Photo by: Rey Del Rio
Men’s Golf Back on the Course on Friday at the Fighting Illini Collegiate
9/14/2023 11:29:00 AM | Men's Golf
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State's men's golf team is back in action again this weekend, playing in the Fighting Illini Collegiate on the Olympia Fields North Course in suburban Chicago.
For the second-straight tournament to start the season, the Spartans will be competing in a field sporting some of the best teams in the country, with all 15 teams having played in an NCAA Regional last year and 11 of the teams advancing to play in the NCAA Championship.
FIGHTING ILLINI INVITATIONAL
Dates: Friday, Sept. 15 – Sunday, Sept. 17
Course: Olympia Fields North / Olympia Fields, Ill.
Par/Yardage: 70 / 7,310
Format: Stroke play, 54 holes / Play five, count four
Live Stats: Golfstat
Schedule – Friday – 18 holes – tee times starting at 8 a.m.
Saturday – 18 holes with tee times beginning at 8 a.m.
Sunday – 18 holes – tee times starting at 8:30 a.m.
MSU LINEUP
No. 1 – August Meekhof
No. 2 – Ashton McCulloch
No. 3 – Bradley Smithson
No. 4 – Lorenzo Pinili
No. 5 – Satchel Pierce
OLYMPIA FIELDS NORTH
The Fighting Illini Invitational welcomes the nation's top teams to the famed Olympia Fields Country Club. The club is home to several premier events, having played host to the U.S. Amateur (2015), two U.S. Opens (1928, 2003), two PGA Championships (1925, 1961), a U.S. Senior Open (1997), plus five Western Opens (1920, 1927, 1933, 1968, 1971) and the BMW Championship in 2020 and 2023.
THE FIELD (Golfweek poll 9/1/23)
Alabama (T13), Arizona (19), Arizona State (2), Baylor (RV), Florida (8), Florida State (5), Georgia Tech (4), Illinois (9), Michigan State, North Carolina (1), Oklahoma State (16), Pepperdine (15), Purdue (RV), Stanford (7), Texas (10).
RESULTS
Live scoring for the event is available through Golfstat.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State shot a 7-over par 291 in the final round and finished in second place among 18 teams at the Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes on Sept. 8. Notre Dame posted the best round of the day, a 2-under par 282, and topped the field of 18 teams with an 8-over par 860. Michigan State fell one shot short, finishing at 9-over par 861. The Irish were in the clubhouse and tied with the Spartans for the team lead at 8-over par as MSU made its way on to the 18th hole to finish the round, but could not push ahead. Senior August Meekhof led the way for the Spartans, tying for sixth place at 1-over par 214 (72-69-73). He shot a 2-over par 73 in the final round, hitting a birdie on the first hole and finishing with 14 pars. Meekhof was tied for fifth among all golfers with 37 pars.
LUBAHN'S THOUGHTS
"This is another challenge for us as we start the season and our guys want to play against the best teams in the country. We're going to get that opportunity again this weekend in a loaded field. We had a great start to the season last week at the Folds of Honor and it showed our guys that we can play with the best. We're excited for this weekend."
For the second-straight tournament to start the season, the Spartans will be competing in a field sporting some of the best teams in the country, with all 15 teams having played in an NCAA Regional last year and 11 of the teams advancing to play in the NCAA Championship.
FIGHTING ILLINI INVITATIONAL
Dates: Friday, Sept. 15 – Sunday, Sept. 17
Course: Olympia Fields North / Olympia Fields, Ill.
Par/Yardage: 70 / 7,310
Format: Stroke play, 54 holes / Play five, count four
Live Stats: Golfstat
Schedule – Friday – 18 holes – tee times starting at 8 a.m.
Saturday – 18 holes with tee times beginning at 8 a.m.
Sunday – 18 holes – tee times starting at 8:30 a.m.
MSU LINEUP
No. 1 – August Meekhof
No. 2 – Ashton McCulloch
No. 3 – Bradley Smithson
No. 4 – Lorenzo Pinili
No. 5 – Satchel Pierce
OLYMPIA FIELDS NORTH
The Fighting Illini Invitational welcomes the nation's top teams to the famed Olympia Fields Country Club. The club is home to several premier events, having played host to the U.S. Amateur (2015), two U.S. Opens (1928, 2003), two PGA Championships (1925, 1961), a U.S. Senior Open (1997), plus five Western Opens (1920, 1927, 1933, 1968, 1971) and the BMW Championship in 2020 and 2023.
THE FIELD (Golfweek poll 9/1/23)
Alabama (T13), Arizona (19), Arizona State (2), Baylor (RV), Florida (8), Florida State (5), Georgia Tech (4), Illinois (9), Michigan State, North Carolina (1), Oklahoma State (16), Pepperdine (15), Purdue (RV), Stanford (7), Texas (10).
RESULTS
Live scoring for the event is available through Golfstat.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State shot a 7-over par 291 in the final round and finished in second place among 18 teams at the Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes on Sept. 8. Notre Dame posted the best round of the day, a 2-under par 282, and topped the field of 18 teams with an 8-over par 860. Michigan State fell one shot short, finishing at 9-over par 861. The Irish were in the clubhouse and tied with the Spartans for the team lead at 8-over par as MSU made its way on to the 18th hole to finish the round, but could not push ahead. Senior August Meekhof led the way for the Spartans, tying for sixth place at 1-over par 214 (72-69-73). He shot a 2-over par 73 in the final round, hitting a birdie on the first hole and finishing with 14 pars. Meekhof was tied for fifth among all golfers with 37 pars.
LUBAHN'S THOUGHTS
"This is another challenge for us as we start the season and our guys want to play against the best teams in the country. We're going to get that opportunity again this weekend in a loaded field. We had a great start to the season last week at the Folds of Honor and it showed our guys that we can play with the best. We're excited for this weekend."
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
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Coach Lubhan | Weekly Press Conference | Aug. 28 2023
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