Four former Illinois men's golfer are among the field of 156 players that will tee off on Thursday during the first round of the 119th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in golf's third major this year. Sports editor MATT DANIELS caught up with Illini coach Mike Small to get his thoughts on the quartet of Charlie Danielson, Luke Guthrie, Nick Hardy and Thomas Pieters before the first round begins:
Charlie Danielson
Age: 25
Tee time: 2:52 p.m.
How he made the field: Danielson, who played on the PGA Tour Canada in 2017 before undergoing knee surgery, advanced out of a local qualifier in Chaska, Minn.