# Mike Small (golfer) > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mike_Small_(golfer) > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mike_Small_(golfer).md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Small_(golfer) > Source revision: 1354941650 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American professional golfer, college golf coach (born 1966) Mike Small Personal information Born (1966-03-04) March 4, 1966 (age 60) Aurora, Illinois, U.S. Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) Sporting nationality United States Residence Champaign, Illinois, U.S. Career College University of Illinois Turned professional 1990 Former tours PGA Tour Nationwide Tour Hooters Tour Professional wins 34 Number of wins by tour Korn Ferry Tour 2 Other 32 Best results in major championships Masters Tournament DNP PGA Championship T69: 2007, 2011 U.S. Open CUT: 1994, 1998, 2007 The Open Championship DNP **Mike Small** (born March 4, 1966) is an American [professional golfer](/source/Professional_golfer) and college golf coach. ## Amateur career Small was born in [Aurora, Illinois](/source/Aurora%2C_Illinois) and grew up in [Danville, Illinois](/source/Danville%2C_Illinois). He was a four-time [letter winner](/source/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](/source/University_of_Illinois_at_Urbana-Champaign). At Illinois, he was a member of the 1988 [Big Ten](/source/Big_Ten) Championship team, where he finished second behind teammate and current PGA Tour member [Steve Stricker](/source/Steve_Stricker). Small was named to the All-Big Ten squad and won two tournaments during his senior year, the [Butler National Intercollegiate](/source/Butler_National_Golf_Club) and the Michigan State Spartan Classic. ## Professional career In 1990, Small turned professional. He played on various tours before joining the [PGA Tour](/source/PGA_Tour) in 1995. In 1997, he won two [Nike Tour](/source/Nike_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](/source/Bell_Canadian_Open). In 2003, Small won the Illinois PGA and [Illinois Open](/source/Illinois_Open) titles, becoming the first golfer ever to win both tournaments in the same year. He would repeat that feat three more times on the way to winning twelve IPGA titles and four Illinois Opens. He has played in 96 Nationwide Tour events finishing in the top-10 eight times. Small has also won the [PGA Professional National Championship](/source/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 thirteen major championships. In 2016, he turned 50 and qualified for his first senior major championship, finishing T-43 at the U.S. Senior Open. He has also finished as the low club professional in the [PGA Championship](/source/PGA_Championship) in 2007 and 2011. Small has been the head golf coach at the [University of Illinois](/source/Illinois_Fighting_Illini_men's_golf) 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. He led the Illini to the Big Ten championship in each of the next four seasons, again winning conference coach of the year honors each year. In addition, he has been named Midwest Coach of the Year by the Golf Coaches Association five times, in 2003, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013. His 2013 Illini team won the school's first-ever NCAA Regional championship, and finished second in the NCAA Finals after defeating defending champion Texas and #1-ranked California in match play. It marks Illinois' best finish in school history. ## Personal life Small's father, Bill Small, was captain of the 1963 Big Ten Champion [Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball](/source/Illinois_Fighting_Illini_men's_basketball) 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. ## Awards and honors On October 25, 2013, Small was inducted into the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame. ## Amateur wins - 1984 Junior Masters - 1987 [Butler National Intercollegiate](/source/Butler_National_Golf_Club), Michigan State Spartan Classic ## Professional wins (34) ### Nike Tour wins (2) No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of victory Runner(s)-up 1 Mar 16, 1997 Nike Monterrey Open −18 (68-67-68-67=270) 1 stroke Mark Carnevale, Chris DiMarco, Brian Kamm 2 Jun 22, 1997 Nike Cleveland Open −18 (67-70-67-66=270) 1 stroke Patrick Sheehan ### Hooters Tour wins (1) No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of victory Runner-up 1 May 7, 1995 Hooters Dallas Classic −12 (67-65=132)[a] Playoff Rick Cramer ### Other wins (22) - 2001 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship) - 2003 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship), [Illinois Open Championship](/source/Illinois_Open_Championship) - 2004 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship) - 2005 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship), [Illinois Open Championship](/source/Illinois_Open_Championship), [PGA Club Professional Championship](/source/PGA_Club_Professional_Championship) - 2006 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship), [Illinois Open Championship](/source/Illinois_Open_Championship) - 2007 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship), [Illinois Open Championship](/source/Illinois_Open_Championship), Illinois PGA Match Play Championship - 2008 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship) - 2009 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship), [PGA Professional National Championship](/source/PGA_Professional_National_Championship) - 2010 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship), [PGA Professional National Championship](/source/PGA_Professional_National_Championship) - 2013 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship) - 2014 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship) - 2016 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship) - 2020 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship) - 2023 [Illinois PGA Championship](/source/Illinois_PGA_Championship) ### Other senior wins (9) - 2017 Illinois Senior PGA Championship - 2018 Illinois Senior PGA Championship - 2019 Illinois Senior PGA Championship - 2020 Illinois Senior PGA Championship - 2021 Illinois Senior PGA Championship - 2022 Illinois Senior Open - 2023 Illinois Senior PGA Championship, Illinois Senior Open - 2025 Illinois Senior Open ## Results in major championships Tournament 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 U.S. Open CUT CUT PGA Championship Tournament 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 U.S. Open CUT PGA Championship CUT 76 CUT T69 CUT Tournament 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 U.S. Open PGA Championship CUT T69 CUT CUT CUT   Did not play CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied *Note: Small never played in the [Masters Tournament](/source/Masters_Tournament) or [The Open Championship](/source/The_Open_Championship).* ## U.S. national team appearances - [PGA Cup](/source/PGA_Cup): 2005, 2007 (winners), 2009 (winners), 2011 (winners), 2013 (tie) ## See also - [1997 Nike Tour graduates](/source/1997_Nike_Tour_graduates) ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-weather_1-0)** Shortened to 36 holes due to weather. ## External links - [Profile on Illinois' official athletic site](https://web.archive.org/web/20070818211915/http://fightingillini.cstv.com/sports/m-golf/mtt/small_mike00.html) - [Mike Small](https://www.pgatour.com/player/07707) at the [PGA Tour](/source/PGA_Tour) official site --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mike Small (golfer)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Small_(golfer)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Small_(golfer)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.