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Mike Small Wins Record Ninth Illinois PGA Title
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Mike Small, University of Illinois Men's Golf Coach, holds the Jim Kemper Cup after his victory in the 88th Illinois PGA Championship held August 30 - September 1, 2010 at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club.
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Sept. 1, 2010
Olympia Fields, Ill. - September 1, 2010 - Since winning the 43rd PGA Professional National Championship (PPNC) in June, Mike Small admittedly has not been playing well. That changed dramatically during the 88th Illinois PGA Championship held at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club as he once again turned in a record-breaking performance.
The University of Illinois men's golf coach captured his record eighth consecutive Illinois PGA Championship title after posting a 4-under-par 67 in the final round and finished with a 54-hole total of 200 (-13). His margin of victory was 11 strokes over first round co-leader Travis Johns.
"It doesn't get old winning this Championship," said Small. "We are all competitors and its fun to win and have success at something you cherish. To have a favorable outcome against these guys means a lot. They are my friends and I've known them for a long time but in the end, it's still a competition."
Following a bogey on the second hole and a string of three consecutive pars, Small birdied three of his next four holes and finished the front nine with a 2-under-par 34. With nines holes remaining, Small's lead ballooned to 10 strokes over Johns, who was 1-over par on the day.
Small, 44, would go on to make two more birdies at Nos. 11 and 14 en route to a record performance and the Championship title. His margin of victory of 11 strokes and his 54-hole total of 200 are believed to be Illinois PGA Championship records.
"There are so many good players in Illinois," Small said. "If I don't shoot that round yesterday (63 in round 2) it's a whole different deal. That was a big relief and took the pressure off me to win today because if it was close, it would have added more pressure on me."
Johns, 32, PGA teaching golf professional at Twin Lakes Golf Course in Palatine, carded his second consecutive even-par round and finished the Championship with a 54-hole total of 211. Johns was competing in his first Illinois PGA Championship and is the current point leader in the race for Illinois PGA Player of the Year.
"Realistically, I didn't think anyone could catch Mike," said Johns. "I had some opportunities real early. Had I made my 8-footers, that would have made things interesting, but in the end, it was just too little, too late."
Kyle Sanders, 24, PGA assistant golf professional at Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, who, like Johns, was playing in his first Illinois PGA Championship and was the first round co-leader, carded a 2-over-par 73 and ended with a total of 212, good for sole possession of third place.
"It feels great," said Sanders. "I got off to a pretty bad start today. But if you asked me on Monday if I would take third place I probably would have said, 'Yes'. Overall I'm very happy with the way I played, especially the way I finished. On the back nine today I brought it back a little bit."
Small won $12,500 for his victory and continues to rewrite the Illinois PGA record books. He owns numerous Illinois PGA Championship records, now highlighted by his eight consecutive and nine total victories. His only blemish in the past decade was a playoff loss to Bob O'Link Golf Club PGA head golf professional Gary Groh in 2002 at Kemper Lakes Golf Course in Kildeer, Ill.
"I won a few of these in a row and I didn't want the streak to end here (Olympia Fields)," said Small. "I was thinking about that a little but hoping it didn't happen."
Katie Dick, 24, PGA assistant golf professional at Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmette, who became only the second female to make the cut in the history of the event, carded a final round 79 and finished with a 54-hole total of 232, tied for 45th place.
The Nadler Golf Cars 88th Illinois PGA Championship/PPNC purse was $75,505. Small, along with the next 12 finishers received an exemption to play in the 44th PGA Professional National Championship, which will be contested June 26-29, 2011 at Hershey (Pa.) Country Club - host of the 1940 PGA Championship. Small is exempt from qualifying for the National Championship, due to his past champion status in the event.
