The new Mistwood Clubhouse opens this weekend, see MistwoodGC.com for more details. Pinehurst the home of American Golf, home of Pinehurst Course No.2, the 2017 USGA Four-Ball Championship, 2019 US Amateur-2024 US Open. See Pinehurst.com ______________________________________________________________________

The Gog Blog by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy, with the Chick Evans portrait at the Glen View Club.

The University of Illinois Men’s Golf Team has won yet another tournament, it’s fourth of the year, by winning the Inaugural East Lake Cup Title.

This event put on by The Golf Channel, saw the final four of college golf on both men’s and women’s teams from the previous spring, square off in a match play event.

The two semi-final losing teams last May, both advanced to finals this time. When it was over No.2 Illinois was the champion.

In a rematch of the NCAA semi-finals of last spring, Illinois defeated No.8 USC 4-1 in a match that lasted two days because of a weather delay. In the other semi-final the No.17 University of Georgia who had lost to LSU in the semi-finals last spring, this time defeated the Tigers and moved on to play Illinois.

In the championship match, Illinois defeated Georgia 3 1/2 to 1 1/2.

“It was a very productive two days,” head coach Mike Small said. “We learned a lot about ourselves as a team and as individuals, and everybody contributed today. It was a good way to wrap up a successful first half of the season. Not only that, but we got a lot of exposure as a program. This was the first regular season collegiate golf event to be nationally televised, so to be a part of that and to win the event is something to be proud of.”

The championship match with Georgia went right down to the end. With Illinois leading 2-1, Senior Alex Burge had his match with Georgia’s Greyson Siggs go into extra holes. Burge then won the match and the cup for Illinois with a win on the 19th hole. Once the Illinois had won the cup the match between Nick Hardy and Georgia’s Lee McCoy was was not completed with the the score at All-Square. As a result the match was halved.

The next match for Illinois is the Tinervin Cup in February in Florida.

While at the East Lake Cup, Burge was awarded with the Tom Cousins Award. The new award will be awarded annually to the male and female golfer who exemplify the values of the East Lake Foundation, excels in academics, is engaged in their community, and has overcome adversity.

Cousins helped rebuild the East Lake community in the Atlanta Georgia area.

Illinois Coach Mike Small said,” the Illinois Golf Program is very proud of Alex for winning the award, this honors the quality person that he is, and we’re proud he is a member of the Illinois Golf.”