NAPERVILLE — With the conference championship on the horizon, several College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) men’s golf programs used the final week of regular-season play to post strong finishes and collect individual honors in multi-round events across the region. 
 
This week’s recap includes Illinois Wesleyan’s top-two finish in Decatur, career-best individual efforts at the Butts Classic and a pair of top-five team performances at the Forester Spring Invite.
 
Bloomington Bragging Rights: Illinois Wesleyan Sweeps Top Spots in Decatur
Illinois Wesleyan closed out the regular season by taking the top two team positions at the Butts Classic, hosted by Millikin on Monday and Tuesday at the Country Club of Decatur. The Titans’ ‘B’ squad finished first with a three-round total of 871 (+7), one stroke ahead of the ‘A’ team at 872 (+8). The ‘B’ team moved into the lead with an eight-under-par 280 in the second round. Carthage placed third overall with a team score of 886. 
 
Individually, Myles Lahart finished second with a career-best 54-hole total of 215 (-1), while Pablo Castro placed third at 217 (+1). Castro’s tournament included a final-round 70 (-2) and marked his fourth straight top-three finish.
 
Honoring the Ace: Spitzer Claims Weekly Conference Accolades
Illinois Wesleyan senior Michael Spitzer was named the CCIW Men’s Golf Student-Athlete of the Week on Wednesday after winning the Cochran Collegiate. Competing last Monday and Tuesday at Colonial Country Club in Tennessee, Spitzer captured the third individual title of his career with an even-par 216 over 54 holes. He opened the event with a five-under-par 67 and held the lead through windy conditions in the final round to finish two strokes ahead of teammate Pablo Castro. 
 
Spitzer’s performance also helped Illinois Wesleyan secure its third team title of the season, as the Titans finished 29 strokes ahead of the host institution.
 
Northern Exposure: Thunder and Firebirds Climb Leaderboard in Mundelein
At the Forester Spring Invite, held last Friday and Saturday at Countryside Golf Club, Wheaton and Carthage each recorded top-five finishes in a 19-team field. Wheaton placed fourth with a 36-hole total of 585 (+9), posting rounds of 293 and 292. Freddie Chan led the Thunder with an even-par 144 to finish among the top 10 individually. 
 
Carthage followed in fifth place at 588 (+12), led by Nick Barry, who carded rounds of 70 and 72 to place fifth individually at 142 (-2). Carroll also competed in the event and finished tied for 12th with a team total of 612 (+36).
 
Cardinal Ascent: Delaney Secures Career-High Finish at Butts Classic
North Central junior Jake Delaney turned in the best finish of his career at the Butts Classic, placing seventh overall. Delaney opened play Monday with a team-best 71 (-1), highlighted by four birdies on the front nine. He followed with a 74 in the second round and a 77 in the final round to finish at 222 for the tournament. His seventh-place result is the highest individual finish by a North Central golfer this season. 
 
As a team, the Cardinals placed 14th with a total of 933, while matching their season-low round of 302 during the second round.
 
Duel at the Links: Pioneers Face St. Norbert in Annual Match Play
Carroll stepped away from stroke play on Tuesday to compete in the annual Hatchet Match against St. Norbert at Lawsonia Golf Course. The Pioneers fell by a 4-2 score in the match play event. 
 
Carroll entered the week following a tie for 12th-place finish at the Forester Spring Invite, where Grant Naumann led the team with a two-round total of 152 (+8) to place 46th. Sigge Lundin and Mathias Werring each followed with scores of 153 (+9).
 
Viking Valor: Augustana Prepares for Final Championship Push
Augustana continues to build toward the postseason after a strong early April stretch that included Calvin Short being named the CCIW Student-Athlete of the Week on April 15. The Vikings most recently finished 17th in a 41-team field at the Illinois Wesleyan Spring Invite and recorded a first-place finish in a 10-team event at Monmouth on April 11.
 
Championship Countdown: Rockford Prepared to Host 2026 Finale
With the regular season complete, conference programs now turn their attention to the 2026 CCIW Men’s Golf Championship, which will be held next Wednesday through next Friday at Aldeen Golf Club in Rockford. 
 
Several teams will also compete in the CCIW Preview at the same course this Thursday. North Central and Millikin are scheduled to play in the preview, while Augustana will compete in both the preview and the Viking Invitational on Saturday. 
 
Carroll will take part in the Legends Classic on Thursday and Friday, and Carthage is set for the Melee in Morris on Thursday. Elmhurst, Illinois Wesleyan, North Park and Wheaton will next compete at the conference championship event.