Jan. 29, 2007

Champaign, Ill. - Here's an update on some Illini golfers as the program looks forward to beginning the spring season next month ...

• Illini senior Patrick Nagle was invited to participate in the Walker Cup practice session held Jan. 3-5 at Old Memorial G.C. in Tampa, Fla. The event consisted of 24 golfers - 16 collegiate players, five mid-amateurs and three high school seniors. Nagle was unable to participate due to a hand injury but is still on the Walker Cup watch list. The 12 players selected to the Walker Cup team will compete Sept. 8-9 at Royal County Down G.C. in Ireland.

• Nagle heads to Sea Island, Ga. this week to compete in the Jones Cup Invitational, Feb. 2-4 at Frederica G.C. A 54-hole stroke play event, the Jones Cup Invite is held every other year and features the best amateur players from around the world.

• UI junior Mark Ogren is ranked No. 16 in the Golfweek/Titleist Amateur Rankings. The rankings are based on points awarded for specific finishes in designated tournaments over the past year. Ogren has 85 points, highlighted by victories at the Eastern Amateur and Cotton States Invitational.

• Despite playing a very limited schedule since last March, Patrick Nagle checks in at No. 26 in the Amateur Rankings with 70 points. Nagle won the Pacific Coast Amateur and qualified for the U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur.

• Illinois senior Kyle Hosick is a reigning Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar, an honor presented by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) for juniors and seniors who have at least a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average and under a 76.0 stroke average. Hosick was also inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma national student-athlete honor society.