Final Results
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – Fighting Illini men's golf won its third OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational title on Sunday, Sept. 18, at Olympia Fields Country Club. The Orange and Blue shot 5-over par through three rounds of play, and five Illini placed among the top 25 individuals, including juniors Dylan Meyer and Nick Hardy who tied for second and fourth, respectively. Illinois' team total of 845 matches the tournament record set by Florida State in 2010; UI is the only team to win the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational more than once in the tournament's history.
Texas A&M's Cameron Champ won the individual title on Sunday with a total score 5-under par. Oklahoma State (+18) and Texas A&M (+24) rounded out the top three teams at the tournament.
"This is a big win for us," head coach Mike Small said. "We're a young team and we're learning as we go, evidenced by today's round. The tournament was won yesterday, we played great the first two days and put up a big lead. To win this event three times in 11 years speaks a lot for these kids and this program. Again, this is just one little step in the process of a long year. It's going to be a long season but this is a good start."
Earning his second top three finish of the year, Meyer shot 3-over par in the final round of play for a total tally 1-under par. Hardy finished just one stroke back, with a total tally at even par. He was 1-over par for the day, posting three birdies in his round.
Freshman Bryan Baumgarten shot 4-over par through the tournament, finishing in a tie for 15th overall. Freshman Michael Feagles and sophomore Edoardo Lipparelli shot 8-over par to tie for 22nd indivdiually. Lipparelli closed the final round 5-over par, while Feagles shot just 2-over par on Sunday.
Representing Illinois as individuals, freshman Giovanni Tadiotto and sophomore Trevor Gold closed the day 7-over par and 11-over par, respectively, to finish in 64th and 72nd places.
The OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational was held at Olympia Fields Country Club, which boasts a Par 70, 7,353-yard course. The Illini hosted a field of 14 teams, seven of which are ranked among the Bushnell Golfweek Preseason Coaches Poll. Illinois checks in at No. 3 on the list, and the field also includes No. 1 Texas, No. 2 USC, No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 16 Alabama, No. 18 Florida State, No. 19 Arizona State, No. 24 Baylor, Army, Indiana, UNLV, North Carolina, Northwestern, Purdue and Texas A&M.
Illinois will have a few weeks off before heading to the Northern Intercollegiate (Oct. 9-10) in Chicago, Ill. Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for all the latest on Illinois men's golf.
