CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – One exciting week rolls right into another with the 123rd U.S. Open coming on the heels of one of the most thrilling and successful weeks in recent memory for several Fighting Illini men's golf alums in the professional ranks.
PGA TOUR
The week began with PGA TOUR pro Nick Hardy qualifying last Monday to join Thomas Pieters and give the Fighting Illini two representatives at the 123rd U.S. Open, teeing off Thursday from Los Angeles Country Club.
Hardy carded an incredible 9-under 61 in his second of the day to finish third and secure one of 5 qualifying spots up for grabs in the 75-player field at the Springfield (OH) Country Club final qualifier. It will mark his fifth appearance in the U.S. Open after tying for 14th last year at The Country Club, in 2019 at Pebble Beach (MC), in 2016 at Oakmont (MC), and in 2015 at Chambers Bay (T52).
Pieters will also make his fifth career start at the U.S. Open and was exempt from qualifying based on his top-60 Official World Golf Ranking ranking as of May 22. The 2012 NCAA individual champion played in his first U.S. Open at Erin Hills in 2017 and was back in the field again in 2019 at Pebble Beach. In 2020 at Winged Foot he posted his best finish with a share of 23rd, and finished three shots behind Hardy in a tie for 27th last year in Brookline.
KORN FERRY TOUR
On the Korn Ferry Tour, Illini golf was on everybody's minds from start to finish at the BMW Charity Pro-Am in Greer, S.C. Michael Feagles opened with one of the most incredible rounds in the tour's history before rookie Adrien Dumont de Chassart closed the week victorious in his professional debut.
Feagles set the tone early by capping his Round 1 with five consecutive birdies to card a career-low 59 (-12), just the ninth sub-60 round in Korn Ferry Tour history. He went on to finish the week at 15-under in a tie for 15th to secure his best finish of the season.
Feagles was also among the first on scene to celebrate with his former teammate Adrien Dumont de Chassart after the 2023 grad – less than two weeks removed from playing in the NCAA Championship – won his professional debut in dramatic fashion via playoff over 44-year-old veteran Josh Teater.
Dumont de Chassart carded rounds of 66-67-66-65 to shoot 21-under for the week, and finished off the improbable start to his professional career with an up-and-down for par on the first playoff hole that resulted in the eventual victory after a missed par putt by Teater.
This week Dumont de Chassart, Feagles, and Brian Campbell will return to action at the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open in Wichita, Kan.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Feagles and Dumont de Chassart weren't the only former teammates celebrating a victory over the weekend. Illini head coach Mike Small was in action on the PGA Tour Champions alongside longtime friend and teammate Steve Stricker at the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison, Wis.
Small impressed at 5-under for the week to grab a tie for 22nd, while Stricker, who also hosts the annual event, continued his run atop the Champions tour with a 5-stroke victory, his tour-leading fourth win of the season. Stricker has now captured 15 PGA Tour Champions victories for his career, which also includes 12 PGA Tour wins.
The PGA Tour Champions returns June 23-25 at the Dick's Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y.
PGA TOUR CANADA
North of the border, another recent Illini grad and 2023 first team All-American is also set to make his professional debut. Fresh off of competing for Team USA at the Arnold Palmer Cup, Tommy Kuhl will tee off at the Royal Beach Victoria Open at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia. The event marks the first of 10 official events on the 2023 PGA Tour Canada schedule.
Kuhl earned exempt status on PGA Tour Canada by finishing inside the top 20 (15th) in the final 2023 PGA Tour University rankings.
