THE 2017 MEN’S AND WOMEN’S NCAA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP’S are coming to Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove (outside Aurora) from May 19-24 the Women, and from May 26-31 the Men. Well priced tickets on sale now at NCAA.com/tickets and of course parking is FREE. Support your school or your Alma-mater, see the future pro’s today.     ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory to the NCAA Golf Championships and on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy with Illinois Men’s Golf Coach Mike Small.

It’s spring time and that time of year where in men’s college golf, the Illini headed up by men’s coach Mike Small are heating up for another run for a potential national championship.

They have been close several times and have finished as high as second place. There have been several top four finishes and more trips to the elite eight.

Maybe this year, is the year they break through and win it all when the national championships come to Illinois, and Rich Harvest Farms.

But first there is work to be done in West Lafayette Indiana, on the Kampen Course at the University of Purdue. The 54 hole regional will be played from May 15-17. The low five teams and low individual not on one of those five teams, will advance to Rich Harvest Farms.

Click here to hear our interview with Illinois Men’s Coach Mike Small.

The Purdue Regional at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex will see the Illini winners of three straight tournaments come in as a #2 seed, while the University of Florida Gators will be #1. 3. is UNLV , 4. is Auburn, 5. U-South Carolina, 6. is Colorado and 7. is host Purdue.

Big Ten Player of the Year Dylan Meyer of Illinois, and Ben Hogan Award finalist.

Illinois advanced to the regional by earning the Big Ten Conference automatic bid when they won the Big Ten Championship by 16 shots over second place Northwestern. As a result, coach Small was named coach of the year in the Big Ten. Big Ten Champion Dylan Meyer was named the Big Ten Player of the Year. Michael Feagles was named Freshman of the Year. Nick Hardy and Edoardo Lipparelli joined Meyer on the All-Big Ten first team.

The University of Illinois announced the Big Ten has awarded Freshman Bryan Baumgarten the Sportsmanship Award Honoree. Small has now been named Big Ten Coach of the Year, nine times.

The conference championship was the third in a row for Illinois, and it’s eighth in the last nine years. Small has won eight titles as coach, and one more as a player during his time at Illinois.

MEYER A HOGAN AWARD FINALIST..Junior Dylan Meyer has been named a finalist for the Ben Hogan award, college golfs equal to the Heisman Trophy in college football. The award is presented at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth Texas, during the week the club hosts the PGA Tour on May 22nd.