THE 2017 NCAA MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS underway at Rich Harvest Farms tomorrow with the ladies on the tee. The Northwestern Women’s team is in the field, come support the Cats. Tickets on Sale at NCAA.Com/Tickets Free parking.
THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory to Rich Harvest Farms and the NCAA Championships, and on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy with Nick Hardy of Illinois. Photo by Jennifer Dewar U of I.
It took some soul searching, but the Fighting Illini dug down to finish third at the West Lafayette Regional at Purdue University, and clinch a spot for the 10th straight year in the NCAA National Championships at Rich Harvest Farms.
After a solid first day Illinois was one shot out of first place and in good shape to advance. Round two was a disaster and Illinois went backwards tumbling into sixth place.
With the season on the line and a chance to play for the national title in their home state, Illinois lead by Junior Nick Hardy who shot a 2 under par 70 to finish at 3 under par, and become the co-medalist of the regional. He is the fourth regional medalist in school history.
“We’ve qualified for the national championship every different way you can for 10 years,” said head coach Mike Small. “This was unique because we were treading water for a day-and-a-half and struggling. I feel the golf course helped us because it’s so difficult coming in. We handled those last five holes with some strength and finished them off with no doubles. It feels great that we preserved through a sluggish day-and-a-half.”
The NCAA logo on the 18th hole at Rich Harvest Farms.
Hardy feels like the U of I golf team is finding ways to get things done when they need to.
“Every team that’s come through in the last decade has found a way to get it done in the toughest moments,” said Hardy. ” If we wanted to be the team that has done that for the last ten years, we had to be that team. It was definitely not easy out there today, and it took a team effort. Everyone needed to know that we could do it.”
“We are excited about the nationals,” said Small. ” We need to have fun with it, and I think the energy from the fans will help us.”
The men start their championship one week from tomorrow.
HEART BREAK for the Northwestern Wildcats, sitting in 4th place after two rounds Northwestern lost ground on day three. Then lost to Jacksonville for the final ticket to Rich Harvest Farms in a playoff. Jacksonville only stayed alive when a player who accidentally dropped a ball into a green side water hazard, stripped to his shorts to go into the water to find the ball and save a penalty shot. A penalty there would have put NU into Sugar Grove. Dylan Wu did advance as an individual to the nationals, but won’t have his teammates with him.
TRENT WALLACE from Illinois State University and the Chicago area, has advanced to the nationals as a individual. Doug Ghim of Arlington Heights will be joined in Sugar Grove by his University of Texas Longhorn teammates.
Two weeks of great golf at Rich Harvest Farms starts tomorrow, come be part of the fun. Free parking and well priced tickets on sale online and at Rich Harvest Farms.