Illini alum, Thomas Pieters, is making his Masters debut this week. Pieters turned pro in 2013, and has had a successful career thus far. The Belgium native and 2011 NCAA Champion boasts three victories on the European Tour. Pieters boasts a fourth place finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and has earned 31 top 25 finishes on tour. Pieters also made his Ryder Cup debut this season, becoming the first European rookie to win four points.
"I know that every young player who has played for us, including Thomas, one of their main goals has been to play in The Masters," head coach Mike Small said of Pieters' experience. "We're excited for Thomas, that he's realizing that goal. More importantly, I feel, and a lot of people feel, that Thomas has the ability to compete for a Masters Championship sometime in his career. We're excited that he gets to play Augusta and start laying the foundation for a long and successful career there. We've had several others play in the Masters, and we're so proud of Thomas for continuing this trend."
Pieters joins fellow alum, Steve Stricker, in the field at The Masters. Stricker will make his 16th appearance in the field at The Masters. He earned his best finish in 2009, tying for sixth. Stricker has made 10 cuts in the prestigious tournament, earning five finishes among the top 20.
Pieters will kick off his first round at 8:39 a.m. CT on Thursday, and Stricker will tee off at 11:57 a.m.
