CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Several Fighting Illini touring professionals were back in action this weekend, posting solid showings across a pair of PGA Tour Events and a DP World Tour stop, with plenty more action ahead for the upcoming schedule.
PGA TOUR
Thomas Pieters moved up one spot to 31st in the Official World Golf Rankings this week, after finishing in a tie for 32nd at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla. Pieters now turns his attention to The PLAYERS Championship, set for March 10-13 at famed TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. It marks his first start in the prestigious event.
Also competing in PGA Tour events this week were Nick Hardy and D.A. Points who were both in action at the Puerto Rico Open at the Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
Hardy finished in a tie for 28th, vaulting 26 spots up the leaderboard on Sunday by carding six birdies on his way to a a closing round of 66 to finish at 8-under.
Points, who claimed the title at the 2017 Puerto Rico Open with a birdie putt on 18, also posted a strong finish with a 3-under 69 to ascend 10 spots into a share for 55th.
D.A. POINTS - 2017 PUERTO RICO OPEN VICTORY
DP WORLD TOUR
Thomas Detry made this third consecutive cut, and fourth through five DP World Tour events this season, carding a 6-under 278 to finish tied for 26th, just one shot outside of the top 20 at the Magical Kenya Open.
ADDITIONAL NEWS & NOTES
Illini great Steve Stricker released some exciting news via Twitter on Monday. After being out for the past several months while recovering from a serious illness, the 12-time PGA Tour winner declared that he had received "the all clear to get after it!"
