While that was a national storyline, the news surrounding Illini Nation was how well former Illinois golfer Thomas Pieters played in his first tournament at Augusta National.
Pieters was a legend as an Illinois golfer before turning pro in 2013. His final season with the Illini was impressive. He finished with a stroke average of 71.38 per 18 holes and his lowest 54-hole total was -11. Those are numbers that not many former or current Illini golfers can match.
The final season for Pieters was a success for the team as well. They made it the NCAA tournament where they advanced to the match-play portion and competed for a national championship against Alabama.