MAHOMET — Mike Small watched Thomas Pieters, one of his former Illinois golfers, compete at the Ryder Cup representing Europe this past weekend.
The high-charged and intense atmosphere the Illinois men’s golf coach saw permeate Hazeltine National Golf Club in suburban Minneapolis was in stark contrast to what he witnessed a few days later.
Still, the setting on Tuesday at Lake of the Woods Golf Course was important to the golfers involved. Particularly for Varun Chopra, the Urbana Uni High senior and Illinois commit whom Small was there to watch.
Chopra didn’t disappoint, either. Last year’s individual state runner-up in Class 1A carded a 4-under-par 68 to earn medalist honors in front of Small at the 10-team regional St.