DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University men's golf program had a successful week this week at the 71^st Illinois Open Championship at White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville, with senior Jordan Less (Elmhurst, Ill./York) earning low amateur honors and alumnus Bryce Emory winning the tournament.
 
Less won the Low Amateur award for the second consecutive year, finishing the 54-hole tournament at one-under par and one stroke ahead of Giovanni Tadiotto and Mac McClear. After carding a two-over par 74 in Monday's opening round Less shot a 69 on Tuesday to get to one-under for the event. On Wednesday Less rallied from being four-over on the day with five holes to go by making birdies on four of his last five holes to finish at even par for the round and finish at one-under for the tournament and tied for seventh overall.
 
"Jordan continues to play at a high level," said head coach John Carlson. "To earn Low Amateur in a field comprised of the best players in Illinois certainly will help carry momentum into his final season as a Huskie."
 
Emory, a 2013 NIU alum, won the tournament by four strokes with a 54-hole score eight-under par 208. He was under par in all three rounds, taking the lead on Tuesday with a six-under par 66 in the second round to take a two-stroke advantage. This is Emory's first Illinois Open title.
 
This week's showing at the Illinois Open continues a successful stretch of summer golf for the Huskies. Rising junior Tommy Dunsire (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) won the Finkbine Amateur Invitational at Finkbine Golf Course at The University of Iowa on June 16. He then tied for medalist honors at the Tour Red event at Cantigny Golf in Wheaton on July 7. Senior Russell Matos (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard South) tied for 11^th in the same tournament. Last week Dunsire and his brother Scott reached the semifinals of the Chicago District Golf Association Amateur Four-Ball Championship.
 
NIU also had a pair of golfers finish in the top-10 at the Wisconsin State Amateur Championship which wrapped up July 30. Less finished in a tie for eighth as Zach Place (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) finished fifth.
 
--NIU--