Mike Small (golfer)
Encyclopedia
Mike Small is an American
professional golf
er and college golf coach.
and grew up in Danville, Illinois
. He was a four-time letter winner at Danville High School. He won the Junior Masters in 1984 and went on to play college golf at the University of Illinois
. At Illinois, he was a member of the 1988 Big Ten Championship team, where he finished second behind teammate and current PGA Tour member Steve Stricker
. Small was named to the All-Big Ten squad and won two tournaments during his senior year, the Butler National Intercollegiate
and the Michigan State Spartan Classic.
in 1995. In 1997, he won two Nike Tour (now Nationwide Tour) events and finished in the top 15 on the Nike Tour money list, earning his PGA Tour card for the 1998 season. He played on the PGA Tour in 1998, where his best finish was 9th place at the Bell Canadian Open. In 2003, Small won the Illinois PGA and Illinois Open titles, becoming the first golfer ever to win both tournaments in the same year. He has played in 96 Nationwide Tour events finishing in the top-10 eight times. Small has also won the PGA Professional National Championship
thrice, in 2005, in 2009, and in 2010. He has played in over 50 PGA Tour events in his career, including seven major championships. He has also finished as the low club professional in the PGA Championship
in 2007 and 2011.
Small has been the head golf coach at the University of Illinois since 2000. He was Big Ten Coach of the Year for the 2001-02 season, when Illinois placed 18th in the NCAA Championships. He won the honor again for the 2008-09 season when Illinois won their first Big Ten title in 21 years.
team and earned All Big-Ten honors. Small's brother, Andy, was a member of the 1990 Big Ten Champion Illinois baseball squad and won four varsity letters as an infielder.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er and college golf coach.
Amateur career
Small was born in Aurora, IllinoisAurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
and grew up in Danville, Illinois
Danville, Illinois
Danville is a city in Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is the principal city of the'Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Danville and Vermilion County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 32,467. It is the county seat of...
. He was a four-time letter winner at Danville High School. He won the Junior Masters in 1984 and went on to play college golf at the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
. At Illinois, he was a member of the 1988 Big Ten Championship team, where he finished second behind teammate and current PGA Tour member Steve Stricker
Steve Stricker
Steven Stricker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour including the 2001 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and two FedEx Cup playoff events. His most successful season on tour came in 2009, when he had three tournament victories...
. Small was named to the All-Big Ten squad and won two tournaments during his senior year, the Butler National Intercollegiate
Butler National Golf Club
Butler National Golf Club is a private golf club located in Oak Brook, Illinois.-History:Butler National was the creation of Paul Butler; an affluent entrepreneur, philanthropist and sportsman who was the founder of the village of Oak Brook, Illinois....
and the Michigan State Spartan Classic.
Professional career
Small turned professional in 1990 and played on various tours before joining the PGA TourPGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
in 1995. In 1997, he won two Nike Tour (now Nationwide Tour) events and finished in the top 15 on the Nike Tour money list, earning his PGA Tour card for the 1998 season. He played on the PGA Tour in 1998, where his best finish was 9th place at the Bell Canadian Open. In 2003, Small won the Illinois PGA and Illinois Open titles, becoming the first golfer ever to win both tournaments in the same year. He has played in 96 Nationwide Tour events finishing in the top-10 eight times. Small has also won the PGA Professional National Championship
PGA Professional National Championship
The PGA Professional National Championship is a golf tournament for golf club professionals and teachers who are members of the Professional Golfers' Association of America...
thrice, in 2005, in 2009, and in 2010. He has played in over 50 PGA Tour events in his career, including seven major championships. He has also finished as the low club professional in the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
in 2007 and 2011.
Small has been the head golf coach at the University of Illinois since 2000. He was Big Ten Coach of the Year for the 2001-02 season, when Illinois placed 18th in the NCAA Championships. He won the honor again for the 2008-09 season when Illinois won their first Big Ten title in 21 years.
Personal life
Small's father, Bill Small, was captain of the 1963 Big Ten Champion Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketballIllinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at Assembly Hall, located on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus in Champaign....
team and earned All Big-Ten honors. Small's brother, Andy, was a member of the 1990 Big Ten Champion Illinois baseball squad and won four varsity letters as an infielder.
Amateur wins (3)
- 1984 Junior Masters
- 1987 Butler National IntercollegiateButler National Golf ClubButler National Golf Club is a private golf club located in Oak Brook, Illinois.-History:Butler National was the creation of Paul Butler; an affluent entrepreneur, philanthropist and sportsman who was the founder of the village of Oak Brook, Illinois....
, Michigan State Spartan Classic
Other wins (17)
- 2001 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
- 2003 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
, Illinois Open ChampionshipIllinois Open ChampionshipThe Illinois Open Championship is a golf tournament that is administered by the Illinois PGA . The "state championship of golf" is a 54-hole championship over three days to determine the finest player in the state of Illinois. The tournament is open to professionals and amateurs with a handicap of... - 2004 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
- 2005 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
, Illinois Open ChampionshipIllinois Open ChampionshipThe Illinois Open Championship is a golf tournament that is administered by the Illinois PGA . The "state championship of golf" is a 54-hole championship over three days to determine the finest player in the state of Illinois. The tournament is open to professionals and amateurs with a handicap of...
, PGA Club Professional Championship - 2006 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
, Illinois Open ChampionshipIllinois Open ChampionshipThe Illinois Open Championship is a golf tournament that is administered by the Illinois PGA . The "state championship of golf" is a 54-hole championship over three days to determine the finest player in the state of Illinois. The tournament is open to professionals and amateurs with a handicap of... - 2007 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
, Illinois Open ChampionshipIllinois Open ChampionshipThe Illinois Open Championship is a golf tournament that is administered by the Illinois PGA . The "state championship of golf" is a 54-hole championship over three days to determine the finest player in the state of Illinois. The tournament is open to professionals and amateurs with a handicap of...
, Illinois PGA Match Play Championship - 2008 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
- 2009 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
, PGA Professional National ChampionshipPGA Professional National ChampionshipThe PGA Professional National Championship is a golf tournament for golf club professionals and teachers who are members of the Professional Golfers' Association of America... - 2010 Illinois PGA ChampionshipIllinois PGA ChampionshipThe Illinois PGA Championship is a golf tournament that is conducted by the Illinois PGA . The 54-hole, stroke play Championship conducted over three days is the premier member event on the Illinois PGA calendar...
, PGA Professional National ChampionshipPGA Professional National ChampionshipThe PGA Professional National Championship is a golf tournament for golf club professionals and teachers who are members of the Professional Golfers' Association of America...
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT | 76 | CUT | T69 | DNP | CUT |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
CUT | T69 |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.