving into the competition this past Friday following his first individual win in over a year. It also marked the team’s sixth victory amidst stormy weather last weekend at Illinois’s own newly renovated Atkins Golf Club in the Fighting Illini Spring Collegiate.

“I think this gives us some good momentum,” Dumont de Chassart said following the win. “It’s nice because the weather is going to be similar, so we kind of know what to work on for next week.”

He was right: Only 36 holes of golf were played due to weather conditions leading to the cancellation of the third round. Through just two rounds of golf, however, the Illini showcased their prowess as an experienced group, leading the rest of the Big Ten by a dominant 17 strokes.

As head coach Mike Small often reminds the Illini, the team’s spectacular display regardless of the elements was only achievable through teamwork.

“I’m happy because the team is happy,” Small said. “To lead by 17 shots in a two-round tournament, that takes a total team effort. To do that in just two rounds, not a three-round tournament, is a pretty big win.”

Fifth-year seniors Tommy Kuhl and Matthis Besard finished just one stroke short of the lead to tie for third with a score of 140 (-2). Adrien Dumont de Chassart continued his streak of excellence once again posting a top-five finish, tying with sophomore teammate Jackson Buchanan at 1-under. Junior Piercen Hunt also left his mark on the tournament, finishing 13th at 2-over par.

For a team to have the ability to boast four players finishing in the top five at a tournament, it requires commitment from each individual to compete with the guys they hit the green with daily.

“You’re pulling for your teammates but you want to play against the best,” Small remarked. “And when they see each other every day, they push each other and elevate each other to get to a certain level, that’s something that was shown this week when we’ve got four guys inside the top five.”

Not only did Buchanan, Besard, Dumont de Chassart and Kuhl finish with some of the lowest scores in the tournament, but all three were named to the Big Ten All-Championship team.

This only further increases the team members’ list of accolades this season with Dumont de Chassart being named as the winner of the Les Bolstad Award for the second straight season. He posted the lowest single-season stroke average since 1974 at 69.63. Kuhl also received recognition for his excellence this season, as he was selected to represent Team USA in the Arnold Palmer Cup.

Looking ahead, Illinois awaits the selection of one of six locations and the rest of the field for the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship with regionals slated to be underway from May 15-17. The team looks to improve on its sixth-place finish at last season’s regionals with hopes to have a chance to compete in the national championship.