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THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or on Facebook/LinkedIn and Instagram.

The Men’s NCAA National Championships at Gray Hawk Golf Club in Scottsdale Arizona.

IT’S OVER

THE ILLINI MEN are headed home after another great season in NCAA men’s golf.

But they left it all out on the golf course, and fought hard against the higher seeded Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners entered the NCAA national championships as the #1 team in the country.

So how good was the OU & U of I match, the closest of the morning. Oklahoma Coach Ryan Hybl knew it would take everything his team had to beat Illinois. So Hybl brought out his lucky sweater vest that he wore at Rich Harvest Farms in 2017, when the Sooners beat Illinois in the semi-finals, and went on to win the national championship.

THE ILLINI had a chance to win. They lost the 5 match quarterfinal 3-2. Adrien Dumont de Chassart ended up taking command of his match early, and winning 8 & 6. Senior Michael Feagles the Scottsdale native rallied to win his match 4 & 3.

BUT ILLINOIS could not get even a 1/2 point in the other three matches. All 3 players Tommy Kuhl, Jerry Ji and Giovano Tadiotto all were defeated on the 17th hole. Tadiotto a senior had a 3 Up lead after 7 holes, only to see his opponent birdie six of the next 8 holes to come back and take a 3 Up lead that Giovani could never catch up from.

JI had two great comebacks. 3 Dn, Ji pulled within 1 Dn. But then trailed again 3 Dn. But Ji rallied to even the match at the 15th hole. Then Ji’s tee shot on 16, found the bushes and he had to chip out, that cost him the hole, and then a tee shot left short of the par 3 17th, ended up costing him the match.

CLICK HERE to hear the match press conference by Illinois coach Mike Small.

SO THAT LEFT Tommy Kuhl, who had an early lead, and then some late birdies putts to get back into the match. But Kuhl could not convert them.

SEMI FINAL Matches are Pepperdine vs Oklahoma State and Oklahoma vs Arizona State. The national championship will be tomorrow, and televised on The Golf Channel.