Skip To Main Content

University of Illinois Athletics

2023-24 Men's Golf Roster

Paige Apkarian / Illinois Athletics
Big Ten Conference

Jerry Ji

  • Class Fifth Year
  • Height 6-0
  • Hometown Hoofddorp, Netherlands
  • High School Haarlemmermeer Lyceum
  • Instagram jerry___ji

Biography

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

  • Four-Time Spring Academic All-Big Ten (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
  • GCAA PING All-America Honorable Mention (2021)
  • Two-Time PING All-Midwest Region (2020, 2021)
  • All-Big Ten First Team (2021)
  • Two-Time GCAA All-America Scholar (2021, 2022)
  • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2022-23)
  • All-Big Ten Second Team (2020)
  • Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2020)

FIFTH-YEAR SENIOR - 2023-24

  • Competed in 20 rounds over seven events, including two tournaments in the Illini lineup
  • Third on the team with a season stroke average of 71.40, the second-lowest mark of his collegiate career behind the 71.29 he posted as a sophomore in 2020-21
  • Recorded four top-10 finishes, all as an individual competitor
  • Carded a season-best tournament score and his best finish of the year as an indy at the Highland Meadows Collegiate (April 15-16) where he placed T4 with a 6-under 207 (67-69-71)
  • His opening round of 67 (-4) at Highland Meadowns marked a season-low for a single round. 
  • His best finish in the Illini lineup was a T17 at the Hal Williams Collegiate (Feb. 12-13) with a 2-under 211 (68-70-73) to help the Illini capture the team title for the second-consecutive year
  • Posted eight of 20 rounds at par or better and carded three rounds in the 60s

SENIOR - 2022-23

  • Competed in 15 rounds over five events, all as an individual competitor
  • Seventh on the team with a stroke average of 74.53
  • Posted a season-best finish with a tie for 25th at the Hal Williams Collegiate (Feb. 13-14)
  • Opened the Hal Williams Collegiate with a 68 (-3) en route to an even-par 54-hole total of 213, both season-best marks

SUMMER - 2022

  • Finished as the top amateur competitor (T88) at the DP World Tour’s 103rd Dutch Open (May 26-29) at Bernardus Golf IN Cromvoirt, Netherlands
  • Competed in stroke play at The 127th Amateur Championship (June 13-18) at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in Lancashire, England, and the European Amateur Championship (June 22-25) at Parador Campo de Golf El Saler in Spain
  • Played for Team Netherlands at the European Amateur Team Championship (July 5-9) at Royal St. George Golf Club in England
  • Competed in stroke play at the 120th Western Amateur (July 31-Aug. 5)
  • MIssed cut at the 2022 Dutch Amateur Championship (Aug. 8-13) at Eindhovensche Golf Course in Valkenswaard, Netherlands

JUNIOR - 2021-22

  • Played in the lineup in all 12 tournaments
  • Fifth on the team with a stroke average of 73.00
  • Illinois' top finisher at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 17-19) where he finished tied for 10th
  • Recorded his second top-10 finish of the year with a tie for eighth in the regular-season finale at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate (April 23-24)
  • Closed the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational with a season-best 68 (-2) in Round 3 and posted his lowest 54-hole score of the season with a 211 (+1) 
  • Tallied 12 rounds at par or better on the year, including three scores in the 60s 

SUMMER - 2021

  • Shot an opening round of 66 and finished 30th at the Sunnehanna Amateur (June 16-19)
  • Runner-up, two shots back, with rounds of 70-68-67-64 at the Northeast Amateur Invitational (June 23-26)
  • Helped Team Netherlands to a seventh-place finish at the European Amateur Team Championship (July 6-10) PGA Catalunya Resort in Catalunya, Spain
  • Also finished as the runner-up, one stroke back, at the German International Amateur Championship (July 25-22), with rounds of 69-65-69-65
  • Placed seventh at the Dutch National Stroke Play Championship (Aug. 6-8)

SOPHOMORE - 2020-21

  • Played in the lineup in all 10 tournaments
  • Third on the team with a stroke average of 71.29
  • Captured his first collegiate victory at the Louisiana Classics (March 15-16) with a career-best 54-hole total of 13-under 203 (68-69-66) to win by four strokes over teammates Adrien Dumont de Chassart and Michael Feagles
  • Shot a season-best round of 66 (-6) in Round 3 of his victory at the Louisiana Classics
  • Earned first-career Big Ten Golfer of the Week honor following the Louisiana Classics
  • Ranked second on the team with 22 rounds of par or better
  • Tallied eight rounds in the 60s
  • Closed as the Illini’s top finisher twice, in his win at the Louisiana Classics and in the regular-season finale at the OSU’s Robert Kepler Intercollegiate (T-4th)
  • Named All-Big Ten First Team
  • Earned PING All-Midwest Region Honors from the GCAA and garnered PING GCAA All-America Honorable Mention honors 

SUMMER/FALL - 2020

  • Placed third at the GTGA Invitational (July 22-25)
  • Finished 80th in stroke play at the U.S. Amateur Championship (Aug. 10-16)
  • Participated in the European Amateur Team Championship (Sept. 9-12)
  • Tied for 13th at the Golfweek Indiana Amateur (Oct. 3-4)
  • Tied for 21st at the Golfweek Purdue Amateur (Oct. 10-11)
  • Tied for third at the HNS Amateur Open (Oct. 18-19)
  • Tied for second at the Sunshine State Amateur (Nov. 23-25)
  • Tied for 64th at the South Beach International Amateur (Dec. 19-22)
  • Tied for fifth at the JAGA First Coast Amateur (Jan. 16-18)

FRESHMAN - 2019-20

  • Played in the lineup in all six tournaments during the COVID-19 shortened season
  • Second on the team with a stroke average of 72.00. 
  • Tied the Illini program record with a 63 (-7) in his first collegiate round at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate (Sept. 13-15)
  • Shot 63-68-73 to finish tied for 15th at 6-under 204 at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate, a team season-low tournament score 
  • Recorded two additional top-20 finishes with a tie for 19th at the Crooked Stick Invitational (Oct. 14-15) and a tie for 15th at the Sports Authority Intercollegiate (Feb. 10-11)
  • Tied for the team lead at the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational (Oct. 20-22) 
  • Ranked second on the team with nine rounds of par or better
  • Named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and to the All-Big Ten Second Team
  • Earned PING All-Midwest Region honors from the GCAA

HIGH SCHOOL/JUNIOR

  • 2015 U15 Dutch Champion
  • Two-time Dutch U21 Champion (2016, 2017)
  • 2017 Junior Orange Bowl International Champion
  • 2018 Dutch National Men's Stroke Play Champion
  • Earned runner-up honors in the 2018 Individual Stroke play at the European Team Boys Championship
  • Tied for second at the 2018 European Amateur Championship
  • Earned a bronze medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games 
  • Took second at the 2019 French Amateur Championship
  • Tied for sixth at the 2019 European Amateur, finishing 8-under par
  • Appeared in the 2017 and 2018 European Tour KLM Open
  • Two-time Netherlands Golf Federation Talent of the Year Award winner

PERSONAL

  • Son of Jimmy Ji and Cathy Tan
  • Born February 18, 2000
  • Has one sister, Aijia
  • Lists Tiger Woods as his favorite athlete because of his passion and the learning attitude he shows towards the sport of golf
  • Also enjoys playing tennis
  • Plans to major in Recreation, Sport and Tourism

Career Statistics

Year Rounds Strokes Average Low Round Low 54-Hole Score
2019-20 (Freshman) 18 1,296 72.00 63 (-7) 204 (-6)
2020-21 (Sophomore) 31 2,210 71.29 66 (-6) 203 (-13)
2021-22 (Junior) 36 2,628 73.00 68 (-2) 203 (-13)
2022-23 (Senior) 15 1,118 74.53 68 (-3) 213 (E)
2023-24 (Fifth-Year Senior) 20 1,428 71.40 67 (-4) 207 (-6)
Total 120 8,680 72.33 63 (-7) 203 (-13) 

Career Results

2019-20 (Freshman) Tournament Score Finish
Sept. 13-15 Maui Jim Intercollegiate 63-68-73 = 204 (-6) T15
Sept. 20-22 OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational  73-76-73 = 222 (+12) T54
Oct. 14-15 Crooked Stick Invitational 71-74-77 = 222 (+6) T19
Oct. 20-22 Tavistock Collegiate Invitational  75-75-72 = 222 (+6) T43
Feb. 10-11 Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate  71-71-69 = 211 (-5) T15
Feb. 20-22 John A. Burns Intercollegiate 71-74-70 = 215 (-1) T22
2020-21 (Sophomore) Tournament Score Finish
Feb. 14-16 Mobile Bay Intercollegiate  71-70-67 = 208 (-8) 2
Feb. 26-28 LSU Invitational 69-79-73 = 221 (+5) T15
Feb. 15-16 Louisiana Classics 68-69-66 = 203 (-13) 1
March 20-21 National Invitational Tournament 71-73-71 = 215 (-1) T35
April 3-4 Augusta Haskins Award Invitational 72-69-71 = 212 (-4) T15
April 10-11 Boilermaker Invitational 73-70-71 = 214 (-2) T9
April 24-25 Robert Kepler Intercollegiate 74-68-71 = 213 (E) T4
April 30-May 2 Big Ten Championship 77-76-73 = 226 (+10) T16
May 17-18 NCAA Stillwater Regional 70-71-72 = 213 (-3) T8
May 28 - June 3 NCAA Championship | Stroke Play 70-68-70-77 = 285 (+5) T29
NCAA Championship | Match Play Quarterfinals (vs. Oklahoma) def. by L. McAllister, 2&1
2021-22 (Junior) Tournament Score Finish
Sept. 5-6 Hoosier Collegiate Invitational 77-74-72 = 223 (+10) T29
Sept. 17-19 OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational  73-70-68 = 211 (+1) T10
Oct. 4-6 Blessings Collegiate Invitational 72-75-73 = 220 (+4) T22
Oct. 17-19 Isleworth Collegiate Invitational  76-71-71 = 218 (+2) T18
Feb. 14-15 Mobile Bay Intercollegiate  74-75-75 = 224 (+8) T56
Feb. 27-March 1 Southern Highlands Collegiate 73-69-73 = 215 (-1) T32
March 18-19 National Invitational Tournament 73-70-69 = 212 (-4) T23
April 2-3 Augusta Haskins Award Invitational 74-73-72 = 219 (+3) T29
April 9-10 Boilermaker Invitational 75-75-75 = 225 (+12) T37
April 23-24 Robert Kepler Intercollegiate 70-70-72 = 212 (-4) T8
April 29-May 1 Big Ten Championship 73-73-82 = 228 (+12) T36
May 16-18 NCAA New Haven Regional 76-73-72 = 221 (+11) T57
2022-23 (Senior) Tournament Score Finish
Sept. 16-17 OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational ^ 72-75-79 = 226 (+16) T68
Oct. 17-16 Dayton Flyer Invitational ^ 76-76-77 = 230 (+17) T39
Feb. 13-14 Hal Williams Collegiate ^ 68-72-73 = 213 (E) T25
March 17-18 National Invitational Tournament ^ 74-76-75 = 225 (+9) T79
April 22-23 Fighting Illini Spring Collegiate ^ 75-76-73 = 224 (+11) T21
2023-24 (Fifth-Year Senior) Tournament Score Finish
Sept. 15-17 OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational ^ 73-72 = 145 (+5) T44
Oct. 9-10 Purdue Fall Invitational ^ 71-70-71 = 212 (-1) T10
Oct. 16-17 Flyer Invitational 74-76-70 = 220 (+7) T43
Feb. 12-13 Hal Williams Collegiate 68-70-73 = 211 (-2) T17
March 11-12 The Johnnie-O Individual ^ 70-74-72 = 216 (+3) 7
April 15-16 Highland Meadows Spring Collegiate ^ 67-69-71 = 207 (-6) T4
April 20-21 Fighting Illini Spring Collegiate ^ 75-71-71 = 217 (+4) T7

^ - Competed as an individual and did not count toward team score

Historical Player Information

  • 2019-20Freshman

  • 2020-21Sophomore

  • 2021-22Junior

    6'0"
  • 2022-23Senior

    6'0"
  • 2023-24Fifth Year

    6'0"