The Illinois men’s golf team faces, arguably, its biggest test of the season Monday when it competes in the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters in Las Vegas.

Hosted by last year’s winner, UNLV, the event features the stiffest competition Illinois has faced all year.

With 10 of the participating 15 teams ranked in the top 25, Illinois will have some serious competition for its No. 1 ranking.

With previous tournaments this spring consisting of zero teams in the top 25, this will be the first chance Illinois has to compare itself to some of the better collegiate golf teams in the country.

Specifically No. 3 USC, No. 4 Texas, No. 6 Arizona State and No. 10 Texas Tech, all can easily move up in the national rankings with strong showings this week.

Head coach Mike Small will come out with the same lineup that he’s used for the last two tournament victories.

Senior Brian Campbell, junior Thomas Detry, junior Charlie Danielson, freshman Dylan Meyer and freshman Nick Hardy all look to continue their winning ways.

Detry has been the go-to man for the Illini the past two tournaments.

He is fresh off his third Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor for his play at the Louisiana Classics on March 2-3, where he finished first in the individual rankings. Detry posted three below-par rounds (68-69-66) in the tournament, helped by his 14 birdies, 39 pars and only one bogey.

Detry recorded his season-low in the final round of the Classics, which was delayed more than an hour due to heavy fog conditions.

“A 66 in those conditions and with those pins is special — it’s world class,” assistant coach Zach Barlow said of Detry’s play in Tuesday’s final round at the Louisiana Classics.

Campbell and Danielson also look to continue their hot hand. Each finished in the top five in last week’s tournament.

More strong performances from these three would go a long way against some of the tougher competition in the country.

Last week’s performances ensures nothing, however.

“We definitely accomplished some things this week that we wanted to accomplish, but we also know we still have some issues from winter break that we have to work on,” Barlow said. “We have a quick turnaround to go to Vegas, but we can still make some changes and get better for Vegas.”

The collegiate masters will begin Monday and conclude Wednesday. Each participating team will compete in one 18-hole round on each of the three days of action at this year’s event.

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