McLean County Times

The Illinois Wesleyan University men's golf team, ranked fifth nationally, is set to participate in its second tournament of the season from Sunday to Tuesday, September 15-17. The team will compete in the prestigious Folds of Honor tournament at Meadows Golf Club in Allendale, Michigan. This 54-hole event will be played on a par-71, 7048-yard course.

Illinois Wesleyan will be one of three NCAA Division III teams competing, alongside Denison and Aurora. Other participating schools include Grand Valley State, Pikeville, Grand Rapids, West Texas A&M, Lincoln (Missouri), and Odessa.

Representing Illinois Wesleyan are seniors Griffin Pohl (Western Springs, Ill.-Lyons Township) and Quinn Clifford (Chicago, Ill.-Brother Rice), along with juniors Michael Spitzer (Hinsdale, Ill.-Hinsdale Central), Aidan Healy (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln-Way West), and Juney Bai (Mokena, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central). Junior Myles Lahart (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine South) will compete as an individual. Last year's tournament was cut short after 36 holes due to inclement weather; Clifford tied for 11th place individually while Bai tied for 16th as the Titans finished fifth overall.

The Folds of Honor Challenge is an annual collegiate tournament organized in collaboration with the Folds of Honor organization, Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), and Grand Valley State University. It serves as a qualifying event for next year's Folds of Honor Collegiate. The field includes top NCAA Division II and III teams as well as NAIA and NJCAA teams based on the final regular season Bushnell Golf/Golfweek Coaches poll from Spring 2024. Additionally, an HBCU program receives an annual invitation. The winning school earns a spot in the 2025 Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan, which will be televised nationally on Golf Channel.

Live scoring for the three-day tournament will be available through Scoreboard powered by Clippd. Results will be posted on iwusports.com following each round's conclusion.

Folds of Honor is a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of military members who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Since expanding its mission in 2022 to include first responders' families, it has awarded approximately 44,000 scholarships totaling about $200 million across all 50 states. Among recipients served by this four-star Charity Navigator-rated organization are minorities comprising 41 percent. Founded by Lt Col Dan Rooney—an F-16 fighter pilot with three combat tours in Iraq—the organization continues its mission under his leadership at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas.

The GCAA supports men's collegiate golf coaches across six divisions including NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA since its establishment in 1958 by providing educational opportunities and resources aimed at enhancing their performance as coaches.

Meadows Golf Club has hosted nine NCAA National Championships including multiple NCAA Division II Women's National Championships between 1996 and 2015 and Men's National Championships between 2001 and 2014. Playing at a length of 7,060 yards from the tips with a course/slope rating of 74.2/133, it offers a challenging rotation featuring wetlands and well-bunkered greens requiring strategic play.