The University of Illinois has been a men’s golf powerhouse under coach Mike Small, who is now in his 25th season. His teams have won 13 of the last 15 Big Ten titles including eight straight from 2015-2023.
This season’s Illini have won only one tournament, and that was back in October, but Small still has plenty to celebrate.
One of his former players, Brian Campbell, became the second Illini alum to win on the PGA Tour this season when he took the Mexico Open on Sunday. Thomas Detry, another Illinois alum, captured the Waste Management Phoenix Open earlier in February.
Detry dominated at Phoenix, but Campbell was in a nail-biter with Andrich Potgieter, at 20 the youngest player on the PGA Tour and also the circuit’s longest hitter. The former British Amateur champion is averaging 328.7 yards off the tee.
Campbell, not a particularly long hitter, hit a tee shot on the second playoff hole that was headed out of bounds. Fortunately for him, the ball caromed off a tree and bounded back into play. His second shot on the 540-yard par-5 was still 311 yards from the hole, but he played a safe layup for his second shot, then chipped to four feet to set up the winning birdie putt.
“It’s so awesome to have two PGA Tour winners in three weeks,’’ said Small, “but when they’re former teammates it makes it extra cool.’’
“Grit. That’s the only word I can think of,’’ said the 31-year old Campbell, who admitted he was “freaking out on the inside’’ after getting the win.
“Sometimes you’ve got to get those breaks. I was just so happy I could stay in it to the end. To be in this position is so unreal,’’ It certainly was that.
Campbell had gone 186 professional tournaments without a win and most of those appearances were not on the PGA Tour. He had only 27 starts on the PGA Tour before his victory.
Once the low amateur in the U.S. Open, Campbell had a season on the PGA Tour in 2016-17 but lost his playing privileges and had been competing on the Korn Ferry Tour before regaining his playing card for this season.
Campbell, who shot 65-65-64-70, a 20-under-par performances for the regulation 72 holes, earned $1,487,830 for the victory. His career winnings prior to that had been $1,260,000. Now he’s eligible for The Players Championship, Masters and PGA Championship for the first time as well as the remaining $20 million Signature Events of 2025.
His win should be a good topic of discussion this week with the 40th Chicago Golf Show beginning its three-day run at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont on Friday.