University of Illinois golfer D.A. Points of Pekin carded a 3-over-par 74 in the second round of the Illinois State Amateur Championship on Wednesday at Rend Lake Golf Course in Whittington.

Illini golfer D.A. Points shot 1-over-par 72 in the first round of the Illinois State Amateur Championship on Tuesday at Rend Lake Golf Course in Whittington.

PEKIN – A note to all of D.A. Points' University of Illinois professors: He is going to skip the first couple days of classes. He wants to miss the entire first week.

Points isn't an academic slacker. He just has other business.

CHAMPAIGN – Wendy Evans found herself in an unfamiliar position after shooting a 45 on the front nine during Wednesday's championship round of the Women's Twin City Golf Tournament at Lincolnshire Fields.

Assume for a moment El Nino doesn't rain out every major golf tournament this year. Will Clopton will assume one of the favorite roles for this weekend's UI Open because that's the role of defending champion.

Actually Clopton is the two-time defending champ, and he has a shot at exclusive company. With another victory on the University of Illinois Orange Course, Clopton will join former Illini Jamie Fairbanks (1989-91) as the only player to win three straight titles.

Former Illini Jim Buenzli has qualified for the Illinois Open in August. The McHenry native shot a 1-over-par 73 on Monday at Crystal Woods Golf Course in Woodstock.

In a season of missed putts and missed cuts, Mike Small still has reason to think big.

After a three-year absence, the PGA Tour rookie and Danville native is heading back to the U.S. Open this week.

Former Illini Steve Stricker and Mike Small qualified for the U.S. Open on Tuesday at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md.