April 5, 2012

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Sophomore Thomas Pieters was selected as Big Ten Golfer of the Week after tying for sixth in a loaded field at the Augusta State Invitational, announced Thursday by the conference office. The Nijlen, Belgium, native fired a 207 (-9) to lead the Illini to their best scoring event of the season (-18) against top competition, as they took third behind only No. 1 Texas and two-time defending national champion Augusta State.

Pieters earned his sixth top-10 finish of the year, which came against a field that featured the No. 1 player in the country and nine of the top 50 individuals in the nation. After opening with an even-par 72, he matched his career-low round of 66 in the second round, helping the Illini break the 18-hole school record with a 273 (-15). Pieters closed with a final round 69, giving him the second-best tournament total of his career at 9-under.

This is the fifth conference accolade picked up by an Illini golfer during the 2011-12 season and second for Pieters, who also nabbed it on Oct. 12, 2011 following his first career victory at the Jack Nicklaus Invitational. Illinois will return to action on April 21-22 at the Boilermaker Invitational.