FROM THE DESK OF HEAD COACH MIKE SMALL

In my 18 years as the head coach at the University of , the landscape of college golf and our program has changed immensely. One thing that has stayed the same though is this program’s incredible support from alumni, fans and donors. As we approach the 17th Annual Illini Golf Classic hosted by Illini Tour Professionals, I can’t stress enough how grateful we are for your support and commitment to making the Illini Golf Classic a great success. Through your participation, sponsorship and auction involvement, our golf team has been afforded the opportunity to play and compete on some of the best courses and against some of the top teams in the country. In addition, this outing helps the success of our team by outfitting our first-class Demirjian Indoor and Lauritsen/Wohlers Outdoor Golf Practice Facilities with premier equipment and training aids.

The Illini Golf Classic is unique because of the loyalty that Illini touring professionals have towards the event, and their desire to come back to support their program, while also spending time with the many Illini friends that have followed their careers. Illini greats , D.A. Points, Scott Langley, Luke Guthrie, , Brian Campbell and Thomas Detry have all become household names on the PGA and European Tours and have graciously donated their time and effort to our event. We appreciate their continued faithfulness and support to our program and University!

We encourage you to please mark your calendar and plan on attending the 17th Annual Illini Golf Classic hosted by Illini Tour Professionals. Invite your friends, family, clients and employees to join in this year’s festivities. We want to continue to make this a special occasion and with your participation, we can have a great time celebrating Illini Golf together and making the 2018 Illini Golf Classic another one to remember.

Best Wishes,

Mike Small Men’s Golf Coach

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ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 8 ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 1 A LOOK AT THE 2017-18 REGULAR SEASON ILLINOIS MEN’S GOLF TEAM The 2017-18 Fighting Illini men’s golf team once again headed into NCAA Championship play on a high note in May as the squad won its fourth consecutive Big Ten Championship title on April 29. The Orange and Blue battled windy conditions at Baltimore Country Club during the final round of play to pull ahead of the tournament field by 15 strokes. The Big Ten Championship title marked the 16th Big Ten Men’s Golf Championship in program history, and the ninth title in the last 10 seasons.

That wasn’t the only highlight of the tournament, however, as senior Nick Hardy won the second Big Ten Individual title of his career. One of just two players to finish under par at the Big Ten Championships, Hardy closed the tournament at 6-under par to become the eighth consecutive Big Ten Championship medalist from Illinois, and the fourth Illini to win multiple individual conference titles in his career. Hardy previously earned Big Ten Co-Medalist honors as a freshman in 2015. The Orange and Blue are the only team in Big Ten history to garner eight consecutive individual medalists.

Hardy was named Big Ten Player of the Year following the Championships, and head coach Mike Small earned his 10th career Big Ten Coach of the Year nod. Hardy also earned a spot on the All-Big Ten First Team, as did fellow senior Dylan Meyer and sophomore Michael Feagles. Sophomore Bryan Baumgarten earned Second Team All-Big Ten recognition.

Experienced seniors Hardy and Meyer worked to lead a young Illini squad this season. The two upperclassmen have contributed to four Big Ten Championship titles and have combined for three Big Ten Individual Medalist honors, two Big Ten Player of the Year nods, eight All-Big Ten recognitions and three All-America laurels.

Sophomores Baumgarten, Feagles and Giovanni Tadiotto also helped to guide newcomers Brendan O’Reilly and Varun Chopra. Individually, Illini players combined for 32 individual finishes among the top 15 this season.

The Orange and Blue opened the 2017-18 campaign with their home tournament, earning a fifth-place finish at Olympia Fields Country Club. Hardy began his consistent season on a strong note as he earned a runner-up finish at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational as well. He continued on to earn 10 finishes among the top seven individuals during the year.

Three Illini, Hardy, Feagles and Meyer, placed among the top 20 in Illinois’ next tournament, as the Orange and Blue also earned a fifth-place team finish at the Bearcat Invitational. Illinois continued the fall season with a third-place team finish at the Crooked Stick Intercollegiate, before earning runner-up honors at the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational. Meyer won his first tournament of the year in Windermere, Florida, as he fired an 11-under par 205 to lead the Tavistock field.

Illinois once again closed fall play at the East Lake Cup, making its third-straight appearance at the prestigious event. Held at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, the East Lake Cup is a three-day event that welcomes four of the top men’s and women’s collegiate golf teams from the previous year’s NCAA Championship. Illinois earned the No. 3 seed in following the portion of the event, and advanced to face Oklahoma in the semifinal round. The Orange and Blue defeated defending National Champion Oklahoma, 3-2-0, to advance to face Vanderbilt in the final round of play. The Commodores, however, topped the Illini 3-0-2 in the final match to earn the East Lake Cup trophy.

The spring campaign opened up with another match play event, as the Orange and Blue traveled to Hammock Beach, Florida for Big Ten Match Play. The Illini came out with match victories over Nebraska and Northwestern to take sixth out of the 14 teams.

UI moved on to stroke play at the Louisiana Classics in late February, taking second overall as a team and building momentum into the spring season. The Illini posted a 21-under par 843 as five players finished among the top 20 individuals. Baumgarten led the squad in Lafayette as he tied for third in the field.

Freshman Brendan O’Reilly had a breakout performance for the Orange and Blue at the Southern Highlands Collegiate to start off the month of March. He posted a career-low 67 (-5) in the final round of play to move up the individual leaderboard.

Baumgarten followed up O’Reilly’s performance with a breakout performance of his own as he paced Illinois to a team victory at the BIGHORN Invitational in Palm Desert California, while earning the first individual tournament victory of his career. Baumgarten posted a season-low, 11-under par, 205 for the tournament, helping the Illini to a 40-under par team finish. Illinois’ 54-hole score of 824 marked the second-lowest in program history as well.

Illinois continued to bring the heat to close out the regular season, posting another team victory at the 3M Augusta Invitational. Baumgarten continued to go low as he used a season-low 66 in the final round of play to help power the Orange and Blue, while Meyer won the individual title at the event for the second consecutive season. The individual title marked the sixth of Meyer’s career and the second for the senior during the 2017-18 campaign.

The Illini closed regular season play against a field of Big Ten opponents at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate. Hosted by Ohio State, four Illini earned top-20 individual finishes in Columbus, as the Fighting Illini closed out a second-place finish at the event. Hardy was once again among the top finishers with a runner-up spot, and he was joined among the top 20 by Baumgarten, Meyer and Tadiotto.

With 11 top-five team finishes under their belt this season, the Illini are poised for success heading into NCAA Championship play.

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ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 2 MIKE SMALL MEN’S GOLF COACH

Head Coach Mike Small has the distinction of playing on one Big Ten championship team and coaching nine. Small was a member of the 1988 team that claimed the title and guided the Illini to five consecutive Big Ten titles from 2009-13, marking only the fourth time a conference school has won five or more straight championships in men’s golf. His squads added another four consecutive titles from 2015-18. Small has led Illinois to top- five NCAA finishes in six of the last seven seasons, including a runner-up standing in 2013 where they won matches against 2012 NCAA champion Texas and No. 1 California before falling to Alabama in the championship match. The 2015 Dave Williams National Coach of the Year, Mike Small has also been named Big Ten Coach of the Year 10 times during his tenure at Illinois. Under Small’s direction, nine student-athletes have earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors, including one in each of the last seven seasons, and six players have earned Freshman of the Year recognition. Illinois athletes have won 23 All-America honors and 46 All-Big Ten accolades. Under Small’s direction, the Illini program has seen consistent success as his teams have not only continued to achieve greatness at the conference level, but on the national level as well. His teams have advanced to the NCAA Championship in each of the last 11 seasons and in 14 of Small’s 18 seasons. The Orange and Blue won four consecutive NCAA Regional Championships from 2013-2016, becoming one of just two schools in NCAA history to do so. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, Small’s Illini have maintained a spot among the top 15 in all but one of the Golfweek Bushnell Coaches Polls and own the longest streak ranked in the top spot. Small was again recognized for his coaching success in 2016 as he was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame. In addition to success on the course, Small’s players have also had academic success, capturing several Big Ten Medal of Honor awards with Scott Langley in 2011, Luke Guthrie in 2012 and Charlie Danielson in 2016. Additionally, his players have earned 46 Academic All-Big Ten honors and recently earned an NCAA Public Recognition Award for his squad posting an Academic Progress Rate in the top 10 percent of men’s golf teams nationally. Small provides the Illini with the unique combination of a respected teacher/coach and a current playing professional wrapped up in one man that has lifted Illinois into national contender. As a former full-time professional, Small can share with aspiring tour players what it takes to play at the next level. As someone who still competes and succeeds at a handful of tour events each year, he has had a chance to rub elbows with the likes of and . When Mike Small returned to Champaign, Ill., in June 2000 to take over as head coach, it came following a decade of playing professionally, including five years spent on the PGA Tour and what is now the Web.com Tour. Small has continued his professional career while coaching, most recently competing on the PGA TOUR Champions. Since 2000, he is a three-time PGA of America National Champion, a three-time PGA Professional National Player of the Year, a 12-time IPGA Champion, four-time Illinois Open Champion and he has participated in 11 major championships. Small has made the cut in 15 of 34 PGA TOUR events since he began coaching at Illinois. Small’s success has meant great publicity for Illinois golf. The summer of 2007 saw arguably the biggest of those successes when he won the low club professional at the 2007 PGA Championship and shared the award stand with its champion Tiger Woods on national television. The summer of 2010 saw Small win the PGA Professional National Championship for the third time in his career, and in 2013, he qualified for his ninth PGA Championship, which was his 13th career major championship. He made the cut in the 2005, 2007, and 2011 PGA and missed the cut by a stroke in 2006. Small was named the 2017 Senior PGA Professional Player of the year, and he has appeared in seven PGA TOUR Champions events, including two U.S. Senior Opens.

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ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 3 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2018

Welcoming Gala Reception & Auction ...... 6 pm / OFCC Clubhouse

MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2018

Registration and Breakfast ...... 8-10 am / OFCC Clubhouse

Clinic hosted by Illini Touring Pros ...... 10 am / Practice Area

Shotgun Start ...... 11 am / North and South Courses

Lunch...... During Play / On course

Cocktails and Hor d’oeuvres ...... Post Play / OFCC Clubhouse

Awards Presentation ...... Post Play / OFCC Clubhouse

All events to be held at: Olympia Fields Country Club 2800 Country Club Drive Olympia Fields, IL 60461

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ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 4 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC

REGISTRATION INCLUDES

• Gala reception and auction with Mike Small, Illini touring professionals, staff and friends

• Special golf gifts for each participant

• Golf clinic hosted by Mike Small and other Illini Golf Professionals

• 18 holes with cart at Olympia Fields Country Club

• Food and beverages on Monday at Olympia Fields Country Club

• Cocktail reception and awards presentation

2017-18 ILLINOIS MEN’S GOLF TEAM

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ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 4 ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 5 BRIAN CAMPBELL THOMAS DETRY Turned Pro: 2015 Turned Pro: 2016 Top-10 Finishes: Top-25 Finishes: 25 Top-10 Finishes: 5 Top-25 Finishes: 12 PROFESSIONALLY PROFESSIONALLY • Earned PGA TOUR Card by finishing 15th on the 2016 • Earned European Tour Status by finishing in the top 15 on the Web.com Tour Money List 2016 Money List • Placed among the top 25 at the PGA TOUR’s 2017 Career • Finished as the runner-up at the European Tour’s 2017 BMW Builder Challenge and the 2017 John Deere Classic International Open • Tallied two Web.com Tour runner-up finishes at the 2016 • Took third at the European Tour’s 2017 Alfred Dunhill BMW Charity Pro-Am and the 2016 Nashville Golf Open Championship • Won the Challenge Tour’s 2016 Bridgestone Challenge

CHARLIE DANIELSON LUKE GUTHRIE Turned Pro: 2016 Turned Pro: 2012 Top-10 Finishes: Top-25 Finishes: 1 Top-10 Finishes: 7 Top-25 Finishes: 22 PROFESSIONALLY PROFESSIONALLY • Currently playing on a variety of mini tours • Tied for fifth place at the 2013 Shiners Hospitals for • Qualified for the PGA TOUR’s 2017 Children Open and the 2012 John Deere Classic • Earned a top 25 finish at the 2016 John Deere Classic • Finished in third place at the 2013 Honda Classic • Tied for seventh at the 2015 Valspar Championship • Tied for 10th at the 2016 Frys.com Open

SCOTT LANGLEY THOMAS PIETERS Turned Pro: 2011 Turned Pro: 2013 European Tour Wins: 3 Top-10 Finishes: 2 Top-25 Finishes: 20 Top-10 Finishes: 15 Top-25 Finishes: 34 PROFESSIONALLY PROFESSIONALLY • Third place finish at the 2014 Valspar Championship • Won back-to-back titles at the European Tour’s KLM Open and the • Finished tied for third at his first PGA Tour event as a card- D+D Czech Masters in 2015 carrying member (2013 Sony Open) • Won the 2016 Made in • Became the first First Tee alum to earn PGA Tour Membership • Captain’s Pick at the 2016 where he was the first rookie • Tied for 11th at the 2016 Puerto Rico Open at Coco Beach to earn four points • Placed among the top 15 at the 2016 Wyndham • Took fourth at the 2016 Rio Olympics Championship and the 2015 Greenbriar Championship • Finished as the runner-up at the PGA TOUR’s 2017 Geneis Open • Won the Web.com Tour’s 2018 Panama Championship • Tied for fourth in first appearance at The Masters

STEVE STRICKER D.A. POINTS Turned Pro: 1990 PGA Tour Wins: 12 Turned Pro: 1999 PGA Tour Wins: 3 Top-10 Finishes: 108 Top-25 Finishes: 204 Top-10 Finishes: 18 Top-25 Finishes: 53 PROFESSIONALLY PROFESSIONALLY • Ranked in top 5 in the world during the 2009-13 seasons • Won the 2017 Puerto Rico Open • Won 12 PGA Tour events, including the 2012 Hyundai • Won the 2013 Shell Tournament of Champions • Won the 2011 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am • Qualified for the 1996, 2007, 2009, & 2011 President’s Cup • Finished as the runner-up at the 2013 Zurich Classic of New Teams Orleans • Qualified for the 2008, 2010 & Teams • Finished as the runner-up at the 2012 Wells Fargo • Named Vice Captain for the 2014 & 2016 Ryder Cups Championship • Named Captain for the 2017 • Has won two PGA TOUR Champions events

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ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 6 ON-COURSE HOLE SPONSOR ON-COURSE LUNCH SPONSOR $500 $1000

Benefits: Benefits: • Two (2) passes to the Gala Reception and • Two (2) passes to the Gala Reception and Auction to be held on Sunday evening, Auction to be held on Sunday evening, August 19 August 19 • Two (2) passes to the Golf Clinic, to be held • Two (2) passes to the Golf Clinic, to be held on Monday morning, August 20 on Monday morning, August 20 • Signage with name will be displayed at point • Signage with name will be displayed at of sponsorship lunch pavillions • Special memento gift and autographed photo • Special memento gift and autographed photo by Illini Tour Professional by Illini Tour Professional • Recognition on signage at the Gala Reception • Recognition on signage at the Gala Reception and Auction and Illini Golf Classic and Auction and Illini Golf Classic • Inclusion of name in the event program • Inclusion of name in the event program

PUTTING GREEN SPONSOR ON-COURSE CART SPONSOR $1000 $2000

Benefits: Benefits: • Two (2) passes to the Gala Reception and • Four (4) passes to the Gala Reception and Auction to be held on Sunday evening, Auction to be held on Sunday evening, August 19 August 19 • Two (2) passes to the Golf Clinic, to be held • Two (2) passes to the Golf Clinic, to be held on Monday morning, August 20 on Monday morning, August 20 • Signage with name will be displayed at point • Signage with name will be displayed at point of sponsorship of sponsorship • Special memento gift and autographed photo • Special memento gift and autographed photo by Illini Tour Professional by Illini Tour Professional • Recognition on signage at the Gala Reception • Recognition on signage at the Gala Reception and Auction and Illini Golf Classic and Auction and Illini Golf Classic • Inclusion of name in the event program • Inclusion of name in the event program

CLINIC SPONSOR $2000

Benefits: • Four (4) passes to the Gala Reception and Auction to be held on Sunday evening, August 19 • Two (2) passes to the Golf Clinic, to be held on Monday morning, August 20 • Signage with name will be displayed at point of sponsorship • Special memento gift and autographed photo by Illini Tour Professional • Recognition on signage at the Gala Reception and Auction and Illini Golf Classic • Inclusion of name in the event program

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ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 7 ON-COURSE PIN FLAG SPONSOR $3000

Benefits: • Four (4) passes to the Gala Reception and Auction to be held on Sunday evening, August 19 • Two (2) passes to the Golf Clinic, to be held on Monday morning, August 20 • Pin flags throughout one of the two courses with tournament and sponsor name • Special memento gift and autographed photo by an Illini Tour Professional • Recognition on signage at the Gala Reception and Auction and Illini Golf Classic • Inclusion of name in the event program

CORPORATE SPONSOR SILVER LEVEL $5000

Benefits: • Inclusion of name on event advertising including invitational flyers and media advertising • Recognition on www.FIGHTINGILLINI.com This website is annually one of the most popular collegiate athletic websites in the country with an average of 1.5 million page views per month and 160,000 new visitors each month.

On-site Promotion and Recognition: • Two (2) playing spots in the Illini Golf Classic • Six (6) passes to the Gala Reception and Auction to be held on Sunday evening, August 19 • Two (2) passes to the Golf Clinic, to be held on Monday morning, August 20 • Signage with name will be displayed at point of sponsorship • Special memento gift and autographed photo by Illini Tour Professional • Recognition on signage at the Gala Reception and Auction and Illini Golf Classic • Inclusion of name in the event program

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ILLINI GOLF CLASSIC // 8