Doug Ghim got some good news this week. The U.S. Golf Association made the PGA Tour player from Arlington Heights one of the 156 official starters in the 125th U.S. Open, which tees off on Thursday at Pennsylvania’s Oakmont course. Rugged Oakmont is a frequent U.S. Open site, and that was undoubtedly a big factor…
Author: lenz
Dan Roan is back on the TV golf beat
For 38 years Dan Roan was a most-respected sports anchor and reporter at WGN-TV. He retired three years ago – but now he’s back on the airwaves. Roan was coaxed back to the broadcast world by Dave Lockhart, producer of the Golf 360 TV show, which debuted for its 10th season this week…
Welcoming PGA players is nothing new for Quail Hollow’s Davenport
In any business this is a rarity. Quail Hollow Club, the PGA Championship venue for the second time, opened its course in 1960 and has had only two golf professionals. The current one, Scott Davenport, has held the job since 1999. “It’s a good place to work,’’ said Davenport. “Johnny Harris and his family have…
Zender, Ogrin top Illinois Golf Hall of Fame selections
The selection process is over for the next induction class into the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame and two of the six to made it were PGA Tour regulars after being early survivors of the qualifying school format. Bob Zender came first. After winning the Illinois State Amateur three times and earning All-American status at…
Historic Homestead Resort offers a lot more than golf
HOT SPRINGS, Va. – Our return to the Omni Homestead Resort & Spa was long overdue. We first visited in 2014, and a lot has changed at America’s first resort since then. Eleven years ago our report was all about golf, and that was appropriate. Homestead was where the legendary Sam Snead first started playing…
Donald can still be a great player — occasionally
Last week’s PGA Championship at North Carolina’s Quail Hollow had its surprises. None of the 20 club professionals survived the 36-hole cut. Neither did established stars Jordan Spieth, Sepp Straka, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry. One who did play all 72 holes was also surprising. Luke Donald, the long ago Northwestern…
Billiter is Illinois PGA’s match play champion again
The PGA Championship, second major event of the PGA Tour season, claims the national golf spotlight on Thursday at Quail Hollow, in Charlotte, N.C., but the Illinois Section of the PGA staged its first of four majors last week and it produced a result for the local record books. Jim Billiter, of Ivanhoe Club,…
There’s one course that stands out among others at Myrtle Beach
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – This is a given. If you’re in search of a golf destination Myrtle Beach will never let you down. So many courses, an oceanfront location for beach goers, lots of other entertainment options, lodging and dining options. It’s all there. I’ve made annual trips to MB for about 15 years and…
Euros might have a rare advantage in the ’26 Presidents Cup
The Presidents Cup, played every two years between the top PGA Tour players from the U.S. and a select team of International stars from all parts of the world except Europe, hasn’t created much excitement since its debut in 1994. The U.S. holds a 13-1-1 edge in the series. Medinah hosts the next staging, in…
Illini golfers switch attention to hosting an NCAA regional
Coach Mike Small’s University of Illinois men’s team, scheduled to host one of six NCAA regional tournaments, will find out the other schools in the field on Wednesday’s Selection Show on The Golf Channel. The Illini, ranked No. 13 in the collegiate polls, will join other hopefuls for the NCAA finals from May 12-14…