Expectations high for No. 12 Illini golf

A season ago, the Illinois men's golf team claimed the Big Ten title and finished No. 21 in the NCAA Championships. This weekend, the Orange and Blue have a chance to build on that success as they travel to the Wolf Run Intercollegiate in Zionsville, Ind. to kick off the season.

"I'm excited to get going," head coach Mike Small said. "(The season) is going to go by quickly too, so these first (tournaments) are important."

Sixteen other teams will join the Illini at Wolf Run Golf Club for the event, which will also feature last year's first-place finisher, No. 21 Michigan, and three other Big Ten foes — Indiana, Penn State and Purdue. The University of Central Florida will also compete. Last season, the Golden Knights tied for tenth at the NCAA Championships.

"The competition is strong. But I'm expecting us to pick up where we left off last year," Small said. "We need to compete well. But I think we can do that."

Ranked No. 12 in the Golf World/NIKE Golf Coaches poll, the Illini send four veterans and a freshman to the weekend tournament.

"Our goal is always the same —­­­­ to win," Small said. "We have to take care of our own selves, and each person has got to take responsibility for his game and play as hard as you can, shoot as well as you can. If we do that, we should be all right."

Zach Barlow leads the five Illini competitors, as the senior finished second at the 107th Western Amateur and advanced out of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur.

Joining Barlow is sophomore Luke Guthrie, who secured the Illinois State Amateur title this summer — a title claimed by Barlow a year ago.

Junior Scott Langley, who earned first-team All-Big Ten and Second-Team All-America honors in 2008, will also make the trip along with senior Matt Hoffman.

Rounding out the Illinois lineup is Ross Frankenberg. The freshman is the No. 15-ranked junior player in his class and No. 49 in the nation.

"I want to see what development they made this summer," Small said. "As far as (Frankenberg) is concerned, he should be able to step up and compete too. That's what we expect from him. That's what we recruited him for."

Wolf Run Golf Club, where the tournament will take place, stands at No. 18 in Golfweek America's 100 Best Modern Courses.

"Wolf Run is a good golf course. It's got some tricky holes, some tricky greens and you have to hit the ball straight out there," Small said of the 7,195-yard course.

"It's a tough course," Small added. "It's not as tough as some of the ones we're going to play this fall, but it's a good, solid test."