Sept. 17, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern begins its 2008-09 season at the third annual Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational this Friday-through-Sunday, Sept. 19-21, on the North Course in Olympia Fields, Ill. NU is one of five Big Ten schools participating in the event, which features seven ranked programs in the 15-team field.
The 54-hole tournament will be played over three days, with 18 holes per day. Tee times begin at 8 a.m. CT for each round. The Olympia Fields North Course is a par-70, 7,157 yard tract which hosted the 2003 U.S. Open.
Northwestern's returners combined for three top-10 and eight other top-20 finishes a year ago, and they are bolstered by the addition of a pair of freshmen -- Sam Chien (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel) and Eric Chun (Ansung City, South Korea/International Christian School) -- who comprise the nation's 10th-rated recruiting class in 2008.
The Wildcats were fourth at the inaugural Olympia Fields event in 2006 before also competing last year. Andy DeKeuster (Franksville, Wis./Racine Lutheran), NU's lone senior in 2008-09, and sophomore Josh Dupont (Poway, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) finished just outside the top-20 at the tournament last season, tying for 21st position.
The 15-team field is comprised of: No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 5 Stanford, No. 11 Florida State, No. 12 Arizona State, No. 20 Indiana, No. 24 Texas, Central Florida, Duke, Illinois, Indiana, Northwestern, Purdue, SMU and Vanderbilt. Oklahoma State is the defending team champion while the Cowboys' Rickie Fowler is the defending individual medalist.
Live results for the tournament will be available at golfstat.com.