Aug. 8, 2007

Glenview, Ill. - Illinois Coach Mike Small entered Wednesday's final round four shots off the lead in the 58th Illinois Open Golf Championship at The Glen in Glenview, Ill. After the second round was rained out, the event was shortened to 36 holes, meaning Small needed a big finish to clinch his third straight title.

He did just that, shooting a final round 6-under 66 early in the day, then having to wait to see if it would hold up. After a 2:23 rain delay, Small's 8-under par 136 was good for his fourth Illinois Open title in the past five seasons.

Small also won the title in 2003, 2005 and 2006 with former Illini Joe Affrunti wining the championship in '04. Affrunti finished in a tie for 11th at three under after shooting 69 Wednesday on the 7,149 par-72 course. Current Illini Jonathan Krick (72-71) finished the tournament at -1

Kevin Steelman of Winfield and Joseph Cermak of Chicago finished two strokes back at -6. First round leader Andrew Price of Lake Forest shot a 5-over par 77 to also finish -1 for the tournament, in a tie with Krick for 19th.

• Before Small found out he had won the tourney, he was already on his way to Tulsa, Okla., where his whirlwind week continues Thursday-Sunday at the PGA Championships. He is playing in his third consecutive PGA and seventh major overall. Because of the Illinois Open, Small flew to Tulsa over the weekend for a pair of practice rounds then traveled to Glenview for the three-day event.

Small tees off at 3:45 p.m. Thursday and 10:30 a.m. Friday. He is grouped with Nick Dougherty from Richmond, Surrey, England and John Rollins of Richmond, Va.

Parkhill, Krick qualify for U.S. Amateur
Illinois redshirt freshman Clayton Parkhill's play has been as hot as the weather. On Sunday, Parkhill won the Men's Twin City Tournament at Champaign Country Club. On Monday and Tuesday he fired rounds of 67-68 to win the U.S. Amateur Qualifying Tournament at the historic Illini Country Club in Springfield.

The Champaign Central graduate's 6-under par 135 total was two strokes better than Andy Mickelson of Minooka and three strokes in front of William Cullen of Bloomington, who also advance to the U.S. Amateur Championships Aug. 20-26 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Parkhill is one of two Illinois golfers who will play in the most prestigious amateur event in the world. Junior Jonathan Krick of Peoria Heights was one of two qualifiers from the July 30 event at Spirit Hollow Golf Club in Burlington, Iowa. Krick shot a 140 and claimed the final spot in a playoff over Scot Glasford of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Gene Elliott of West Des Moines, Iowa, fired a 138 to win the tournament.

The win continues a strong summer for Illinois golfers. Incoming freshman Chris DeForest won the Westfield Junior PGA in Westfield, Ohio, and fellow freshman Scott Langley won the Midwest Junior Players Championship at Hawthorn Woods (Ill.) Country Club in July.