July 1, 2023

(Editor's Note: Illini golf coach Mike Small appeared recently on the IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular syndicated radio show Radio - IlliniGuys.com)

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Larry Smith: I don't know if anybody has had the kind of month that you have had here in June, and we still have some time to go.  Obviously all the team success, but the last time we talked you, you had just squeezed in a round of golf to qualify for U.S. Senior Open coming up later on this month. So I don't know how much golf you're playing yourself. Clearly, you're playing some because you just had a very nice showing on the Champions Tour last weekend.

Mike Small: Yes, but playing comes secondary, Larry. It always has. If I can find time to play, and I play well, then I'll play more. But yeah, I squeeze it in. And this is something that I think anybody over the age of 50 that's still competitive shoots for every year to play in the U.S. Senior Open. This is just the U.S. Open for old guys. I've played it a few times before, I've had some success in it before, but I haven't played in a couple of years. So it was good to get back and I did stop on the way to the national championship and qualified at Flossmoor Country Club and it felt good. So it gives me something to look forward to and gives me something to just prepare for my mind and also be competitive. So I'm excited about it.

Brad Sturdy: "Yeah, ho-hum, just qualified for the US Senior Open on my way to the NCAA's and yeah, goodness gracious, just make it seem awful easy." It's almost like winning Coach of the Year. You seem to win do that awful easily too, so tell me about what it's like when every year there are accolades coming your way as a coach, what is it like for you?

MS: Well, it's not why we do it. And coaches say that and I think they're sincere in saying that, I think if it's something you do chase, it's like anything else. If you do chase it too hard and something is important to you, it's maybe sometimes harder to get coaching awards. They're just a byproduct of your team. They're just a byproduct of what your guys do. Obviously, I think coaches set the tone, they set the culture, they kind of oversee the progress and especially in our sport, they maintain the environment, but the kids have to do it. So for me, it's satisfaction that I'm giving these guys something, they want something they asked for, and something they need, and I'm just helping them become as good as they can be. And I want their time here to be productive and to be valuable. I think if a coach gets those awards, you know, the Big 10 Coach of the Year Award is something that I've gotten quite a bit because we are a good team, but it's something that means a lot to me because it means that we did well in our conference, which is the first thing we always shoot for, and that the guys are having success. And that's why I do it. Honestly, I want these guys to be happy, successful, and proud of their time here. And this is just a byproduct of that.

Mike Cagley: You know, you had another fantastic group of seniors who will be obviously moving on, how do you approach restocking your team with talent?  How do you approach replacing such a solid class that is walking out the door this year?

MS: Well, thanks, Mike. I appreciate that. But it's something that's important to me. You know, I believe this sincerely that I think all good coaches, successful coaches that have consistency over time, they're all in there helping the guys, but they also make time to think about the future. And you always plan the future, evaluating your team to see who's gonna play this week and evaluate their games so they can get better, but you're also evaluating them to see where they're going to be a year or two from now. And you're watching the recruits that you signed who are coming in in a year or two, and you're trying to predict the future. So you're trying to find guys that can get along guys that can work together and guys that can flat out play the game of golf in the way you want to play it and you're just planning and then we've done that pretty well for a long time now this year. Obviously, we had more seniors than normal because of the COVID thing that happened a few years ago and kind of backlogged us and got us out of the way.  But it's something that's just important and you try to plan for it. And you never take your mind off of it. But you're always engaged in the current year, but you've never, you're never out of the plan for the future. And I think that's something that's, we've done well, and then you're always looking for guys you think that can fit in with you and coexist.

Matt Stevens: Mike, I wanted to ask you about (three-time Big Ten Player of the Year) Adrian (Dumont de Chassart) and what he was able to accomplish last weekend in his pro debut. Can you possibly put into words, given how hard it is to win a professional golf tournament, no matter where it is in the world, for him to win him in his debut and have that kind of success coming out?

Mike Small: It's very, very, very difficult. Matt, you're exactly right in saying that. I think a lot of kids have the talent to do it, but having the wherewithal and the confidence and just the endurance to be able to do it is rare and unique. When it comes to Adrian, he's been fighting himself for two or three years on our program, because he's had more top threes and top fives, and top tens than anyone, and he's self admittedly has had trouble closing tournaments. And we've talked at length about that, and then to see him win his first professional event, which is very, very difficult, it's a whole different realm you're playing and not because guys within four years of your age, but guys within 25 years of your age, and professionals, it just shows his pure talent, and I think he just grows every day and works at it.

LS:  It's funny, the $180,000 winner's purse kind of seems secondary, because to watch him down the stretch, he showed such great poise and made the shots he had to make to get this win. What was that day like for you to have Stricker winning where you were on the Champions Tour and then getting the word that Adrian won on the Korn Ferry, it's had to have been a special day for you?

Mike Small: Well, it was earlier in the week, I did some interviews from the Champions event in regards to (former Illini star) Michael Feagles shooting 59, which is a rare feat in all of golf. Yeah, and I knew Adrian was there, and I knew Adrian had shot five under the date and Michael shot 12 under. So for Adrian to come out his first pro event shooting five under was strong. And then he puts two more five under right back to back. And I know if he was only two back going into the last round, I'm like, this is gonna get interesting because, you know, the best way to win is not to try to win. When you try to win, you make a bigger problem than it is it becomes harder. And he checked his expectations when he went in there. He's just trying to find a place to play. I don't think winning was on his mind until the last five or six holes when he looked at the scoreboard and things were changing and he started getting a little run going and then just the instincts that champion him just comes out it pops out and then he just takes it and runs to the finish line. When I left the Champions Tour event I got out there quickly because I teed off about two hours before Strick and I wouldn't stay and wait for him because I knew he was gonna have a lot of people to deal with there at his home tournament so I got on the road and then I'm getting updates and I can't watch anything but I'm getting updates from my wife, my dad, friends, and donors telling me I was doing and then I'm driving down I-39 And he pops a win and I'm just estatic so I pull off the side of the road and then the Golf Channel has me do a little spot with those guys, a little zoom call if you will, and the first thing he said to me was "Coach I closed it. We've finally closed it." That meant a lot to me because he knows how much we talked about it and how much he had tried to win and may have actually made a bigger problem out of it than it really was and this time he just decompress didn't think about it didn't really try to win until the time came to try to win and he did he got it done.

LS: Well, it's exciting. We know you didn't finish the way you wanted, but NCAA quarterfinal round and again establishing this team as one of the pre-eminent programs in the entire country. Mike, it is always great to talk with you. We wish you the very best as we'll be watching the US Senior Open. We'll talk with you soon.

Mike Small: Guys. Thanks, call anytime you want. It's great catching up with you. You guys do a wonderful job. And just thanks for your support.