Men's Golf

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Oct. 29, 2009

by Adam Carney, Illinois Sports Information

While the other freshmen at school are adjusting to being away from home for the first time, Ross Frankenberg is traveling around the United States to compete against the best college golfers in the country, and cramming for midterms in between.

"It can be tough, but it's all worth it when you get the chance to compete in places like Hawaii," Frankenberg said.

Frankenberg is one of six Illini golfers competing in the Turtle Bay Collegiate Invitational next week in Hawaii-- a tournament that will include many of the top teams in the country.

The Turtle Bay Invitational is Monday-Wednesday, Nov. 2-4 at Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku, O'ahu, with the first two rounds taking place at the Arnold Palmer Course (7,218 yards, Par 72) and the final round at the George Fazio Course (6,535 yards, Par 72). The field includes British Columbia (Canada), Long Beach State, New Mexico State, BYU-Hawai`I, Air Force, Illinois, Georgia State, Hawai`i, San Diego State, Santa Clara and Osaka Gakuin (Japan).

He is the only freshman on the team who has competed so far this season, citing his early success in team qualifying as the main reason the coaches have selected him.

Frankenberg placed 15th in his first ever collegiate tournament at the Wolf Run Invitational in Zionsville, Ind., and 59th at the Olympia Fields / Illini Invitational against one of the most difficult fields the Illini will face all year.

Frankenberg had an early jump to his golf career, first starting to play at age three with his family.

"Once I picked up a club, I never put it down. I have loved the game ever since," Frankenberg said.

He continued to play throughout middle and high school, where he competed on the golf team at Barrington High School in Barrington, Ill. He finished third in the state as an individual in his junior year and also won all-state honors in both his junior and senior years. He was rated the No. 1 junior golfer in Illinois by the Polo Golf Rankings in 2008.

In the spring semester of his sophomore and junior years of high school, Frankenberg left home to attend the IMG golf academy in Florida, where he received intensive golf training from some of the best golf instructors in the country. He said this experience made the transition from high school to college a lot less stressful.

Frankenberg is a student in the highly rated College of Business at Illinois. He said that his decision to come to Illinois was based just as much on the academic program as the golf program.

"I would love to play on the PGA Tour. I think that's any golfer's dream. If that doesn't work out, I know that coming to this great institution, I'll have a back-up plan," he said.

Other factors that played into his decision to come to Illinois included the golf coaching staff, which includes head coach Mike Small, a former PGA touring pro who has competed in eight major championships, most recently the 2009 PGA Championship. Frankenberg attributed much of his early success to the help and advice he has received from coach Small.

"Playing a bunch on the PGA tour, (Small) really helped me navigate my way through the tournaments this year," Frankenberg said.

Frankenberg has not second-guessed his decision to come to Illinois, especially because of the team's early success.

"I had no idea how good our team was," he said. "I knew all the accolades they have received, but until I saw it at Wolf Run, I had no idea. They are unbelievable."

The Illini had probably their most successful year ever in 2008, winning the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1988 and at one point reaching the No. 1 ranking in the country according to the Golfstat computer rankings. The team is on pace to surpass last year's success, winning two of their first four tournaments this season. The Illini are currently ranked No. 3 in the Golfstat computer rankings.

Besides playing for the golf team, Frankenberg considers himself a typical college student. When he is not at practice or studying, he said you are likely to find him hanging out or watching football with the other guys on the team. Frankenberg said that the team is a very tight-knit family that has helped him make the adjustment to college life.

"Coming in, I knew I wasn't going to be able to go out and do what everyone else does, join a fraternity and stuff like that. But I wouldn't say that I miss that at all because hanging out with the team and playing a sport that I love is enough," he said.

Frankenberg said that the team's goals this year are to win another Big Ten Championship and to compete for an NCAA Championship. As for himself, Frankenberg said that his goals are to continue to improve his game.

"If I get better one day at a time starting now, I know I will be successful in the end," he said.