Aug. 31, 2006

Grayslake, Ill. - Illinois head coach Mike Small has done it again, claiming his fourth consecutive Illinois PGA Championship. Small finished 7-under par to win the 84th edition of the IPGA, held at Stonewall Orchard Golf Club. He shot a 71 in round one, erupted for a 66 in round two, which was the lowest score of the tournament, and finished with a 72 in the final round for a total of 209 strokes. Small won by five shots over runner-up Darren Stanek.

In addition to being Small's fourth straight IPGA championship, it marks his fifth victory in the last six years as well as his fifth overall title. That equals the all-time record of five IPGA championships first set by Johnny Revolta and Bill Ogden.

This also marks the second straight year and third time overall (2003, 2005, 2006) that Small has won both the Illinois Open and the Illinois PGA in the same year. He is the only golfer ever to accomplish that feat.

With his victory, Small earns an exemption to next year's PGA Professional National Championship.

Small now returns to campus to prepare the Illini for the 2006 fall season, which begins Sept. 11-12 at the Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo, Ohio.

Small also has two PGA Tour events left on his schedule. He will play in the Southern Farm Bureau Classic, Sept. 28-Oct. 1, and the FUNAI Classic at Disney World, Oct. 19-22.