News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. – The No. 19. Texas A&M men’s golf team returns to action at the prestigious Olympia Fields Country Club for the 18th annual OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational from Friday to Sunday.
The tournament features an elite 15-team field. Fourteen of the teams competed in 2024 NCAA Regionals and 11 advanced to the NCAA Championship. The field includes four of the final eight teams that made up match play at the 2024 NCAA Championship: quarterfinalists Illinois and North Carolina; semifinalist Georgia Tech; and finalist Florida State.
Olympia Fields Country Club is one of just 10 golf courses to host both multiple U.S. Opens and multiple PGA Championships. The par-70, 7,353-yard North Course is a pristine parkland course featuring tree-lined fairways and challenging bunkers.
Texas A&M’s lineup is headed by Golf Channel Preseason All-American Phichaksn Maichon who enters the fray slotted No. 10 in the PGA TOUR University rankings. He is joined by Jaime Montojo, Michael Heidelbaugh, Wheaton Ennis and Aaron Pounds. In the season opening tournament, Maichon finished tied for 8th while Ennis was among a group in 36th place in his collegiate debut.
The Aggies claimed the team title at the event in 2017 and Cameron Champ was the individual medalist in 2016.
Texas A&M begins Friday’s action with tee times at hole No. 10 beginning at 8:15 a.m. Ol’ Sarge’s charges are paired with Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State for the opening round. Live stats are available at Golfstat.
THE FIELD (BUSHNELL/GOLFWEEK COACHES POLL)
Texas A&M (19)
Arizona State (2)
Florida State (3)
North Carolina (5)
Texas (8)
Illinois (9)
Florida (10)
Georgia Tech (11)
Texas Tech (15)
Alabama (16)
Oklahoma State (20)
Stanford (23)
Baylor (32)
Northwestern (t-41)
Michigan
THE LINEUP
Team
Phichaksn Maichon – Senior – Bangkok, Thailand
- Slotted No. 10 in the PGA TOUR University ranking.
- Earned spots on Golf Channel Preseason All-America Second Team and Fred Haskins Award watch list.
- Participated in the Palmer Cup and U.S. Amateur (advancing to round of 16) over the summer.
- PING/GCAA Division I All-America Third Team in 2024 and Honorable Mention in 2023.
- Earned All-SEC Second Team in 2023-24.
- Finished junior year 15th in the Clippd College Player Rankings.
- Owns two career titles, including the 2023 Huntsville Toyota Bearkat Invitational and 2024 Louisiana Classics.
- Ended 2023-24 season with five top-10 finishes, including three top-5.
- Last time out – finished t-8th at the Sahalee Players Championship at even 216 (73-71-72)
Jaime Montojo – Junior – Madrid, Spain
- Earned NCAA Division I PING All-Central Region honors in 2024.
- Played in The 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
- Finished sophomore year 146th in the Clippd College Player Rankings.
- Claimed his first collegiate victory sharing medalist honors at the 2024 Aggie Invitational at Traditions Club.
- Made DP World Tour debut October ‘23 in the Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande.
- Keyed Spain’s 2023 European Amateur Team Championship victory – winning the clinching match 2&1.
- Made a late charge to finish t-13th at the 2023 European Amateur Championship in Parnu, Estonia.
- Qualified for the match play portion of the 2023 Amateur Championship, bowing out in the round of 64.
- Last time out – finished t-46th at the Sahalee Players Championship at 8-over 224 (74-71-79).
Michael Heidelbaugh – Senior – Dallas, Texas
- Owned a 71.1 adjusted stroke average in 45 rounds last season.
- Finished 2023-24 ranked No. 286 in the Scoreboard Rankings powered by Clippd.
- Sported a 628-482-62 head-to-head W-L-T in 2023-24.
- Picked up Srixon/Cleveland All-America Scholar (2022) and GCAA All-America Scholar (2023 & 2024) recognition.
- Earned a spot on the 2023 SEC Community Service Team.
- Recorded five top 20 finishes in 2023-24, including a 14th place showing at the SEC Championships.
- Father – Matthew – played golf at New Mexico State for legendary coach Herb Wimberly.
- Last time out – first action of 2024-25.
Wheaton Ennis – Freshman – Eagle, Idaho
- Making his second collegiate appearance.
- Won the Arizona Amateur at Phoenix Country Club in June ‘24, never trailing in the title match.
- Participated in the U.S. Amateur (advancing to round of 32) over the summer.
- Arrived in Aggieland slotted No. 2 on the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
- Won 7 Junior Golf Association of Arizona events between 2020-24, including the Thunderbird Invitational in March ‘24.
- Claimed three consecutive Idaho Golf Association Junior State Championships from 2020-22.
- Last time out – finished t-36th in his collegiate debut at Sahalee Players Championship, firing a 6-over 222 (75-72-75).
Aaron Pounds – Sophomore – The Woodlands, Texas
- Twice named an AJGA Rolex Junior All-American and was slotted as No. 1 player in the 2023 recruiting class.
- Selected the 2021-22 All-USA Today National Prep Boys Golfer of the Year; finalist for the award in 2022-23.
- Ended 2022-23 ranked No. 2 in PGA High School Golf Association Player Rankings after topping list in 2021-22.
- Advanced to Round of 32 at USGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship teamed with Jack Usner in 2022 & 2023.
- Qualified for the 2022 USGA Junior Amateur.
- Sister – Haley Pounds was a two-time All-SEC Second Team soccer player at Texas A&M; Sister – Taylor Pounds is in her fifth season on the Texas A&M soccer team.
- Last time out – finished t-71st at the Sahalee Players Championship at 17-over 233 (81-76-76).
COURSE
Olympia Fields Country Club is one of the golf jewels of the Midwest. The North Course has hosted two U.S. Opens (1928, 2003), two PGA Championships (1925, 1961), five Western Opens, one U.S. Amateur Championship (2015), two BMW Championships (2020, 20203), one Women’s PGA Championship (2017) and a U.S. Senior Open (1997). Legends of golf, including Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus and Sam Snead have earned titles here, along with more recent winners of the likes of Jim Furyk, Viktor Hovland and John Rahm. The course is a regular on the Top 100 presented by Golf Digest. The parkland course features deep bunkers, a winding creek and scenic tree-lined and meticulously groomed fairways.
WEATHER FORECAST
Accuweather.com
Friday: 87/61, partly sunny and very warm; S 7-9 MPH with gusts 16 MPH, 19% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 85/62, remaining warm with times of clouds and sun, NNE 4-6 MPH with gusts to 12 MPH, 6% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 81/63, cloudy and remaining warm, SSE 4-8 MPH, 25% probability of precipitation.
Weather.com
Friday: 88/61, Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. SW 5-10 MPH 19% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 86/63, Sunshine and clouds mixed. N 5-10 MPH 12% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 81/61, Cloudy early with showers for the afternoon hours. SW 5-10 MPH, 42% probability of precipitation.