April 20, 2011

Champaign, Ill. - Only six times in the last 50 years has an Illinois team won three straight Big Ten championships in any sport. The Illini men's golf team, winners of the title in 2009 and 2010, has one more tune-up prior to the Big Ten Championship, which is April 29-May 1 in West Lafayette, Ind., in trying to add to that elite list.

The top three ranked Big Ten teams converge at one of the traditional spring events, the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate this weekend in Columbus, Ohio. The Illini are 10th in the latest Golf World/Nike Coaches poll while Iowa is No. 14 and the host Buckeyes No. 24. Illinois and Ohio State placed second and eighth, respectively, at last weekend's Illini Spring Classic, while Iowa won the Hawkeye-Taylor Made Invitational.

"We're looking forward to this weekend," Illinois head coach Mike Small said. "We didn't have a bad weekend last week on paper in that we beat a lot of good teams. In reality, however, we didn't win the event and didn't play to our capability. This is a good weekend for us to get back to the basics that have made us what we are. It's also a good test to get out and see two of the better teams in the Big Ten."

Besides Ohio State, the Illini will see Minnesota, Wisconsin and Xavier for the second straight weekend. Ball State, Dayton, Eastern Michigan, Iowa, Kent State and Miami (Ohio) round out the 11-team field at Ohio State's famed Scarlet Course.

"It's a great course, very tough and demanding," Small said. "It's going to be a good test for our guys to build some toughness and resiliency."

The tournament itself dates back to 1969 when the Buckeyes and Gary Artz won the title. The 54-hole event begins with a shotgun start at 7:30 am CT Saturday, when 36 holes are scheduled. Sunday's final round also starts at 7:30 am off of tees 1 and 10.

Small is encouraged from some early week practices that his squad is refocused heading into the important events of the year.

"You win championships in the spring and this is championship season coming up," Small pointed out. "It's important that we understand who we are, what we're made of and how we built this program. It's the little things that are preventing us from doing that. We had a good Louisiana Classics and a good Collegiate Match Play, but the last couple of weeks haven't been our best. It's time to get that consistency back."

The forecast once again is iffy with thunderstorms expected each day, something the golfing world has experienced the last few months.

"It's been a tough spring when it has come to the weather." Small said. "It's good to get out and experience those conditions, however. The more we play and practice in these conditions, the better off we'll be in competition."

Live scoring is available at golfstatresults.com.