Mike Small Head Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Mike Small Head Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois men's golf head coach Mike Small announced the program's complete schedule on Tuesday, adding six spring events to the team's previously announced fall slate leading up to the 2025 postseason.
Illinois' 2024-25 season, the 25th under Small's guidance, opens next week at the Folds of Honor Collegiate.
"Both the fall and spring portions of our schedule feature a combination of familiar and new events that are designed to prepare our team as we build toward our championship goals," Small said. "Each season, we build a schedule to facilitate the physical and mental growth necessary to reach our standard. Beginning next week, each event will offer unique challenges and opportunities to test ourselves in first-class tournaments against the top programs in the nation."
The season opens Sept. 9-11 when the Fighting Illini tee off at the Folds of Honor Collegiate, co-hosted by Folds of Honor, Michigan State, Florida State, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), and HNS Sports Group, at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan. It marks the second time in the field at Folds of Honor for the Illini who won the inaugural event in 2022 behind a stellar performance (T3) from then-sophomore Jackson Buchanan.
The 2024 Folds of Honor Collegiate will feature live television coverage on Golf Channel and Peacock.
Following play in Michigan, Illinois hosts another of the season's most prestigious collegiate events at famed Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois. The Fighting Illini will once again welcome 14 peers for the 18th annual OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational, Sept. 20-22, contested on the Par-70, 7,310-yard North Course. The event is recognized annually for offering a demanding but fair early-season test that attracts one of the best fields in collegiate golf.
The Orange and Blue remain in Illinois to close out the first month of the season at the Windon Memorial Classic, hosted by Northwestern at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Illinois, Sept. 29-30.
Illinois closes out the fall with a pair of new challenges over an eight-day span along the Gulf Coast.
First, the Orange and Blue tee off at the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational, co-hosted by Southern Miss and Ole Miss at Fallen Oak at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino's Fallen Oak Course in Saucier, Mississippi, Oct. 19-21.
The Illini's final event of the fall begins just five days later at South Alabama's Steelwood Collegiate Invitational which will be contested at Steelwood Country Club in Loxley Alabama Oct. 26-27.
The spring schedule begins unofficially when the Illini tee it up in Placida Florida for Tinervin Cup an annual match-play event that pits Orange and Blue against program alumni in an exhibition The event offers squad chance to test themselves one top courses state Florida Coral Creek Golf Club as they prepare for spring schedule The exact date Tinervin Cup still determined
The spring slate opens earnest Feb.13-15 John A Burns Intercollegiate hosted by Hawai'i Ocean Course Hokuala Lihue Kaua'i Hawai'i It marks Illini first trip islands since 2020 when team posted fourth-place finish same event
March features stretch three tournaments beginning with Illinois' fourth straight season field Southern Highlands Collegiate March2-4 Las Vegas Nevada The event hosted by UNLV annually draws strong field championship-caliber programs test themselves challenging desert track The Illini won event2023
Orange Blue close out month pair events new team's schedule First Illinois heads California compete March17-18 Loyola Marymount's Pauma Valley Invitational Pauma Valley Country Club Two weeks later Illini close month March31-April1 Cordova Tennessee Memphis Intercollegiate Colonial Country Club
April continues with Illini returning Augusta Georgia Augusta Haskins Award Invitational The event hosted by Augusta University Forest Hills Golf Club just miles from Augusta National Golf Club takes place April5-6 concluding eve Masters week
Following play Augusta Orange Blue close out regular season Purdue's Boilermaker Invitational April19-20 Ackerman Allen Golf Course West Lafayette Indiana
Fighting Illini's2025 postseason run begins April25-27 Big Ten Championship Baltimore Country Club Baltimore Maryland Illinois search its14th Big Ten title since2009 NCAA Regionals slated May12-14 held six sites around country Blessings Golf Club Fayetteville Arkansas Gold Mountain Golf Club Bremerton Washington Karsten Creek Golf Club Stillwater Oklahoma Montreux Golf Country Club Reno Nevada Poplar Grove Golf Course Amherst Virginia Seminole Legacy Golf Club Tallahassee Florida
NCAA National Championship set return Year2 North Course Omni La Costa Resort Spa Carlsbad California May23-28 Illinois enter2025 postseason search program's16th NCAA Championship berth17 years dating back2008 After winning NCAA Stanford Regional title last spring Illini finished first through72 holes stroke play La Costa before posting team's ninth top-five national finish since2011 one final eight programs vying national title match play portion NCAA Championship Tournament dates times subject change Stay tuned FightingIllini.com latest Illinois men's golf
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