Simple | Electric | Fold-up NCAA basketball tournament and an uncertain future. The coaches agree that they don’t want players returning simply to play golf. The academic side remains essential. “I don’t think players should come back for the fifth year just for athletics,” said Small, who plays his best players, regardless of their class standing. “There’s no guarantee they’re going to play. If they’re going to finish their degree or partake in a new degree, that’s a win-win.” Two of Illinois’ three seniors, Michael Feagles and Giovanni Tadiotto, already have decided to return. Northwestern’s lone senior, Everton Hawkins, had decided to leave before the pandemic upheaval. “He had secured a job in commercial banking, which he will start this sum-mer,” Goss said. “He’s fortunate to have a degree and a good job. How much of that do you want to hedge for another year of college golf? There are no guarantees of what the economy will be.” The two seniors on Northwestern’s women’s team paint a similar picture. Louise McCullough “has a terrific job opportunity in Chicago,” Fletcher said, and is ready to move on. Meanwhile, Brooke Riley, who was First Team All-Big Ten in 2019, is expected to take advantage of the NCAA eligibility extension. They are difficult questions. That’s especially true, given the likelihood that satellite tours will be impacted by the economic devastation the pandemic has caused. For those who aspire to play pro-fessional golf, another year in college might make sense. For those with job opportunities, those may seem more valuable than ever. ● Longtime Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter Herb Gould writes about golf for a variety of publications. He is a co-founder of TMGcollegesports.com and the author of The Run Don’t Count: The Life & Times of Frank Chance and his Chicago Cubs , a novel about the 1908 Cubs. FOLDS ULTRA-FLAT LITHIUM BATTERY ONLY 5 LBS KangarooGolfstream.com (828) 436-2101 | Mon-Fri 8-5 ET JUNE 2020 | CHICAGO DISTRICT GOLFER | 43
Chicago District Golfer June 2020: Page 43
