Men’s golf preseason preview
The women’s cross country team kicks off its fall campaign on Friday. Both the women’s and men’s teams dominated the Illini Open.
September 3, 2019
Entering this season, the Illini are No. 19 in the nation, according to the Golf Coaches Association of America’s preseason poll.
They look to repeat as Big Ten champions and make it to the NCAA Championships on the back of their ranking. This projection would extend their streak of Big Ten championships to six years in a row with their whole roster returning and the addition of freshman Jerry Ji of the Netherlands.
There were no other Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25, although Ohio State and Iowa received votes putting them in at No. 43 and No. 47 respectively.
To start their fall season, the Illini travel to Scottsdale, Arizona for the Maui Jim Intercollegiate Sept 13 to 15 hosted by Georgia State University.
Two Illini were named All-America scholars for the first time. According to the GCAA, juniors Bryan Baumgarten and Giovanni Tadiotto made the cut. To qualify, student-athletes have to be upperclassmen, participated in 50 percent of their teams’ competitive rounds, had a stroke average under 76, be in good standing with their university and had a minimum 3.2 cumulative grade-point average.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
August 12-13 Illini head coach Mike Small won his third straight Illinois Senior PGA Professional title. He posted a 13-under-par and won by nine strokes earning himself qualification to the Senior PGA Professional Championship October 3-6 at Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas.
Last regular season, the Illini finished No. 22 in the country according to the GCAA, after success at 10 tournaments including the Big Ten, which earned the Illini their spot in their regional conference. Other than the conference winners, the other participants of the six regionals are chosen by a committee of golf experts.
In the postseason they finished first at the Myrtle Beach Regional and moved on to the NCAA Championships. To qualify, teams need to finish in the top five at their respective regionals.
At the NCAA Championships, the Illini finished tied for 27th place with Baylor University. The Illini only played three out of a possible four rounds as the field of 30 is cut in half after three. After the fourth round, the field of 15 is cut to eight and seeded for an eight-team playoff.
@superpats1282
