March 1 – Urbana – at the Golf Golf Center in Demijian, a wall is dedicated to the old Illini which won PGA tournaments.
At the current rate, this will require more space.
During the last month, two joined the former Steve Starcker champions, Da Points and Nick Hardy as winners of the PGA Tour.
On February 9, Thomas Detram finished a dominant performance to follow the WM Phoenix Open at the Rauque TPC Scottsdale Stadium, a few minutes before the Super Bowl kick -off.
His last score of 24 sous was seven strokes away from the field. The native of Belgium pocketed $ 1.65 million and became the first in his country to win the PGA Tour.
He also obtained his first invitation to Masters and a lot of other exemptions.
Two weeks later, the former Illini star, Brian Campbell, won his first PGA victory at the Mexico Open. He needed overtime, winning the second hole in sudden death against Aldrich Potgieter South African last Sunday.
In the last hole, Campbell struck a capricious starting stroke that seemed to be out of the limits, which would probably have ended his chances. But the ball has bounded trees and returning to the game. He observed to win the price of 1.26 million dollars. As destroyed, he goes to the masters.
Illinois golf coach Mike Small watched the arrival of Campbell last weekend. The rest of the current team too.
What has Small thought when the Campbell eliminatory series fled to the disaster?
“You could say by his body language that he didn’t like this,” said Small.
Small was worried about Campbell’s qualifying series, which had to manage a PAR-5 against one of the longest strikers in the world.
“I think the chances were stacked against him,” said Small. “But it takes breaks. Things happen.”
Small was sitting with Illinois first -year players while the Campbell ball was heading for trouble.
“I said to them: ‘He is not worried about this one, he does not think about the gravity of a swing. He thought how he was going to be sliced,” said Small. “And that’s what he did.”
Part of the family
Two winners in three weeks of his former players. Does Small feel like a proud father?
“I do it. I am very excited for these guys,” said Small on Thursday before the departure of his team for the Southern Highlands Collegiate who exceeds Sunday in Las Vegas. “For me, it’s all about them and the work they have done. When they played the Illinois, they talked about winning events for a day. We have a lot of presence on tour for a long time, but the winners are not there so often.”
They don’t only distribute trophies. Winning a PGA tournament requires four excellent laps against the best players in the world.
“It’s great to see the games of these guys evolve and grow and lives grow,” said Small. “When they have the opportunity to win, they won.”
For Dertry, 32, winning for the first time seemed intended.
“Thomas has been playing very well for so long, so stable, so close,” said Small. “It was due.”
Small thinks that Detry’s victory had a positive influence on Campbell, 31, his former Illinois teammate.
“When you are there on tour together and Brian sees Thomas doing this, he knocks at home. This gives you a strengthening of confidence,” said Small. “Say:” If he can do it, I can do it. “”
Campbell is not a big striker – like many players on tour. He must be more cunning. He is carrying out the tour this year in lines won less than 20 meters from the Greens.
Small is looking forward to watching Campbell and destroying Augusta National in April. Small plans to be there to provide support.
“It’s going to be fun to see their satisfaction and their feeling of accomplishment to play this week,” said Small.
Pay it forward
Whenever one of the former Small players is in the running in a tournament, he brings the television love of the broadcasting teams. The kind of recruitment attention that you cannot buy. Maybe the next diversion or Campbell is there to look there and thinks: “Illinois seems to be the place of learning.”
“Everything is positive,” said Small. “It’s great in this regard. I think we have had this respect for a long time because of the way we played and the number of guys we have toured.”
Campbell and Detram were more than Golfers from Illinois. Both were business graduates and good students.
“They’ve been on the point for a long time,” said Small.
Small hopes to see the current players, including the stars Jackson Buchanan and Max Hérdeneen, one day won like Campbell and Distry.
Of course, they were attentive to tournaments.
“We were screaming on television,” said Buchanan. “It was so cool to be an Illini golfer and watch that. It’s super inspiring. The coach tells funny stories about them as young guys, and now they win on tour.
“He says:” It is possible. “It’s very difficult.
“They were exactly where I went,” said Herendeen. “I have the opportunity to do exactly what they are doing. This program is the foundation.”
Buchanan was twinned with the former illini at the US Open when he played the major last summer.
“I have to spend a lot with them,” said Buchanan. “It was a cool experience. They are both super guys.”
