Final Results

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Fighting Illini junior Dylan Meyer took home his first event title of the season on Sunday at the 3M Augusta Invitational as he closed the tournament at 11-under par to lead all competitors. As a team, the Orange and Blue shot 2-over par in the final round to finish in fourth overall. UCF took the tournament title with a total score 28-under par followed by Wake Forest (-24) and New Mexico (-21). The Illini were 17-under par through three rounds of play, and placed three individuals among the top 30.

"I'm thrilled for Dylan {Meyer}," head coach Mike Small said. "This is a significant win, and with it comes an exemption into the Valspar Championship next spring. This tournament is a very respected event, and the last two players who won that exemption have gone on to do great things. I thought Dylan played well, and the course played tougher today. He had a strong tournament and I am proud of him. As a team, today we got run over by some other teams. We have blown leads head into the final round this spring, and not finishing tournaments is something this program is not used to. We need to learn, as a team, that leads in golf don't mean anything; you have to come in and play just as hard in the final round as you do in the first two."

Meyer held the individual lead by four strokes heading into Sunday's final round of play. He proved to be a steady competitor in the final round, immediately following an early bogey with a birdie on the next hole. He used another birdie to negate a late bogey on the back nine and stay at even par for the round. Meyer has shot at or below par in 10 of 12 rounds played this spring. The victory marks the second individual title of his career.

Freshman Michael Feagles joined Meyer among the top 20 individuals as he tied for 19^th overall with a total tally 3-under par. Feagles started his final round with an early birdie, but posted a few bogeys before making the turn. With a score of 3-over par coming down the final stretch, Feagles recorded birdies on three of his last four holes to close the round just 1-over par.  

Sophomore Edoardo Lipparelli shot 2-over par for the final round to finish with a total tally 1-under par. Lipparelli carded three consecutive birdies in the middle of the round to help negate early bogeys on the day. He finished in a tie for 30th. 

Junior Nick Hardy also shot 2-over par on Sunday, to finish with a 1-over par tournament total and join freshman Giovanni Tadiotto in a tie for 38^th overall. Tadiotto posted his strongest round of the tournament on the final day. He was 2-under par through the front nine, but recorded three bogeys after making the turn. He finished strong, however, closing the round with consecutive birdies on the 17^th and 18^th holes to stay 1-under par for the day.

The 3M Augusta Invitational took place at Forest Hills Golf Club, which boasts a Par 72, 7,005-yard course.  Ranked at No. 7 in the nation by Golfweek, Illinois joined 14 other teams among the 3M Augusta Invitational field including No. 8 Wake Forest, No. 13 Oklahoma, No. 22 Georgia, No. 45 Houston, No. 49 New Mexico, Augusta, Alabama-Birmingham, Army West Point, Central Florida, Georgia State, Tennessee, USC Aiken and Virginia Tech.

Illinois will have a bit of time off before taking on the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate April 22-23. Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for the latest on Illinois men's golf.