Illinois has won eight of the last nine Big Ten titles
(Illinois Athletics Photo)
BALTIMORE, MD (April 30, 2017) - Three straight and eight of the last nine Big Ten Championships have been won by Illinois. The 8th ranked team in the country continued their domination of the Big Ten on Sunday winning the 2017 edition hosted by Baltimore Country Club by a commanding 16 shots.
No. 8 Illinois at 11-under was the only team to finish the weekend under-par as they left the rest of the field to battle for second place which was taken by 5-over Northwestern with Ohio State at 15-over in third and Iowa, Purdue, Penn State in a tie for fifth at 18-over.
"Winning the Big Ten Conference Championship is a major goal on our schedule," Illinois head coach Mike Small said of his programs 15th league title. "To do it again with a different team, a younger team, gives us a good sense of accomplishment. It continues to give us momentum heading into NCAAs."
The only drama during the final round was who would take home medalist honors. Beginning the day Illinois sophomore Edoardo Lipparelli led the way but when the dust settled it was first round leader, Illini junior Dylan Meyer claiming the individual title.
Meyer, who started the week with a conference tournament record 7-under 63, needed to overcome a one-stroke deficit at the beginning of the round and he was able to do so with a 1-under 69 and a 5-under showing. The 2016 Western Amateur winner was cruising for much of his round and he was 4-under for the day and 8-under overall before he finished bogey, double-bogey to just hold on by shot. Prior to the late near collapse Meyer had birdied five-times and bogeyed only once.
With the win Meyer took over the top spot in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com Rankings as he unseated Cal's Collin Morikawa.
Besides Meyer three other members of the Illinois lineup ended up in the top-10; Nick Hardy (T6; -1), Edoardo Lipparelli (8th; E) and Giovanni Tadiotto (T10; +2).
A pair of players finished in second place at 4-under and one behind Meyer in the medalist race; Will Grimmer (Ohio State) and Ryan Lumsden (Northwestern) while Charles Huntzinger (Penn State) and David Kocher (Maryland) shared fourth at 2-under.
-Illinois athletics contributed to this story
ABOUT THE
Big Ten Championship
54 hole men's collegiate championship of the
Big Ten Conference. Team (best four scores out of
five
players each round) and individual competitions.
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