Great year!! It is amazing the consistency this program has put together. The breaks will fall their way one of these years and they will get the championship they deserve. Really proud of the effort of this team.
2016-17 Illini Golf
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Always Illini
- Central Illinois
I was just echoing some of the claims about them last year with tongue firmly in cheek. They are plainly a good team also.
Just a thought or two on the end of this golf season. Was a great run yet again, that just fell short. Qualified for Final 4 yet again. That is an amazing accomplishment in any sport but especially difficult in golf. The Illini are most definitely a "blue blood" in golf. I am proud of them and the Illini Nation that came out to support the team this week. Loved all the orange Thanks to Coach Small for building the program and especially the players that just love to compete year in and year out. Can't wait for next year.
The #1 seed has never won in the match play era, the men or the women. That only goes back to 2009 for the men, though.
Italy has the Ryder Cup in 2022 and their sports federation is trying to make a big push to have an Italian player on that team. So I think they are going to help him get his career started with some support. Personally I think that's a long shot, it takes most players a couple of years just to get their tour card, then they have to play well enough to earn a spot on the team or be a captain's pick.
Pieters left Illinois after the 2013 season and made the 2016 team, but that is an unusually quick ascent and he's far more talented than Lipparelli.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
Put this squarely in the rumor column, but a fan that I was talking to yesterday on the course (i.e. unknown to me, so no ability to judge knowledge, etc) said "Well, he is an Italian student majoring in Italian and barely staying academically eligible".
I have no idea if this is true, but it would work as an explanation for why someone is moving on.
Dan, remove if you find this inappropriate.
Peoria Illini
- Peoria, IL
I thought I saw World Wide Wes hanging around with Casey Martin... His reach must extend to NCAA golf as well...
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Always Illini
- Central Illinois
Congrats to Dylan and Nick on the exemptions! Either they wrote the article early or just got it wrong saying that the Illini made it to the quarterfinals. I guess they did but they also made the semifinals. Nice to see our guys getting to play with the tour players.
Peoria Illini
- Peoria, IL
I think they have the younger Kuhl kid from Morton coming in the year after. He'll be a HS senior next year. His older brother plays at Wisconsin.
Brendan O'Reilly is an absolute stud.
Meyer and hardy are playing in a US Open Qualifier today in Springfield, Ohio. Scoring here: http://www.usopen.com/qualifying/sectional/springfield.html#!&tab=results
Former Illini Danielson and Chaussard also playing at that Springfield site. Campbell and Stricker are in Memphis, Points is playing in Columbus.
Can you choose where you want to qualify? Specifically, doing some scouting and think course A is better for my game than course B for example?.
Yes, you pick your choice of sectional sites. Most of the pros end up in the Ohio or Memphis sites because of the PGA schedule - Memorial just finished this weekend in Columbus and the St Judes starts Thursday in Memphis.
The choice is to play at a site with a big field and lots of pros that gets more qualifying spots or go to a smaller site with a weaker field but only a couple of spots available.
Looks like Stricker will get the chance to play in front of the home crowd at Erin Hills. Campbell also in good shape right now. Probably none of the other guys get through. Played well, just not well enough to advance.
Campbell faltered down the stretch with a couple of bogies, so he won't be playing in the Open. Just Strick and Pieters for former Illini.
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Nick Hardy wins first Palmer Cup match, 5-4. Way to go Nick!
Nick Hardy wins first Palmer Cup match, 5-4. Way to go Nick!
He won again today to go 2-0 in his singles matches.
Deleted member 3875
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Nick's Weekend - finishes 2-1-1. Repping the Illini well on the international stage. 