Jake Birdwell

FromBlaine, MN, United States
AttendingUniversity of Illinois
Degree/Area of StudyFinance
Year of Graduation2028
Player PhotoPlayer Photo
School Playing Profile

This is Jake's 3rd trip to the Patriot All-America, having played in 2024 and 2025.

HONORS & AWARDS
Big Ten All-Freshman Team (2025)
All-Big Ten Championship Team (2025)
Spring Academic All-Big Ten (2026)

SOPHOMORE - 2025-26
Competed in seven full stroke play events, including two tournaments in the Illini's scoring lineup
Played in 22 rounds and ranked sixth on the team with a season stroke average of 71.23, more than two strokes better than his freshman season average
Posted three top-10 tournament finishes, taking eighth as an individual at the Hal Williams Collegiate (Feb. 16-17), T7th as an individual at the Duck Invitational (March 23-24), and T6 in the lineup at the Hoosier Collegiate (April 18-19)
Carded a career-low round (5-under 65) and tournament score (6-under 204) at the Hal Williams Intercollegiate
The highest finisher (T11) in Illinois' lineup at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 4-5), shooting 70-69-67 for a 54-hole total of 206 (-10).
Traveled to Big Ten Championship at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club's Witch Hollow Course in North Plains, Ore. (May 1-3) as the team’s alternate, and subbed into Round 2 in place of Trey Marrion, who could not play due to illness
Served as alternate at NCAA Athens Regional
Recorded 10 of 22 rounds at par or better including a seven rounds in the 60s.

FRESHMAN - 2024-25
Named to five-man Big Ten All-Freshman Team and All-Big Ten Championship Team (top five finishers and ties)
Played in 12 stroke play events, including three tournaments in the Illini's scoring lineup
Ranked sixth on the team with a season stroke average of 73.43
Made collegiate debut as an individual competitor at OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational (Sept. 20-22) finishing T60 with a three-round total of 10-over 220 (73-73-74)
Played in the Illinois lineup for the first time at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate (Feb. 13-15) and finished T79 with a score of 12-over 222 (73-73-76)
Played in the lineup and posted the Illini's top score at the Big Ten Championship (April 25-27), finishing T3 to earn All-Championship Team honors with a score of 3-under 207 (68-68-71)
Finished first in the 38–player Boilermaker Individual (April 19-20) with a score of 4-under 212 (71-70-71)
Carded a career-best round of 68 (-4) as an indy competitor en route to a T10 finish at the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational (Oct. 26-27) where he posted a 6-under 210 (68-70-72)
Also carded back-to-back rounds of 68 (-2) to open the Big Ten Championship, and closed the event with his best 54-hole tournament score of 207 (-3)
Played in the Illini lineup in the team's win at the NCAA Urbana Regional (May 12-14) shooting an 8-over 221 (73-74-74) to finish T51
Carded two rounds of 78 (+6) to finish 156th at the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa (May 23-26)
Recorded nine rounds at par or better, including three rounds in the 60s