WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue men's golf team travels to one of America's greatest courses to face a loaded field at the Olympia Fields Invitational.
The 54-hole tournament starts Friday and ends Sunday with 15 teams playing 18 holes each day on the difficult North course. The tournament is being played just three weeks after the conclusion of the BMW Championships won by Viktor Hovland. The tournament was the last event before the season-ending Tour Championships.
The field is considered the strongest in college golf this year. Seven of the 15 teams in the field made the NCAA Championships match play finals last May, including defending National Champion Florida. All 15 teams in the field made NCAA Regionals with 11 of the teams reaching Nationals. The last five National Champions are in the field, dating to the 2018 event.
THE FIELD (Golfweek Rankings / final 2023 rankings)
2 Illinois
3 North Carolina
4 Georgia Tech
5 Arizona State
6 Florida
7 Florida State
8 Stanford
10 Pepperdine
15 Texas
17 Alabama
19 Oklahoma State
22 Arizona
35 Baylor
48 Purdue
61 Michigan State
LAST TIME OUT
The Boilermakers held an 18- and 36-hole lead at last week's Erin Hills Intercollegiate, but couldn't hold on in the final round, finishing tied for third with a 15-over par 879, just four shots behind champion Chattanooga. The Boilermakers defeated NCAA qualifiers Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Marquette and Augusta and tied No. 17-ranked California. Herman Sekne recorded his ninth career top-5 finish at 1-under par 215, while Nels Surtani placed tied for 12th at 3-over par 219. Playing as an individual, Luke Prall was tied for sixth at even-par 216.
TEAM NOTES
PURDUE LINEUP
THE COURSE
One of the top courses in the country, Olympia Fields has hosted two U.S. Opens (1928, 2003), two PGA Championships (1925, 1961), a U.S. Amateur (2015) and two BMW Championships (2020, 2023). Known for its massive clubhouse and clock tower, the course is a classic parkland course that can stretch to almost 7,300 yards while playing just par 70. The North course enjoys pleasant terrain that boasts some significant but walkable elevation changes, a winding creek, and its share of trees. The bunkers are deep and penal while the undulated greens are a formidable challenge to navigate when rolling firm and fast.
OLYMPIA FIELDS INVITATIONAL HISTORY
This marks Purdue's fourth appearance at Olympia Fields under Rob Bradley, finishing tied for eighth in 2016 (874), 12th in 2018 (886) and 10th in 2021 (866). Herman Sekne placed tied for 24th in the 2021 event (215; +5) while Luke Prall was tied for 51st (221; +11) and Nick Dentino was tied for 59th (223; +13).
WEATHER FORECAST
Friday: Sunny, 74 degrees; S wind 5-10 mph
Saturday: Overcast, 73 degrees; SW wind 5-10 mph
Sunday: Chance of showers, 71 degrees; NNW wind 5-10 mph
LIVE SCORING
Will be available on Golfstat.com.
The 54-hole tournament starts Friday and ends Sunday with 15 teams playing 18 holes each day on the difficult North course. The tournament is being played just three weeks after the conclusion of the BMW Championships won by Viktor Hovland. The tournament was the last event before the season-ending Tour Championships.
The field is considered the strongest in college golf this year. Seven of the 15 teams in the field made the NCAA Championships match play finals last May, including defending National Champion Florida. All 15 teams in the field made NCAA Regionals with 11 of the teams reaching Nationals. The last five National Champions are in the field, dating to the 2018 event.
THE FIELD (Golfweek Rankings / final 2023 rankings)
2 Illinois
3 North Carolina
4 Georgia Tech
5 Arizona State
6 Florida
7 Florida State
8 Stanford
10 Pepperdine
15 Texas
17 Alabama
19 Oklahoma State
22 Arizona
35 Baylor
48 Purdue
61 Michigan State
LAST TIME OUT
The Boilermakers held an 18- and 36-hole lead at last week's Erin Hills Intercollegiate, but couldn't hold on in the final round, finishing tied for third with a 15-over par 879, just four shots behind champion Chattanooga. The Boilermakers defeated NCAA qualifiers Cincinnati, Wisconsin, Marquette and Augusta and tied No. 17-ranked California. Herman Sekne recorded his ninth career top-5 finish at 1-under par 215, while Nels Surtani placed tied for 12th at 3-over par 219. Playing as an individual, Luke Prall was tied for sixth at even-par 216.
TEAM NOTES
- Purdue has advanced to eight of nine possible NCAA Regionals during the Rob Bradley era. However, Purdue's last appearance in the NCAA Championships came in 2017.
- The Kampen-Cosler course will host the NCAA Regional Championships in mid-May for the first time since 2017. The course has undergone a massive renovation with new bunkers, new shaping on ponds and a new clubhouse (in progress) that exceeds a $20 million price tag.
- In school history, there have been 16 tournament occurrences of rounds of 276 or better. Fifteen of them have come under Bradley.
- Eight of the nine-lowest team season stroke averages have come under Bradley, including last year's 287.77 – second in school history.
- In the final Golfweek team rankings, Purdue has finished in the top 50 six times in 10 years under Bradley. In the previous 14 seasons of the rankings, Purdue finished in the top 50 just five times.
PURDUE LINEUP
- Herman Sekne – Senior; Oslo, Norway
- A 2023 third-team All-American.
- Set school records for rounds in the 60s (14) and stroke average (70.41) a year ago.
- Seven top-10 finishes in 10 events a year ago and already has 14 career top-10 finishes, coming in just 28 events. That is the fifth most in school history.
- Already career record-holder in rounds in 60s (26) and stroke average (71.66).
- Ranked No. 27 in World Amateur Golf Rankings and competed in the Arnold Palmer Cup, Bonallack Trophy and U.S. Amateur this summer.
- Nick Dentino – 5th year; Carmel, Indiana
- Had a strong summer, advancing to U.S. Amateur match play in mid-August.
- Finished last season with two top-10s and a 72.90 stroke average.
- Played front nine in 29 in the final round at the Boilermaker Invitational to help Purdue to come-from behind victory.
- Will play his 100th career competitive round this weekend (enters with 98).
- His eight career top-20s are second most on the squad.
- Nels Surtani – Junior; Indianapolis, Indiana
- Had a strong sophomore season, ranking second in stroke average (72.90).
- Won his second straight Northern Amateur title this summer.
- Had 15 rounds of par or better last season (2nd on team); six rounds in the 60s.
- Ranked second on the team a year ago in pars made (319) and only had 10 double-bogeys or worse in 540 holes.
- Strong start to the year, finishing tied for 12th at Erin Hills, his fourth career top-15 finish.
- Luke Prall – Junior; Carmel, Indiana
- Had a strong opening week, placing tied for sixth (even par) – his first career top-10 finish. Prall led after 36 holes at Erin Hills.
- Advanced to the U.S. Amateur in August.
- Won the 2022 Indiana Amateur.
- Will be on the counting team for the first time in almost a year (Isleworth Collegiate; Oct. 23-25, 2022).
- Sam Easterbrook – Freshman; Tomworth, England
- Highly-regarded freshman that should make a big impact during the 2023-24 season.
- Had an outstanding scholastic career, winning the 2021 Scottish Boys U-16 Open Championship and finishing second at the English U-18 Amateur Stroke Play Championship.
- Shot a 1-under par 71 in his first career round, coming at Erin Hills.
- Was the stroke-play medalist in the 2022 English Men's Amateur Championship.
- Also reached the match play portion at the 2022 Amateur Championship.
THE COURSE
One of the top courses in the country, Olympia Fields has hosted two U.S. Opens (1928, 2003), two PGA Championships (1925, 1961), a U.S. Amateur (2015) and two BMW Championships (2020, 2023). Known for its massive clubhouse and clock tower, the course is a classic parkland course that can stretch to almost 7,300 yards while playing just par 70. The North course enjoys pleasant terrain that boasts some significant but walkable elevation changes, a winding creek, and its share of trees. The bunkers are deep and penal while the undulated greens are a formidable challenge to navigate when rolling firm and fast.
OLYMPIA FIELDS INVITATIONAL HISTORY
This marks Purdue's fourth appearance at Olympia Fields under Rob Bradley, finishing tied for eighth in 2016 (874), 12th in 2018 (886) and 10th in 2021 (866). Herman Sekne placed tied for 24th in the 2021 event (215; +5) while Luke Prall was tied for 51st (221; +11) and Nick Dentino was tied for 59th (223; +13).
WEATHER FORECAST
Friday: Sunny, 74 degrees; S wind 5-10 mph
Saturday: Overcast, 73 degrees; SW wind 5-10 mph
Sunday: Chance of showers, 71 degrees; NNW wind 5-10 mph
LIVE SCORING
Will be available on Golfstat.com.