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University of Illinois golf coach Mike Small, is the 2020 IPGA Player of the Year. Photo by Nick Novelli.
MIKE SMALL has won his second career IPGA Bernardi Player of the Year Award, the Illinois PGA has announced.
Small previously won the award in 2008.
Small was named the National PGA Player of the Year in 2006, 2007, 2010. Small was named the National Senior PGA Professional of the Year in 2017.
“The goal for all competitive golfers is to achieve a high level of consistency over time, and the Illinois PGA Player of the Year Award is representative of that,” said Small. “I’m a proud member of the Illinois PGA Section, and it was enjoyable to play more often this year in Section events, and to spend more time competing alongside my fellow professionals. I have great respect for the members of the Illinois PGA, and I’m honored to be their player of the year.”
The Illinois PGA professional compete for the player of the year award through a series of stroke play events, and the four IPGA Section major championships. Those majors include the Match Play Championship, the Illinois Open, the Player Championship, and the IPGA Section Championship, that was won this past August at Medinah Country Club (Course #1) by Small. Points are also awarded based on the size and strength of the field.
Mike Small knocks in the winning putt at the IPGA Section Championship this past August.
“We have some very elite players in the Illinois Section,” said Carrie Williams, Executive Director of the Illinois PGA Section.
“The Player of the Year race is always fun to watch as it unfolds throughout the course of the season. Mike showcased some great golf this season and performed well at major events. We congratulate Mike on this outstanding achievement.”
Small entered nine IPGA Section events in 2020, two Illinois PGA Senior events and one Central Illinois Chapter event. Small was a top-10 finisher at every event he competed in. He had three victories, including the section championship. The others being the Illinois PGA Senior PGA Section Championship at the Merit Club, and the Illinois PGA Stroke Play that was held at the Elgin Country Club the day before the match play championship began.
The Illinois PGA Player of the Year Award is named for Sam Bernardi, an Illinois PGA member from 1926-1972. Bernardi worked at Briegrate Country Club, Old Elm Club and the Indian Hill Club, and an outstanding player in section events.
THE GOG BLOG: BY RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy and friend him on Facebook, and connect on Linkedin.