NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships Tee Off Friday

Thirty Teams and Six Individuals in Action at Rich Harvest Farms

(SUGAR GROVE, Ill.) – Just one day after Arizona State claimed its eighth national championship, culminating six days of exciting collegiate women’s golf action at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, host Northern Illinois University welcomed 30 NCAA Division I men’s teams, along with six individual participants, to the “Home of the Huskies” Thursday.

Thursday’s practice round saw all participants get their first official look at the course, which will play at 7,300 yards and par 72 for the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships.

On Friday (May 26), first round action for 30 teams and six individuals who qualified from six regionals across the country, gets underway beginning at 6:45 a.m. (CT). Tickets for every day of the NCAA Championships are on sale at the Rich Harvest Farms entrance off of Granart Road and online at NCAA.com.

The entire field will play 18 holes each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (May 26-28) before the top 15 teams and nine individuals (not on one of those teams) play an additional 18 holes of stroke play on Monday (May 29), after which the individual medalist will be crowned and the eight teams who will advance to match play will be determined. The match play quarterfinals and semifinals will be played on Tuesday (May 30) beginning at 7 a.m., with the team championship determined on Wednesday (May 31).

Top-seeded Southern California leads the field of 30 teams that includes seventh-seeded Illinois, defending national champion and No. 8 seed Oregon and Mid-American Conference Champion Kent State. In-state products Nick Hardy (Illinois) from Northbrook, Arlington Heights’ Doug Ghim (Texas) and Trent Wallace from Joliet, who is playing as an individual representing Illinois State.

Prior to Thursday’s practice round, the participants and coaches attended a Welcome Breakfast at the Pavilion at Rich Harvest Farms, where owner, and course designer, Jerry Rich, NIU President Doug Baker and NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier welcomed the participants and coaches to the Championships.

Golf Channel will have extensive coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship. Live coverage begins Monday, May 29 with Golf Central at 2 p.m., followed by the live broadcast of the final round and individual championship from 3-7 p.m. (CT).

During Thursday’s breakfast, Sam Uhland of Jacksonville University was presented with the NCAA’s Elite 90 Award for Division I Men’s Golf.

The Elite 90 Award honors the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s championships.