Author: lenz

It’s Christmas time for golfers in the Wisconsin Dells

Christmas Mountain Village has blossomed into one of the best golf destinations in The Dells.

 

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wisconsin – Golf is different in the Wisconsin Dells.  Given all the entertainment options for tourists, golf seems more an amenity than an attraction.

But, make no mistake, it’s a good one.

The Dells offers 142 holes and 12 different golf experiences, ranging from short courses to championship versions. The courses were designed around landscapes left by the glacier period and surrounded by sandstone bluffs, towering pines and rolling hills.  That makes The Dells special as a golf destination.

For the record my favorite course there is the 18-holer at Wild Rock, created by the well respected design team of Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry.  It’s a frequent tournament venue.

That said, the best golf facility in The Dells, in my book,  is Trappers Turn. It’s got three fine nines – the Arbor, Canyon and Lakes – as well as a unique 12-hole par-3 course called 12North.  Two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North and Oliphant Haltom Golf teamed up on this one for a series of challenging holes that measure between 50 and 120 yards and also includes a one-acre putting green.  Toss in the big clubhouse and restaurant and Trappers Turn gives you all you could want.

That’s brings me to the most interesting course in The Dells.  That would be the 18-holer at Christmas Mountain Village, called The Oaks. Christmas Mountain doubles as a ski area with 16 runs and two chairlifts in the winter.

Superintendent Greg Schernecker (left) and head professional Jacob James have been at Christmas Mountain Village for less than two years, but they have led the resurgence of The Oaks course.

Located in unincorporated Dells, it has the widest range of lodging options I’ve seen at a golf facility.  There are 60 year-round residents and visitors can also stay in campers, tents, log cabins, condos or villas. BlueGreen Vacations Unlimited oversees that.

What Christmas Mountain Village lacks is historical information, perhaps because the staff is relatively new.  Jacob James, the head professional, has been on hand for less than a year and Greg Schernecker, who has done solid work in improving course conditioning as the superintendent, has been on the staff for less than two years after coming over from John Deere Co.

Schernecker built a nine-hole course in Poynette, Wis. from the ground up in 1999.  He had superintendents jobs at two other Wisconsin courses over a 10-year period before his stint selling Deere equipment, but the focus now is on upgrading Christmas Mountain Village.

“We’ll just keep improving,’’ he said.  “I’m excited to see where we can take the course next.  I want this to be the best course in The Dells.’’

From what we could gather the resort opened in 1969 for skiers. The Oaks course was designed by Art Johnson. Johnson passed on in 2010 at the age of 82, and his architectural work on The Oaks was reportedly done in 1985. The course opening, though, wasn’t opened until  1990. At least that’s what we could find in published reports.

Johnson participated in the design of about 40 courses, most all in Wisconsin, and was best known as a park planner for many years in Madison.  He was dedicated to his craft, as his death came following a heart attack triggered when he had been taking down a tree and lugging away some logs near his home.

Views like this are typical of all three nines at Trappers Turn.

Christmas Mountain Village also has a nine-holer called The Pines.   Schernecker brought it back to life after it’d been closed for two years.  The Oaks, though, is the eye-catcher – especially the back nine.  The views there are stunning and the course can stand up to any in the area.

While all the putting surfaces are huge, The Oaks has two that are unique.  One is in the shape of the state of Wisconsin, the other in the shape of the state of Illinois.  Flags of both states are behind their respective greens.

Fairfield Hills, located in the foothills of Baraboo, has the largest practice range in the Dells and a course that has 12 holes.  It can be played at three, nine, 12 or 18 holes, however.

Pinecrest, in the Dells’ downtown area, is a par-3 with holes ranging from 90 to 150 yards.  This facility also includes an archery course.

The setting for Spring Brook, another nine-holer, is in tall pines with rolling terrain and wooded surroundings. It’s good for all skill levels and especially good for family games.

Trappers Turn’s clubhouse/restaurant is the best in the Wisconsin Dells.

 

Sentry will be a more prominent name in golf for years to come

SentryWorld may have the best picture of its iconic Flower Hole on the wall of its pro shop.

Patience and loyalty are enviable qualities, and they figure to pay off big time for Sentry Insurance once the 2023 golf season gets into gear.

Sentry was patient, closing the course at its headquarters in Stevens Points, Wis., for two major renovations in the last 10 years.  Now it’s on the clock to host one of golf’s most popular events, the U.S. Senior Open, in 2023.

And that’s not all.  In August Sentry agreed to a sponsorship extension with the PGA Tour as the title sponsor of the Sentry Tournament of Champions.  The agreement started in 2018, as the company’s first major sports sponsorship, and  now it’ll be the season-opening event on the PGA Tour from 2024 through 2035.

The tournament will be an early highlight of the 2022-23 season Jan. 2-8 at The Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii with a $15 million purse, up from $8.2 million in 2022 and will lead off the 2024 season when the circuit transitions to a calendar-year season.

With professional golf in a state of flux since the arrival of the controversial LIV Tour the role of Sentry Insurance will be enhanced.

“Our thanks to Pete McPartland (Sentry’s chairman of the board, president and chief executive office) and his team for their partnership, loyalty and trust in the PGA Tour,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.

“One of the smartest decisions we’ve ever made was to align ourselves with the PGA Tour,” echoed McPartland.

Sentry entered the golf business in 1982 with the creation of SentryWorld.  The course   drew immediate attention for one reason.  It’s par-3 sixteenth hole was – at least arguably – the most beautiful hole in golf.

The hole that architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. and his associate, Bruce Charleton, created wasn’t a tough one, but it had over 30,000 flowers on it so it was very easy to look at – and it still is. We had our latest look at it this past July.

In its early years the course simply had 17 other holes, and now – after a trying 10 years – it has much more than that.  Jones and Charleton did one renovation of the course in 2012-13 with Wisconsin architect Jay Blasi helping out, and then Jones and Charleton returned in February of 2020 to expand on what they’d done after the resort landed the 2023 U.S. Senior Open.

In effect the course – the only 18-holer on the property – was shut down twice, for two-years each time, over a 10-year period. The accompanying Inn was also  almost completely rebuilt as well so, obviously, the first golf destination resort in Wisconsin history was a quiet place for a substantial period.

“That brings back a moment in time when there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears,’’ said Mike James, the resort’s general manager who came on the scene in 2014.  “It’s been pedal to the metal on improvement projects to make SentryWorld as good as it possibly can be – and it’s been fun over the years seeing where SentryWorld was and where it is today.’’

James declined to give a cost figure on all the work that has been done on the golf course and in the creation of a beautiful boutique hotel, but he’s convinced “it was money well spent.’’

Jones called the parkland-style course “My Mona Lisa,’’ when it opened 40 years ago. His work there in the first renovation – it’s called a “re-imagining’’ now – resulted in water coming into play on 12 holes.  At that time the restaurant and banquet hall were also completely redone.

The new terracotta cart paths stand out on SentryWorld’s new course almost as much as the Flower Hole.

The “re-imagining’’ was created in 2012 and 2013, and the course re-opened in 2014. Most striking was the building of the terracotta colored cart paths.  The iconic Flower Hole remains, with 33,000 flowers planted over two days every June. Each year there’s a new palette, with the color scheme and design changing.

Then, in February of 2020 — a month before the U.S. Golf Association announced that SentryWorld would host the 2023 U.S. Senior Open and the pandemic shut down the PGA Tour and most of the golf world — the second renovation began.

“We closed due to Covid and took advantage of that time to make more improvements,’’ said James.  “In a weird way the pandemic afforded us the opportunity to make changes when there weren’t golfers on the course.’’

The major project this time involved the installation of the Sub Air irrigation system on every green.

Both the pandemic and the landing of the big tournament played a role in what was happening at the resort.

“It’s hard to tell how we would have progressed,’’ said James, “but the championship means so much to us.  They don’t hand those tournaments to just anybody.  As for the pandemic, we’re a destination facility and wanted to be careful.  We wanted to protect our staff and customers.’’

This is the view that greets you when you enter the new Inn at SentryWorld.

The Inn, with a unique Frank Lloyd Wright architectural flavor in its design, didn’t open until March 29 of this year and it isn’t there because of the one golf tournament.

“It was done for the benefit of SentryWorld’s general business and Sentry Insurance’s business,’’ said James.  “It was a business decision made without regard to the U.S. Senior Open, although it will be utilized for the championship.’’

Last touches on the course are still to be made, and the two new refreshment stations just opened on July 12.  SentryWorld went on the clock for its Senior Open as soon as this year’s version at Saucon Valley, in Pennsylvania, was completed.

The event will be contested on SentryWorld’s course from June 29 to July 2 in 2023, six months after the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. The Senior Open will  be the third U.S. Golf Association national championship played at the resort.

“No doubt it’ll bring the spotlight on SentryWorld,’’ said James. “It’ll be broadcast in 125 countries around the world, and having the best players in the world playing our golf course is an honor.’’

It goes beyond that, however.  Other big championships have been held in Wisconsin – at Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits in Kohler and Erin Hills in particular – but this will be the first such event in the central part of the state.

“It’ll have a $20 million-plus impact to the area, and that’s significant,’’ said James. “We want to give the players a great experience and have the community, the state and the region experience this.  Once the final putt drops we’ll start thinking about what else we can do.’’

This plaque commemorates all that’s been done by Robert Trent Jones Jr. at SentryWorld.

 

 

How Eagle Ridge is celebrating The General’s 25th anniversary

Eagle Ridge, Illinois’ only full-fledged golf resort in Galena, is marking the 25th anniversary of its premier course, The General, in an unusual way.  Call it a “Celebration Restoration.’’

Not only is The General one of the very best courses in the state, it’s also the most different.  No 18-holer in Illinois has the 280 feet of. elevation changes that The General has.  It’s a course that isn’t suitable for walking, but its views are unmatched.

John Schlaman was the director of golf at Eagle Ridge when The General was under construction. Schlaman, who would later direct the operation at Prairie Landing in West Chicago, is back now as head of the resort’s South Course.

“Building The General was obviously difficult,’’ recalled Schlaman.  “What I remember most was the fire in the hole. For a lot of that course we had to dynamite stuff to create different routings. We also struggled with seeding on the 17th hole.  It’d wash out and had to had to be re-seeded.’’

That happened several times, to the dismay of its two architects, two-time U.S. Open champion Andy North and the late Roger Packard, who also worked on two of the resort’s other three courses.

Playing The General was always a memorable experience, but the course was never ideal.  The nines were flipped after Mark Klausner took over ownership of the resort in 2019 and brought in Mike Weiler as director of golf. That was a big change, and more recently Weiler has uncovered two “mystery tees.’’  They were there when North and Packard did their work but disappeared from the scorecard seven years ago.

Now, rather honor the reputation The General has built over 25 years, the Eagle Ridge leadership is focusing more on a restoration project centering on those “mystery tees.’’

“We’re not so much celebrating as we are upgrading,’’ said Weiler.

Sam Marzahl was hired as The General’s superintendent two years ago, and he’s tackled a cleanup project encompassing the “mystery tees’’ that will lengthen Nos. 6 and 8. Other tees have been added and the end result may add as many as 400 yards to the layout from the back tees.

Klausner, meanwhile, brought in Moline-based John Deere Co. for a much-needed replacement of maintenance equipment that was at least nine years old under the previous ownership.

“A three-year deal for $1 million a year,’’ said Klausner.  “They’ve been super people to work with, and they teach us how to use the new equipment.’’

Klausner has also ordered an expansion of The Highlands restaurant, the moving of the Village Store and the creation of a new, very upscale Stonedrift Spa.  It’s scheduled to open in mid-September.

The “Celebration Restoration’’ and spa opening will follow The Legends Dream Big Charity Golf Tournament, the highest profile event in resort history coming up on Aug. 10.  That celebrity-filled outing is one of the lead-ins to the following night’s Field of Dreams game between the Cubs and Cincinnati Reds in Dyersville, Ia., about an hour’s drive away.

COMING UP:  Northbrook’s Heritage Oaks, in its first season, will host two national qualifiers in the same day on Wednesday.  U.S. Senior Amateur hopefuls (among them former Blackhawks’ player and general manager Dale Tallon) will compete in the morning and the U.S. Women’s Senior Open candidates will battle in the afternoon.

Two of the biggest amateur tournaments of the year are on tap for next week. The Women’s Western Amateur begins its six-day run on Monday at Sunset Ridge, in Northfield, and the 91st Illinois State Amateur is Tuesday through Thursday at Westmoreland, in Wilmette….The Women’s Western, held annually without interruption since 1901, calls for 36 holes of qualifying for the 120 starters, then three days of match play for the 32 survivors….The State Am won’t have a defending champion.  Last year’s title went to Ethan Farnam in a playoff with Jordan Les.  Both have since turned professional.

 

Eagle Ridge’s General is getting a “Celebration Restoration”

 

The sixth hole on The General is getting the most attention in Eagle Ridge’s “Celebration Restoration.” In addition to a new tee the par-3 now has railroad ties on its green-side front bunker.

GALENA, IL. – The General at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa isn’t your ordinary golf course – not by a long shot. So, it’s fitting that this Andy North-Roger Packard design isn’t getting the standard treatment for a course hitting its 25th anniversary.

It’s getting a “Celebration Restoration’’ instead.  We’ll explain, but first know this:

Not only is The General one of the very best courses in Illinois, it’s also the most different.  No 18-holer in Illinois has the 280 feet of elevation changes that The General has.  It’s a course that isn’t suitable for walking, but its views are unmatched.

So is its history.

John Schlaman was the director of golf at Eagle Ridge when The General was under construction. Schlaman, who would later direct the operation at Prairie Landing in West Chicago, is back now as head professional of the resort’s South Course. He can attest that the building of The General was no easy task 25 years ago.

“Building that course was obviously difficult,’’ recalled Schlaman.  “What I remember most was the fire in the hole. For a lot of that course we had to dynamite stuff to create different routings. We also struggled with seeding on the 17th hole.  It’d wash out and had to be re-seeded.’’

That happened several times, to the dismay of the two architects. North was a two-time U.S. Open champion, and Packard, who also worked on two of the resort’s other three courses was the son of Larry Packard – one of the great architects of his generation.  Both Roger and Larry have passed on.

Eagle Ridge professional John Schlaman hit a tee shot that shows The General’s signature hole when the course was under construction. Now he’s in charge of the resort’s South course.

Playing The General was always a memorable experience, but the course was never ideal.  Keeping the course in proper condition wasn’t easy, in large part because of its elevation changes. Previous owners were reluctant to deal with that.

The nines were flipped after Mark Klausner took over ownership of the resort in 2019 and brought in Mike Weiler as director of golf. That was a big change, and a most positive one.

More recently Weiler uncovered two “mystery tees.’’  They were there when North and Packard did their work but disappeared from the scorecard seven years ago. Weiler found what looked like overgrown tees at Nos. 6 and 8. To be sure he had superintendent Sam Marzahl conduct some soil tests that confirmed it.

Now, rather than honor the reputation The General has built over 25 years, the Eagle Ridge leadership is focusing more on a restoration project centering on those “mystery tees’’ but it’ll go much further than restoring a couple of tee boxes.

“We’re not so much celebrating as we are upgrading,’’ said Weiler.

Marzahl was hired as The General’s superintendent two years ago, and he’s tackled a cleanup project encompassing the “mystery tees’’ that will lengthen those two holes and add still more spectacular views for the players. Other tees have been added and the end result may add as many as 400 yards to the layout from the back tees.

Eagle Ridge owner Mark Klausner is delighted with new maintenance equipment that he acquired in a three-year deal with John Deere Co.

Klausner, meanwhile, brought in Moline, IL.-based John Deere Co. for a much-needed replacement of maintenance equipment that was at least nine years old under the previous ownership.

“A three-year deal for $1 million a year,’’ said Klausner.  “They’ve been super people to work with, and they teach us how to use the new equipment.’’

Klausner had also ordered an expansion of The Highlands restaurant, the moving of the Village Store and the creation of a new, very upscale Stonedrift Spa.  It’s scheduled to open in mid-September. That’ll be a story in itself when it’s ready.

The steep path from the No. 2 tee to the green is typical of the elevation changes on The General.

In the meantime the “Celebration Restoration’’ and spa opening will follow The Legends Dream Big Charity Golf Tournament, the highest profile event in resort history coming up on Aug. 10.  That celebrity-filled outing is one of the lead-ins to the following night’s Field of Dreams game between the Cubs and Cincinnati Reds in Dyersville, Ia., about an hour’s drive away.

Eagle Ridge has more golf than just The General.  In all there’s 63 holes – 18 on both the North and South courses and nine on the sporty East layout. Larry Packard designed the North, which opened in 1977 and hosted the Illinois State Amateur right away.  Gary Hallberg, who would become a multiple winner on the PGA Tour, was the champion.

That event set the tone for what was to come.

“Gary was 4-under on the North and the next year, when he won at Crestwicke (in Bloomington) he was 13-under,’’ said Weiler. That underscored the fact that Eagle Ridge had a course of championship caliber.

“The North had just a ton of elevation changes,’’ said Schlaman.  “You didn’t see (PGA) tour events on courses like that.’’

And you still don’t.

The South, which opened in 1984, was a combined effort by Larry and Roger Packard and Roger would later create the East, which is shorter but is certainly no executive course.

Weiler admits that all the resort’s courses had problems.

“The condition of the courses, we had issues,’’ he said.  “Now we’re getting compliments on every golf course.’’

He also found a new forward tee at No. 5 on The General that won’t impact the course’s yardage and – in one of the most visual changes – a bunker fronting the No. 6 green has been reconstructed with railroad ties put in place. A new back tee which would lengthen No. 10 is also under consideration.

While the “celebration renovation’’ has a catchy title, Weiler labels the in-house project more a “tee enlargement program’’ that was needed to bring back the looks that North and Roger Packard originally created.

“Roger and Andy created some visual objects than can confuse your eye,’’ said Weiler, who had never played an Eagle Ridge course until Klausner hired him.

“This has been so exciting,’’ said Weiler, noting the resort has 182 new golf members. “We want to move past that.  Eagle Ridge is back!’’

You can get views of three states when you’re playing The General.

Baseball Cancer Charities golf event is back in business

Golf’s celebrity events to benefit charitable causes used to be commonplace, especially in Chicago.  In fact, Chicago had one of the first really big ones – the Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities event.

It returns to the Chicago calendar for the first time in three years on Thursday, July 14, at Twin Orchard Country Club in Long Grove, but the 51st staging of the outing won’t be as big as it had been. The event was canceled because of pandemic concerns the last two years.

“It’s almost like starting over,’’ said Gene Hiser, who had been on the roster of both the Cubs and White Sox during his playing days. “Usually we rented both courses (Twin Orchard has two 18-holers), but we didn’t think we could pack both of them after being off for two years. If we oversell we can go back to two courses next year.’’

That would be nice, given that the event has raised over $18 million for cancer research over the years thanks to the involvement of many Chicago sports stars  and philanthropic-minded golfers.

Marv Samuel, a former player with the St. Louis Browns is considered the founder of the event but he had considerable help from Billy Pierce, the White Sox’ ace left-handed pitcher, and Chicago sportswriter Jim Enright.

Hiser, a Cubs’  outfielder from 1970-76 before he was sold to the White Sox, has been involved for 48 years.  He joined the effort in the early years when Midlothian, a private club in Chicago’s South suburbs, was the host venue.  The first event made only $1,000 for charity, but was hitting between $250,000 to $300,000 annually before the two-year hiatus.

Beneficiaries this year are Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Children’s Oncology Services and the One Step at a Time Camp in Wisconsin. The outing is “a project’’ of the White Sox, Cubs, Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks, Wolves and “Chicago Press Media.’’

There were lots of golf charity events after the Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities started and pro athletes from all sports loved to participate.  Hiser, in his post-baseball career, remembers playing in 42 such golf charity events one year. An outing  every Monday from April through October was his basic routine then.

“Now we’ve lost a lot of celebrities,’’ said Hiser, who had 70 on his call list at one time and now has about 45 former players.  “Some have passed away.  Others can’t play anymore.’’

Athletes from sports other than baseball were welcome in the Baseball Charities event.

“The problem is that some got greedy.  They wanted money to play,’’ said Hiser.  “We’ve never paid anybody to play.  We want to get the local Chicago residents.’’

Next week’s batch includes Randy Hundley, Ron Kittle, Carlos May, Paul Popovich, Eric Soderholm, Tim Stoddard and Buzz Capra.  There’ll be a memorabilia auction and dinner following the golf.

A MULHEARN MOMENT:  Danny Mulhearn, long-time head professional at Glen Oak in Glen Ellyn, and his son Zachary, a sophomore at St. Thomas University in Minnesota, were in the spotlight at two big Chicago area tournaments last week and both came up with runner-up finishes.

Danny was the first-round leader in the Illinois Senior Open at The Preserve at Oak Meadows, but University of Illinois men’s coach Mike Small overhauled him in the final round. Small has won the Illinois PGA Championship 13 times and the Illinois Open four times, but this was his first victory in the Illinois Senior Open.

Meanwhile, Zachary was working his way through the field in the 102nd Chicago District Amateur at Glen Flora in Waukegan until he ran into Chicago’s Charlie Waddell in the 36-hole final.  Waddell won that one 6 and 4 for his first victory in a CDGA-sanctioned event.

“I can’t think of how many I’ve played in, going back to junior golf,’’ said Waddell, a Shoreacres member.  “I’m 37, and I’ve got grey hairs coming in and guys are probably thinking `I can run this guy over.  But I just wear them down a bit.  It can be pretty frustrating for the younger players.’’

The CDGA’s biggest event, the Illinois State Amateur, is coming up July 19-21 at Westmoreland, in Wilmette.

 

 

Chicago golfers create the buzz before Poston completes his JDC win

Patrick Flavin (center) celebrates his first top-10 finish on the PGA Tour with parents Mark and Tracy.

 

SILVIS, IL. — “Magic Happens Here’’ has been the promotional motto for the John Deere Classic the last few years, and – from a Chicago player perspective – it certainly was pertinent during Sunday’s final round.

Yes, J.T. Poston won the tournament wire-to-wire – the first to do that since David Frost in 1992.

Poston, winning for the second time in six PGA Tour seasons, was 21-under 263 in his three-shot victory, but the buzz was the loudest for the early starters.  Three of the four Chicago-connected players who survived the 36-hole cut were in the fourth, fifth and sixth twosomes to tee off at TPC Deere Run, but they were ready to make birdies.

Northwestern alum Dylan Wu, Northbrook PGA Tour rookie Nick Hardy and Wheaton veteran Kevin Streelman, though far down the leaderboard going into the final 18 holes of the $7.1 million championship, improved their status in a hurry.

Wu shot 66 and climbed 26 places for a tie for 43rd in the standings.  Hardy did better, making two eagles en route to shooting a 64 that improved his position by a whopping 31 spots to a tie for 30th and Streelman not only shot 66 and climbed 16 spots to a tie for 41st, but he also made a hole-in-one.

And then there was Highwood hopeful Patrick Flavin, who got into the field on a sponsor’s exemption.  He’s using Monday qualifiers and what exemptions come to his way in an effort to earn PGA Tour membership.

Flavin was tied for 30th after 54 holes, drew U.S. Ryder Cup champion Zach Johnson as his final round playing partner and responded with a 66.  That put him in sixth place before a bogey on the last led to him finishing in a tie for 10th. That  finish was still good enough to put him in this week’s PGA Tour stop, the Barbasol Championship in Kentucky.

Kevin Streelman celebrates his hole-in-one with children Sophia and Rhett.

“To play great was awesome,’’ said Flavin.  “It meant a lot to me, and it was so cool to play with Zach Johnson. He’s a small guy that I can see myself in, plus he’s a John Deere legend.’’

“I felt I was in his way at times,’’ quipped Johnson, who struggled in with a 74 while preparing to play in the British Open in two weeks at St. Andrews.

Flavin laughed when he heard that.

“Your first step in making the Ryder Cup team is playing well in front of your captain,’’ deadpanned Flavin to a chorus of laughter.  He has no hopes of making Johnson’s Ryder Cup team but called his finish “a huge step’’  in his goal of reaching the Korn Ferry Finals.’’

That ride will continue a while longer.  Flavin needs to finish in the top 25 of the season-ending playoff series on the PGA’s alternate tour to get his membership on the big tour in 2022-23. Sunday’s showing was a big help, and it negated the need for him to play in Monday’s qualifier for the Barbasol.

Hardy, meanwhile, will take a well-deserved week off after playing five straight weeks, the last two producing a tie for 14th at the U.S. Open and tie for eighth in The Travelers in Connecticut.

“I got a good rest last night, and just felt ready,’’ said Hardy, “I’ve gained confidence.  There’s no doubt I should be among the most confident players in the world right now.  I’ve been playing great golf, but I’ve got to be smart about rest.  When you’re playing against the best in the world you can’t play at 80 percent.  You’ve got to play at full bore.’’

Streelman, 43, holed a 6-iron from 187 yards on the 12th hole.  It was his second ace on the PGA Tour and 14th overall, the first coming when he was a 13-year old playing with his brother at the Nordic Hills course in Itasca. Streelman will join Flavin in Kentucky even though he did succeed – as the 16th alternate two weeks ago – to land a spot in the Scottish Open.

“It was a tough call, but I would have to race to O’Hare and I don’t really have the right clothes for the trip,’’ said Streelman.

As for the champion, Poston birdied the first three holes to open a seven-stroke lead, but it was cut to one before his next birdie locked up the $1,278,000 first prize as well as his first trip to the British Open.

JDC champion J.T. Poston and fiance Kelly are all smiles after his wire-to-wire victory.

 

 

Poston could be a wire-to-wire winner at the John Deere Classic

J.T. Poston (right) and Denny McCarthy matched great shots in the third round of the JDC.

SILVIS, IL. – This has been one weird John Deere Classic.

Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour stop usually has a few big names.  This one had such mainstays on the circuit as Bubba Watson, Daniel Berger, Steve Stricker and Jason Day among its entrants, but none made it to the starting line.

The local players haven’t stepped forward, either.  Highwood’s Patrick Flavin continued to be the best of that bunch, but he’s down in 30th place entering Sunday’s final round.  Flavin, at least, got to see Saturday’s round of the day up close and personal.  His playing partner, Ohio State alum Bo Hoag, shot a 63, but he’s still back in a tie for sixth after 54 holes.

What this 51st playing of the tournament might produce on Sunday is a wire-to-wire champion – the first since Michael Kim set the tournament scoring record of 27-under-par 257 in an eight-shot victory in 2018.

J.D. Poston has dominated this year so far, and he takes a three-shot lead into the final round. Poston, after rounds of 62, 65 and 67, is three ahead of Scott Stallings, Emiliano Grillo and Denny McCarthy and is at 19-under-par 194 through three rounds.

Poston has had a strange season, though.  He missed the cut in his first six tournaments and 10 of his first 14. Last week, however, he tied for second in The Travelers Championship in Hartford, Ct.  Xander Schauffele beat him by two shots last Sunday, but Poston didn’t let that get him down.

“I feel great,’’ he said in the midst of his three-day hot streak at TPC Deere Run.  “My last few rounds have been great going back into last week, so I’m just trying to keep riding that momentum and not change anything.’’

Poston has but one win in six seasons on the PGA Tour, at the Wyndham Championship in his home state of North Carolina in 2019.

McCarthy was more than just his third-round playing partner this week.  They comprised two of the six players sharing a house during the JDC.

“It’s been a fun week,’’ said McCarthy. “We’ve been playing cards and go to dinner together.  There’s been no alcohol and we haven’t been throwing any parties, that’s for sure.’’

McCarthy could wind up as Poston’s top challenger on Sunday.  He hit all 18 greens in regulation on Saturday and finished birdie-birdie to cut into McCarthy’s lead that was five shots at one point.

While Poston’s game has been sharp for two weeks, McCarthy’s has been encouraging, too.  Though McCarthy is winless on the PGA Tour he did contend in two of his last three tournaments, tying for fifth in the Memorial and tying for seventh in the U.S. Open.

In Saturday’s round Stallings shot 64, Grillo 65, McCarthy 66 and Poston 67. Poston’s lead was slipping away until he made eagle at the par-5 seventeenth.

Zach Johnson, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain, is gearing up for the British Open in two weeks at St. Andrews – where he won in 2015.  He’s also on the JDC Board of Directors and the tourney’s champion in 2012. Johnson goes into Sunday’s final round in a tie for 36th.

“That’s where my mind is right now.  I’ve got 11-12 days before St. Andrews so I’ll get focused on that next week,’’ said Johnson.  “I’m not there yet.  That’s obviously a totally different animal, so my mind is still on tomorrow here.’’

While not ruling himself out, Johnson is interested in Sunday’s battle with three British Open spots on the line for other players.

“There are some guys who may not be household names on this board right now, but they will be,’’ said Johnson. “The quality of golf is going to be spectacular.’’

 

 

 

JDC sponsor exemption is paying off for Flavin

J.T. Poston loved putting out on the 18th green after his 62-65 start in the John Deere Classic.

SILVIS, IL. – Highwood’s Patrick Flavin is taking  a precarious route to the PGA Tour, but…so far, so good.

Flavin has no status on the PGA Tour, so the only way he can get into tournaments is through Monday qualifiers or sponsor exemptions. Neither is easy.

The qualifiers usually draw about 200 players, with just four spots in the main event on the line. Sponsor exemptions are a hit and miss thing. You’ve got to know the right people, and those people get lots of applicants.

Between Monday qualifiers and sponsor exemptions Flavin has gotten into eight PGA Tour events in this 2021-22 wrap-around season, the last being this week’s John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run.

In his first seven PGA Tour events Flavin survived the 36-hole cut in three and earned $145,165.  Most of that came in a $99,123 payday for a tie for 17th in the Bermuda Open last fall.  The John Deere Classic, Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour event, could prove better than that by the time the $7.1 tournament ends on Sunday.

Flavin fired a 5-under-par 66 in Friday’s second round to get well under the cut number, assuring he’ll be playing on the weekend. He’s at 6-under 136 for 36 holes and trails leader J.T. Poston by nine strokes.

He got into the JDC on a sponsor’s exemption, this one offered by outgoing tournament director Clair Peterson, who will end a 20-year run on the job once the details of this staging are completed.

“Mr. Peterson have me a big high-five after my round,’’ said Flavin, one of only two players to win the Illinois State Amateur and Illinois Open in the same year.  He accomplished that feat in 2017 after a strong collegiate career at Miami of Ohio.

“I know I can get through those Monday qualifiers, but sponsor exemptions are hard to come by,’’ said Flavin.  “I wore Mr. Peterson out with emails for four years, and it was cool for him and John Deere to take a chance on me. It’s a real honor.’’

It’s more difficult to do well in a PGA Tour event if you get in via Monday qualifying instead of getting an invite. Flavin didn’t have to do it this week.  Not only did Peterson make him his first exemption, he also gave Flavin a spot in  Monday’s pro-am on the tournament course. That may have spurred his strong two-round start.

“It’s hard to put into words, but it’s incredibly huge,’’ said Flavin.  “From a preparation standpoint, it’s better if you can skip the qualifying round. Yesterday (in the first round) I made some awesome saves and today I played great, super solid.  I’m so pumped for the weekend.’’

Flavin, 26, hopes to earn enough money in his PGA Tour starts to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour Playoffs, then use a strong showing there to earn membership on the PGA Tour for the 2022-23 season.

“I’m not 100 percent sure what I need to do,’’ said Flavin, who will continue to play in all the Monday qualifiers unless another sponsor exemption comes his way.  “I’m pretty close to being there.  Putting myself in contention here would be my next big step, but I know I belong (on the PGA Tour). It’s so cool to get this much experience at this level.’’

Peterson’s sponsor exemptions in the past included John Daly, David Duval, Jordan Spieth, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm. The last top-10 finisher from the sponsor exemption ranks was University of Illinois alum Luke Guthrie who tied for fifth in 2012.

Flavin, in a tie for 25th, is the best of the local players, though Kevin Streelman, Dylan Wu and Nick Hardy also survived the cut.  Defending champion Lucas Glover didn’t.

Streelman stays in the hunt after Round 1 at the JDC

Nick Hardy greets young fans after opening with a 71 in the John Deere Classic. (Rory Spears Photo)

SILVIS, IL. – Kevin Streelman, Chicago’s most prominent PGA Tour player, isn’t having one of his best years on the circuit, but the veteran from Wheaton wasn’t bothered by his 2-under-par 69 in Thursday’s first round of the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run.

“I’m not happy with how I hit it.  My swing wasn’t quite there,’’ said Streelman.  “Still, it was a solid day – though I didn’t have my best stuff.’’

A 2-under-par effort isn’t usually a cause for celebration in the JDC, a tournament known for its particularly low scoring.  This year’s may be different, however.  Though J.T. Poston fired a 9-under-par 62 to claim a two-shot first-round lead, the scoring wasn’t as low as it usually is in Round 1 thanks to some day-long windy conditions that made club selection difficult.’’

Streelman,  an uncharacteristic No. 112 in the FedEx Cup standings with only one top-10 finish this year, is also  disappointed that he didn’t qualify for this week’s Irish Open or the upcoming British Open. He is feeling good about his play in last week’s Travelers Championship in Hartford, CT., however.

That was the last tournament he won on the PGA Tour (2014), finishing with seven straight birdies in that victory, and last week he finished the tournament with three straight rounds of 67 en route to a tie for 25th finish.

While Streelman, 43, is a PGA veteran and seemingly one who might be enticed by the big money offered by the new LIV Tour, he denies any interest in the circuit that is conducting its first tournament on American soil in Portland, Oregon, this week.

“That’s exhibition golf.  There’s no historical benefit to it,’’ said Streelman, who has spent several years as a member of PGA Players Advisory Board  “Shorter fields, shotgun starts, no-cut tournaments – that isn’t real golf.  I would never be interested in playing that tour.’’

Streelman, however, is very interested in the Illinois Junior Golf Associations first Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at Cantigny, the Wheaton course where he played extensively as a youth.  He’ll be one of five inductees and will also give a youth clinic as part of the festivities.

While Streelman didn’t feel in danger of missing the 36-hole cut that follows Friday’s second round, there are local players in danger – most notably Northbook PGA Tour rookie Nick Hardy who has been on a role the last three weeks.

Recovered from a wrist injury, Hardy last a Korn Ferry Tour event in a playoff at The Glen Club, then advanced to the U.S. Open after being the first alternate in a sectional qualifier.  He made his appearance in the finals at The Country Club in Massachusetts, finishing in a tie for 14th, before nabbing his first top-10 on the PGA Tour with a tie for eighth at Hartford.

Stymied by a double bogey on the par-3 sixteenth, Hardy carded a par 71 on Thursday and will likely need a better showing Friday to play on the weekend.

First-round leader Poston was also tied for the first round lead at Hartford last week  and finished in a tie for second behind Xander Schauffele.

 

 

 

 

This JDC will be Peterson’s last as its tournament director

This week’s John Deere Classic, Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour event, will be the last with Clair Peterson as its tournament director.

Peterson, 69, will drop down to a player liaison’s role with Andrew Lehman, a JDC staffer for 16 years, assuming full time director’s duties after the post-tournament details from this year are completed.  The well-respected Peterson has held the job for 20 years, and the last three have been especially challenging.

In 2020 the tournament, which was planning a 50th anniversary celebration, had to be cancelled because of pandemic concerns. In 2021 the tourney was held, and the anniversary celebrated, but with stiff restrictions. Attendance was limited to no more than 5,000.

This year the issues are a new date — albeit just a week earlier than in the past —  and a possible new rival.  The Saudi-financed LIV Tour will hold its first American tournament Thursday-Saturday in Oregon while the JDC has a Thursday-Sunday run at TPC Deere Run in downstate Silvis.

Peterson downplays the importance of the LIV Tour, which has recruited many of the PGA Tour’s top stars over the last few weeks with the promise of bigger pay days. About 45 players have signed with the LIV circuit so far including the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau – the JDC champion in 2015.

“Those 45 historically weren’t going to come here anyway,’’ said Peterson.  “Their exhibition — a three-day event with a small field (48 players) and a shotgun start — has nothing to do with what we do. What we’ve got is a Super Bowl for our community.’’

The JDC is a huge benefactor for many charities throughout the Quad Cities area of Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa.  The tournament lost players in the past because it was held the week before the British Open. That’s not a problem now, though Peterson admits concerns over losing players to the Irish Open.

“That tournament has 75 slots for PGA Tour members, so that could affect us,’’ said Peterson. “We’ll still have 156 world class players.’’

Peterson has been resourceful in building attractive fields.  The proximity to the British was mitigated when he hired a jet to take players directly to the British site the night the JDC ended.

This year his diligence in using sponsor’s exemptions of the past is helping out.  Peterson’s first invite was Zach Johnson, who received two of them before going on to win a Masters and a British Open and taking a position on the JDC board. This week’s defending champion, Lucas Glover, is also a past invitee.

Peterson has also given invites to Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth and DeChambeau. They won’t be at the JDC this week, but   past recipients Jason Day and Webb Simpson, major championship winners who haven’t played in the Quad Cities in recent years, will. Day was invited to the JDC when he was a 17-year old.

All the Chicago-connected PGA Tour players – Kevin Streelman, Luke Donald, Doug Ghim, Nick Hardy and Dylan Wu – will be in the field. Northbrook’s Hardy has been on a roll since recovering from a wrist injury.  The PGA Tour rookie tied for 14th in the U.S. Open and tied for eighth in the Travelers Championship in Connecticut the last two weeks.

This year’s sponsor exceptions have a local flavor. One is Highwood’s Patrick Flavin, who has survived an astounding five Monday qualifiers to get into PGA Tour events this year.  Another is Southern Illinois’ Luke Gannon, who Monday  qualified for last year’s JDC and also competed in this year’s U.S. Open.

BITS: The 102nd Chicago District Golf Association Amateur concludes its four-day run at Glen Flora, in Waukegan, on Thursday….Antioch High School’s Donald Barnett made two holes-in-one in an Illinois Junior Golf Association tournament at Bristol Oaks, in Wisconsin….Naperville’s Lisa Copeland bowed to Jessica Mason, of Westminster, Colo., in the title match of the 95th Women’s Western Junior at Prestwick, in Frankfort, and Mexico’s Eduardo Derbez Torres captured the 104th boys Western Junior at Naperville Country Club.