An annual stop for many of the top programs from around the country each fall, the Chicago District served as host to more Division I golf competitions than ever this September and October. Along with the Jackson T. Stephens Cup and Jim DeLapa Collegiate, both of which were previewed in the September digital issue of Chicago District Golfer, the University of Illinois and Northwestern University also hosted events in conjunction with the CDGA.
This slate began with Lake Bluff’s Shoreacres welcoming the Jackson T. Stephens Cup to its hallowed grounds for the first time Sept. 15-17. Known as one of the top events on the college golf schedule each year, the Jackson T. Stephens Cup again boasted a strong field that featured six of the top men's and women's programs from across the country in its fifth playing. The tournament began with three rounds of stroke play over the first two days, as SMU’s William Sides defended his win from a year ago at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club with rounds of 68, 66 and 69 on the men’s side and Wake Forest’s Macy Pate claimed the women’s title by four strokes at 8-under par. Pate is the third Demon Deacon to win the Jackson T. Stephens Cup women’s individual title. The top four teams on both sides then advanced to singles matches on the final day to determine team champions. LSU defeated North Carolina, 4-1, in the men’s competition, while Pate and Wake Forest secured the sweep on the women’s side with a 3-2 win over Stanford. Northwestern finished fourth and sixth in the men’s and women’s team competitions, respectively.
The University of Illinois men’s golf team hosted the 19th annual Fighting Illini Invitational at Olympia Fields Country Club’s North Course Sept. 19-21. This year’s field featured 11 of the 15 teams who received votes in the preseason Bushnell/Golfweek Coaches Poll and 10 of the 15 who advanced to the stroke play portion of the 2025 NCAA DI Men’s Golf National Championships in May, including the defending national champions in Oklahoma State University. The Cowboys began their 2025-26 campaign just as they left off in the spring, claiming another team title at 6-under par, two shots clear of the University of Florida. Glen Ellyn’s John Wild was a member of the winning lineup. Texas Tech’s Tim Wiedemeyer, the 20th-ranked amateur in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, secured the individual title at -6, with Texas’ Matt Comegys just one shot behind. Host team Illinois posted a fourth-place finish as a team at 2 under. Junior Max Herendeen and senior Ryan Voois each finished within the top 10 individually.
Point O’ Woods Golf and Country Club welcomed elite amateur golfers back to its historic track in Benton Harbor, Michigan for the first playing of the Jim DeLapa Collegiate Sept. 28-29. San Jose State captured the event’s team title at -15, which featured programs from across the country. The Spartans were led by Keshav Mungali (2nd) and Ivan Barahona (T4). Princeton University (-10), St. Mary’s College of California (-9), the University of Michigan (-5) and the University of Cincinnati (-4) rounded out the top five. Michigan’s Dean Muratore secured the individual crown at 14-under par with rounds of 66, 64 and 66. Muratore finished just one shot ahead of Mungali. Northern Illinois placed 11th as a team and was led by Jack Mulligan, who was T19 at even par.
An annual staple on the Northwestern men’s golf schedule, the Windon Memorial Classic was hosted at Knollwood Club in Lake Forest Sept. 29-30. The University of Illinois took home the team title by six strokes at 36-under par in the three-round event. The Fighting Illini were led by Max Herendeen’s T2 finish at -10, with Trey Marrion in fifth one shot behind. Northwestern placed fourth at -18. Daniel Svard carded rounds of 66, 69 and 71 to close the championship at T2 alongside Herendeen. Rowan Sullivan also placed inside the top 10 for the Wildcats at T8. New Mexico’s Mesa Falleur was the individual medalist at -12 and led the Lobos to second place.
The venerable Glen View Club in Golf and the Northwestern women’s golf team hosted the Windy City Collegiate Classic, also Sept. 29-30. The defending national champion Wildcats tied for first place with Duke at 13-under par. Northwestern was led by Dianna Lee and Arianna Lau, who each ended the tournament at -4 and in a tie for sixth place. Megan Meng was one shot behind at T11. Her 4-under 68 in the opening round was tied for the second-lowest score of the week. UCLA’s Jeonghyun Lee earned medalist honors after finishing one shot ahead of Iowa State’s Pimkwan Chookaew at -8. Illinois placed ninth as a team and was led by Brielle Mapanao at T11.
Lastly, the University of Illinois women’s team hosted the Illini Women’s Invitational at the famed Medinah Country Club Oct. 6-7. Central Florida (UCF) captured the team title at week’s end with an exceptional 32-under par three-round score. UCF sophomore Mila Jurine of France secured individual medalist honors at -12, while teammate Molly Smith carded rounds of 68, 70 and 69 to finish three shots back in second. The host Illini ended in fourth place at 12-under par as a team. Senior Anna Ritter and freshman Alexis Meyers paced Illinois at T15 and T19, respectively. Three individuals from Illinois State represented the Redbirds women’s team and Elise Fennell completed the week at -3 to place T19. Barrington’s Mara Janess, a redshirt junior at the University of Michigan, shot 5-under par to finish T11.