There’s no doubt in the mind of veteran NIU men’s golf coach Jack Pheanis about the high caliber of competition teeing up Friday and Saturday at the Oak Club of Genoa.

This weekend’s Fifth Annual Miller Genuine Draft Midwestern Invitational features a strong 13-team field, several legitimate All-America candidates and seven of last spring’s top 11 individual tournament finishers.

Pheanis’ only concern is that the 1991 Midwestern doesn’t turn into the Big Ten invitational.

“Ohio State is the team to beat,” Pheanis said. “Northwestern will be a strong challenger after placing second last week at the Kepler Intercollegiate. And Wisconsin plays well on the Oak Club course. After that, I guess everything is up in the air.”

Play begins Friday at 7:30 a.m. (CDT) with 36 holes, followed by the final 18 holes beginning at the same time on Saturday.