ORLANDO, FL. — The weather in most parts of the country may not suggest that the golf season is imminent, but it’s in full swing at the Orange County Convention Center here. For the golf industry this is the start of show-time.

The 63rd annual PGA Merchandise Show, which starts on Tuesday (JAN 26) with a Demo Day at the massive Orange County National Golf Center, traditionally draws 40,000 industry professionals and 74 countries will be represented in the contingent of visitors.

This week’s event is not open to the public but after it concludes on Friday there will be a series of smaller shows across the country. Chicago golfers can see what’s new in the game at the Tinley Park Golf Show from Feb. 12-14 and the Chicago Golf Show at the Rosemont Convention Center from Feb. 26-28.

While the Orlando show has always been a big deal, this time is special. It marks the start of the PGA of America’s centennial celebration. The PGA, which now has 28,000 members and is the largest working sports organization in the world, was formed in 1916 and one of its original seven sections was the Middle States, which included Illinois club professionals. The Middle States was changed to the Illinois Section as part of a restructuring in 1921.

This year’s PGA Merchandise Show has over 1,000 companies and brands exhibiting their new products of equipment, technology and training aids. They include Chicago area equipment manufacturers Wilson and Tour Edge. First viewing of the new gear comes Tuesday at the 42-acre Orange County National Golf Center, which has a circular practice and over 100 hitting bays.

Then the show moves inside for three days. While the new club models usually draw the most attention, other new products always draw onlookers, too. Two sure to get attention this week are ClubHub, the first ever portable golf swing analysis and shot-tracking system, and Johnny Miller’s Motion Fit Glove.

ClubHub was developed by Kinetek Sports and its $500 product can provide players with instant feedback both on the practice range and on the course, as it delivers analytical information to a smart phone app.

Miller, the one-time PGA Tour star turned broadcaster, announced recently that he has become a part-owner and endorsee for Zero Friction’s new line of compression-fit gloves. They come in but one size, but reportedly fit the hands of all golfers.

Here and there

Former world No. 1 Luke Donald, after revealing he considered quitting the PGA Tour during a difficult 2015 season, had a good start in 2016. The former Northwestern star posted a tie for 28th at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

The Western Golf Assn. has a new chairman, and the first to come from Michigan since 1997. David Robinson, of Troy, Mich., was selected to succeed Dennis O’Keefe, who lives in Winnetka.

With the WGA’s BMW Championship shifting to Crooked Stick in Indianapolis in September, the only PGA Tour stop in Illinois this year will be the John Deere Classic in the Quad Cities – and iit’ll be played on new dates, Aug. 11-14, opposite the revived golf competition at the Olympic Games in Brazil.

The PGA Tour’s satellite Web.com Tour announced that it will have a tournament in the Chicago area for the first time since 2007 when Ivanhoe hosts the $600,000 Rust-Oleum Championship from June 6-12. The circuit has also since added a second Illinois stop, the Lincoln Land Charity Classic at Panther Creek in Springfield from July 11-17 – the dates usually held by the John Deere Classic.

There’s been a lot to celebrate at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville during these dwindling days of the Chicago golf season. First, one of its professionals — Brian Brodell — was named Illinois PGA Player of the Year last month while the club was preparing for the long-awaited opening of its new clubhouse.

Brodell beat out Jim Billiter, of Libertyville’s Merit Club, who won two of the IPGA’s four major titles. Billiter won the IPGA Match Play and IPGA Championship but didn’t play in the other two, the Illinois Open and IPGA Players Championship. Brodell didn’t win any of the majors, but still amassed enough points to edge Billiter in the Player of the Year race.

An even more surprising development happened over the weekend, however, when another member of Mistwood’s teaching staff — Andy Mickelson — captured the 39th National Car Rental PGA Assistant Championship on the Wanamaker Course at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, FL.

Mickelson, 34, had long struggled with the decision on whether or not to turn professional after finishing as runner-up in the 2011 Chicago District Amateur at Medinah.

After working as an apprentice at Mistwood Mickelson spent time on the Hooters Tour while working for a Lisle packaging company specializing in supply chain management. Then Mistwood invited him to return.

“I was working in a cubicle when I got the call,’’ said Mickelson. “This is what I am. I love the game of golf.’’

He especially enjoyed it last week when he posted a 16-under-par 272 score for 72 holes to post a two-stroke victory against assistant club professionals from around the country. Mickelson was only sixth in the Illinois PGA Assistants player-of-the-year race behind winner Brian Carroll of Royal Hawk in St. Charles and he didn’t have high hopes for a good showing in the national tournament.

“I just wanted to make it to the weekend (qualify for the final 36 holes),’’ said Mickelson. “That was my goal. I had a good year in our (Illinois) Section, but there was no way I saw myself winning. No way was I going to go 16-under for four days. I have not played a big four-round tournament in nearly 10 years.’’

Competing in the event for the first time Mickelson took charge with a second round 65 and was at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the second, third and fourth rounds. The win earned him $9,000 and a spot in next year’s PGA Professionals Championship.

“It was the biggest win I ever had,’’ said Mickelson. “It is just surreal. I am having trouble fathoming it, to be honest. All week I was in the mindset of shot-to-shot. I didn’t get ahead of myself. I just kept my head down.’’

NOTES: The Chicago area will have at least one less golf course in 2016. The City of Aurora closed its Fox Valley course on Sunday and won’t re-open it next year. Fox Valley was in operation for over 40 years.

University of Illinois sophomore Nick Hardy earned Player of the Year honors in the Chicago District Golf Assn. while Taylorville’s Dave Ryan was again the CDGA Senior Player of the Year.

The John Deere Classic, Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour event, reported a record $8,734,000 was raised for 488 Quad City charities from this July’s tournament. That amount was a stunning $2.4 million more than was raised at last year’s JDC Classic.

Ivanhoe’s Jim Sobb, an inductee into the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame last month, was named the Illinois PGA Senior Player of the Year for the sixth time in the last 10 years.

With the exception of the Presidents Cup team event, coming up in Korea in two weeks, the PGA Tour’s 2014-15 season is over. Jordan Spieth’s win in the FedEx Cup playoffs on Sunday brought it to a dramatic conclusion.

In the Chicago area, though, there’s still a few events on the October calendar including two that carry fancy titles. The U.S. FootGolf National Championship will be held on Saturday (OCT 3) at the Chicago Park District’s Sydney Marovitz course and the Speedgolf World Championship is Oct. 19-20 at The Glen Club in Glenview.

FootGolf, a combination of soccer and golf, has made inroads at courses nation-wide, with the American FootGolf League reporting that it has accredited 440 golf facilities. In FootGolf a soccer ball is kicked into a 21-inch cup. The 36-hole stroke play event at Marovitz is a qualifier for the World FootGolf Championship Jan. 6-10 in Argentina.

Bill Rehanek, senior vice president of Billy Casper Golf – manager of several Chicago courses – claims the sport “is attracting new generations of golfers and non-golfers to courses coast to coast.’’

While FootGolf isn’t really golf, SpeedGolf definitely is. Its defending world champion is Eri Crum, who was one of Tiger Woods’ college teammates at Stanford in the 1990s. In Speedgolf you’re judged on both your score and pace around the course.

“It’s an awesome sport, but it needs help to grow,’’ said Crum before giving a recent demonstration over the last three holes at The Glen. He cruised through No. 16, a par-4, in 1:49 and made par, got through No. 17, a par-3, in 62 seconds and made bogey and then made birdie on No. 18 — a par-5 – while getting from tee to green in 2:08.

After his Stanford days Crum became a physical therapist and chiropractor. He got serious about golf again after learning about Speedgolf.

“It’s been a wonderful outlet to get my golf game back,’’ he said. “Efficiency is so important.’’

Players must avoid unnecessary delays to be successful at Speedgolf. One of Crum’s top rivals putts one-handed and doesn’t drop his golf bag. None of the players stop to check yardages. Golf bags are made as light as possible with most players using six clubs or less.

There are some rule variations. The pin remains in the cup in Speedgolf and there’s no loss of distance for a lost ball. Players go off alone in roughly six-minute intervals.

“We’re not suggesting it replaces regular golf,’’ said Tim Scott, president of Speedgolf International. “But Speedgolf promotes creativity and fitness. It’s growing.’’

The Speedgolf world record was posted by Christopher Smith, a teaching pro from Oregon, while playing in a competition at another Chicago Park District course, Jackson Park, in 2005. Smith got around Jackson Park in 65 strokes and 44 minutes. Combining the score and time, Smith’s record is 109. Crum’s winning total last year at Bandon, Ore., over 18 holes was 121 – a score of 76 in 45 minutes.

The elite division at The Glen will have about 30 competitors, including some from Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Canada. A $40,000 prize fund will be on the line in the elite division. An amateur division with age group competition will also be offered at The Glen. Entry fee is $150.

Good local showings in USGA championships

Three Illinois players survived stroke play qualifying and first-round matches in this week’s U.S. Golf Association national championships. Curtis Skinner of Lake Bluff and Dave Ryan of Taylorville advanced in the U.S. Senior Amateur at Hidden Creek in New Jersey while Palatine’s Jean Cheszek moved ahead in the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur at Hillwood in Tennessee.

Vince Antoniou, of North Barrington, survived stroke play at Hidden Creek before losing to Ryan in their first-round match. Ryan became the first three-time winner of the Illinois Senior Amateur title earlier this month.

Here and there

The last of the four major championships for Illinois PGA members – the IPGA Players Championship – will be played Monday and Tuesday (OCT 5-6) on the North Course at Eagle Ridge Resort in Galena.

Only an Oct. 13 qualifying session for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship remains on the Chicago District Golf Assn. schedule. It’ll be played at The Glen Club.

The Addison Senior Open is on tap at the Links & Tees facility on Sunday (OCT 4) and Nickol Knoll, in Arlington Heights, will host a senior fall scramble next Wednesday (OCT 7).

Little City, in Palatine, has announced that it will open a golf academy for adults with developmental intellectual disabilities in mid-October.

The Tour Championship, which tees off on Thursday at East Lake in Atlanta, brings an end to the PGA Tour’s 2014-15 season and Zach Johnson is in an interesting position.

Only 30 players qualified for the 72-hole event that has an $8.25 prize fund and offers an additional $10 million bonus to the winner of the four-event FedEx Cup Playoffs. The winner of the bonus won’t necessarily be the same player who wins The Tour Championship. That’s where Johnson, the reigning British Open champion, figures in.

The FedEx Playoffs began in 2007 to provide the PGA Tour with a much-needed climax to its season. The point system remains confusing, however. The ranking points accumulated in the previous tournaments are reset to create more suspense for the last event.

One thing is certain: if any of the top five in the standings wins at East Lake, that player also wins the $10 million. Johnson is No. 6.

That’s not a bad position to be in. The top five are Jason Day, who won the BMW Championship at Conway Farms in Lake Forest on Sunday; Jordan Spieth, who won the Masters and U.S. Open in the first half of the season but hasn’t been as sharp lately; Rickie Fowler, winner of the Deutsche Bank Champion in the Playoffs; Henrik Stenson, winner of the FedEx Cup in 2013; and Bubba Watson.

There’s no guarantee that Sunday’s winner will come from that group, though Day is red hot. He’s won four of his last six starts and became the world’s No. 1-ranked player with his win at Conway Farms.

Johnson, meanwhile, isn’t one of the game’s much-publicized young guns – a group of twenty-somethings that includes Day, Spieth, Fowler and Rory McIlroy, most recent of the previous No. 1s. But, at 39, Johnson’s no slouch. The Iowa-based veteran is the reigning British Open champion. He also includes the 2007 Masters and Illinois’ two PGA Tour events — the 2012 John Deere Classic and the first BMW Championship at Conway two years ago – among his 12 PGA Tour victories.

Most important, he’s playing good, too. Johnson finished his last round at Conway Farms with five birdies and shot 64, the day’s lowest score. That boosted him from No. 7 to No. 6 in the FedEx standings. While he would have liked to crack the top five, Johnson has the best shot at golf’s biggest paycheck if none of the top five win at East Lake.

“I’ll take it,’’ said Johnson. “I was very frustrated (last week) because I felt like I was in a place to do some work. I figured something out with my ball-striking going into the last nine. You can just chalk up that last five holes to patience.’’

The struggle to find his swing, though, took a toll on Johnson.

“I’m spent. I’m done. I’m ready for a break more mentally than I am physically,’’ said Johnson. “Physically I’m fine. That’s why I work out. That’s why I’ve got a team of guys to get me motivated and ready to play.’’

Though he admits “mental fatigue is there,’’ Johnson’s not about to skip a chance to win $10 million. He can do it by winning at East Lake and have Day finishing no better than a tie for second. Even if he doesn’t win the tournament Johnson would have a mathematical chance of claiming the bonus by finishing second, depending on how the players ranked about him fare.

Here and there

Illinois senior Thomas Detry tied the Olympia Fields North course record with a 7-under-par 63 in the Fighting Illini Invitational, but the Illini settled for a fifth-place finish behind champion Florida State. Detry, who finished second individually in the 54-hole competition, matched a score posted by Rickie Fowler in 2007.

Dave Ryan of Taylorville became the first three-time winner of the Illinois Senior Amateur with a five-stroke win at Ravisloe, in Homewood, and Gary March took the Illinois Senior Open at McHenry Country Club.

The Illinois Super Senior Open begins its 36-hole run on Tuesday at Pine Meadow in Mundelein.

Kevin Streelman, Mark Wilson and Luke Donald all survived The Barclays, first tournament of the PGA Tour’s lucrative FedEx Cup Playoffs but this week’s challenge means much more to those Chicago-connected players.

The Barclays brought the top 125 players in the FedEx rankings after the 47 regular season tour events to New Jersey. This week’s Deutsche Bank Classic, which tees off on Friday in Boston, takes only the top 100 and the top 70 after its conclusion on Monday get to play in Chicago’s event – the BMW Championship Sept. 17-20 at Conway Farms in Lake Forest.

As was the case at The Barclays, there’ll be a 36-hole cut in Boston. There’ll be no cut at the BMW or the series-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta. All four tournaments have an $8.25 million purse and the series winner gets an additional $10 million bonus.

So, big money is on the line for Streelman, Wilson and Donald. Streelman, who grew up in Wheaton, is in the best position going to Boston. He’s No. 65 in the FedEx standings but will most likely need to survive the cut there to stay in the top 70.

Wilson, who lives in Elmhurst, and Donald, the former Northwestern star and a Conway Farms member, need to do better than that. Both were up to the first challenge at The Barclays. Wilson and Donald tied for 24th place there. Wilson was ranked No. 114 going in and is now 85th in the standings while Donald was No. 119 going in and is now 87th.

Jordan Spieth, the Masters and U.S. Open champion who missed the cut at The Barclays, remains No. 1 on the FedEx point list while Jason Day, the PGA Championship and Barclays winner, is No. 2. British Open champion Zach Johnson, who will defend his title at the BMW Championship, is No. 11.

The Chicago-based Western Golf Assn. conducts the BMW Championship but will have another playoff event to handle before that. The WGA also conducts the Hotel Fitness Championship, first event of the four-tournament Web.com Tour Playoffs at Sycamore Hills in Fort Wayne, Ind. Its 72-hole run begins on Thursday.

Players ranked from 126-200 in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup standings will join the top 75 from the Web.com Tour season money list at Sycamore Hills. The field there also includes an Illinois-based trio – Scott Langley, Luke Guthrie and D.A. Points.

Dilemma for International Crown

The second staging of the UL International Crown, the Ladies PGA team event coming to Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove next year, could be a bit different than the first playing in Baltimore in 2014. Spain, winner of the first Crown, isn’t qualified for the second yet.

The top eight countries on the Rolex World Ranking on April 4 will be in the next International Crown. Spain is now ranked ninth, behind – in order – Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia, Sweden, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and England. Each country will have four players, but they won’t be finalized until the rankings are announced on June 13.

Rich Harvest owner Jerry Rich hosted a one-year-out kickoff for the 2016 Crown last week. Weekly tickets for the July 19-24 event are now on sale and volunteer registration is open, both by visiting www.ULCROWN.com.

Here and there

The 93rd Illinois PGA Championship concludes its 54-hole run on Wednesday on Medinah’s No. 1 course. Mike Small, the Illinois men’s coach, is going for his third straight victory and 12th in 15 years but he’ll need a hot round after a 72-73 start left him well back in the pack – 11 strokes behind leader Jim Billiter, assistant pro at Merit Club in Libertyville. Billiter, who shot a 66 on Tuesday, is at 8-under-par 134 and owns a three-stroke lead over Matt Slowinski, the head pro at Conway Farms.

Small’s Illini team, ranked No. 1 in GolfWeek’s preseason coaches poll, opens its season at Rich Harvest in the two-day Northern Intercollegiate tourney Sept. 12-13 hosted by Northern Illinois University.

Thomas Detry, who won the 2012 NCAA title while playing for Illinois, captured the Czech Masters on the European PGA Tour last week. That boosted his world ranking 104 places, to No. 141.

Chadd Slutzky, of Deer Park, won the Illinois State Mid-Amateur title last week at Flossmoor Country Club, beating defending champion Andrew Price, of Lake Bluff, in a three-hole aggregate score playoff.

The Chicago District Golf Assn. will hold its Better Ball of Pairs Championship next Tuesday at Kemper Lakes in Long Grove.

First played in 1923, the Illinois PGA Championship has basically been The Mike Small Show since 2001. That’s when the Illinois men’s coach captured the title for the first time. He’s won the tournament 11 times in the last 14 years, but next week’s 93rd staging at Medinah’s No. 1 Course will be a little different.

The 54-hole tournament, which begins on Monday, will be the first major event played on the course since Michigan architect Tom Doak’s major renovation was completed.

Not only that, but Small will be returning to the place where his eight-year winning streak in the tournament came to an end in 2011. Then-Midlothian assistant Frank Hohenadel won that year.

“I’m not going to think about losing that streak,’’ said Small, who has won the last two years. “I’m thinking about going for No. 12. I’ll think positive. I’ve played well this time of year. It’s the perfect time of the year for me to play.’’

His coaching duties do cut in to Small’s competitive possibilities but he did win the IPGA’s Dubsdread Classic on Monday, shooting a 4-under-par 68 on the course that hosted the PGA Tour’s Western Open and BMW Championship for 20 years.

The IPGA Championship has been rotated between three sites – Olympia Fields’ South Course, Stonewall Orchard in Gurnee and Medinah No. 1 – in recent years. Small won at Medinah in 2008, but the course is much different now than it was before the renovation. The club professionals got familiar with the IPGA venues, but few have played Medinah No. 1 since Doak completed his work.

That might benefit Medinah teaching pros Travis Johns and Rick Dukelow, both long-time contenders in the IPGA’s big tournaments. Johns was last year’s IPGA Player of the Year. The leader in that point race is Brian Brodell, assistant pro at Mistwood in Romeoville.

The tourney calls for 18 holes on Monday and Tuesday before the field is cut to the low 60 and ties for next Wednesday’s (SEPT 2) final round.

FedEx Cup Playoffs begin

The PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs begin Thursday for the season’s top 125 players. Wheaton’s Kevin Streelman goes in at No. 61, Elmhurst’s Mark Wilson at No. 114 and former Northwestern star Luke Donald at No. 119.

They’ll be in the field at The Barclays in New Jersey, which starts on Thursday, but only the top 100 will qualify for the second event – the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston. Chicago’s playoff event, the BMW Championship at Conway Farms in Lake Forest from Sept. 14-20, will take only the top 70 players.

LPGA Legends return to French Lick

The Legends Championship – highlight of the season for the LPGA’s senior players (45 and over) – will return for the third time to Indiana’s French Lick Resort. It’s been reduced from 54 to 36 holes this year, with the tournament rounds on Saturday (AUG 28) and Sunday (AUG 29).

Juli Inkster, the U.S. Solheim Cup captain, will make a rare Legends Tour appearance in the 56-player field on the rugged Pete Dye Course at French Lick. Recently-named World Golf Hall of Famer Laura Davies will also be in the field as will Rosie Jones and JoAnne Carner, who will be inducted into the Legends Hall of Fame at Friday’s Gala.

Laurie Rinker will defend her title on the course that hosted the men’s Senior PGA Championship. A $300,000 prize fund will be on the line for the Legends and there will also be a separate competition for former LPGA stars who are 63 and over.

Speedgolf coming to The Glen

The Glen Club, in Glenview, will host the Speedgolf World Championship Oct. 19-20. It’s a 36-hole competition in which players are judged on both their score and the time required to play their rounds. Eri Crum, a former college teammate of Tiger Woods at Stanford, is the defending champion, having won last year at Bandon Dunes in Oregon.

Speedgolf’s premier event will have an elite division for Crum and about 30 other players as well as an amateur competition. Those interested should check out the website — speedgolfinternatinal.com.

This week’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., isn’t one of the bigger PGA Tour events but it’s huge for Luke Donald.

The former Northwestern star, who was once No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings, needs a good showing to assure himself a spot in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. The top 125 players in the season-long point race are eligible for the first of the four playoff events, The Barclays in New Jersey in two weeks. Donald’s ranking climbed from 131 to 124 with a tie for 43rd in last week’s PGA Championship.

“I want to be one of those annoying guys who just gets in to the FedEx Playoffs, has a hot week and then has a chance to win at East Lake,’’ said Donald, whose game has slowly improved after he reunited with long-time swing coach Pat Goss.

Actually, Donald wants to do much more than get into the lucrative postseason series. The third of the four events, the BMW Championship, will be played from Sept. 17-20 on his home course – Conway Farms in Lake Forest.

“I’d love to play at Conway Farms,’’ he said. “It got a good reception from the players (when the BMW moved there in 2013), and they’ve made some great changes since then.’’

Donald had some influence on those upgrades.

“There were a few minor changes on the course,’’ he said, “but they completely changed and much improved the practice facility.’’

If Donald maintains or improves his standings position this week he’ll get into the playoffs. Then he’ll have to play well enough at The Barclays to crack the top 100, who will be eligible for the second playoff event – the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston. The top 70 after that event qualify to play at Conway Farms and the top 30 after that event go to The Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta.

All four of the no-cut tournaments have an $8.25 million purse and a $10 million payoff awaits the winner of the series, so a ton of money is on the line. Donald said he’d be at Conway — whether he qualifies or not — to participate in fund-raising efforts for the First Tee of Chicago but he’s hopeful that his improved play will continue and he’ll be among the competitors.

“We’re just trying to keep building,’’ he said. “I’ve had a string of steady rounds, lots of 2-, 3-, 4-unders. Now I’m looking for that breakout round to get me going.’’

Here and there

The LPGA Legends Championship. scheduled Aug. 29-30 in French Lick, Ind., has lost the player who shocked the field last year. Sherri Steinhauer shot a 63 – the lowest round, man or woman on the rugged Pete Dye Course – but was deprived of a chance to win the title when the final round was cancelled due to weather problems. A broken ankle will keep Steinhauer out of the field this month.

Five college stars competing in this week’s U.S. Amateur at Olympia Fields have been named to the 10-man U.S. Walker Cup team. They are Bryson DeChambeau (Southern Methodist), Beau Hossler (Texas), Lee McCoy (Georgia), Maverick McNealy (Stanford) and Hunter Stewart (Vanderbilt). The other five players on the squad will be announced after the U.S. Amateur ends on Sunday.

Ivanhoe’s Jim Sobb successfully defended his Illinois PGA Senior Championship with a playoff win over Doug Bauman of Biltmore, in Barrington. Richard Tilgham captured the Chicago District Super Senior Amateur at Schaumburg Golf Club.

They keep getting bigger. Within the last month the men’s and women’s Illinois State Amateurs have been played. Then came the men’s Illinois Open, and the Illinois Women’s Open concludes its 54-hole run on Wednesday at Mistwood, in Romeoville.

Next week’s tournament offering is even more prestigious. The 113th Western Amateur takes over Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, with the first tee shots scheduled for Tuesday following a practice day for all of the 156 competitors.

The Western Amateur, conducted by the Chicago-based Western Golf Assn., is a stepping stone to professional stardom. Its list of champions includes Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf, Lanny Wadkins, Andy North, Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, Hal Sutton, Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard and Tiger Woods.

Stamina is as much a requirement as shot-making in the Western Am. The entire field plays 18-hole rounds on the first two days of the tournament and only the low 44 and ties remain after that. They’ll play 36 holes on Thursday, Aug. 6, with the low 16 moving on to the match play portion of the event. There’ll be two rounds of matches on Friday, Aug. 7, and Saturday, Aug. 8 before the champion is crowned.

Last year the winner was Beau Hossler, a junior at the University of Texas who has already qualified for three U.S. Opens. He won his Western title at Chicago’s Beverly Country Club and got an early look at Rich Harvest while helping a U.S. team of collegiate stars defeat Europe in June’s Palmer Cup matches there.

He’ll have to beat a flock of great amateurs to repeat, among them Texas teammate Doug Ghim of Arlington Heights – last year’s Western Amateur medalist – and University of Illinois stalwarts Nick Hardy and Charlie Danielson.

The 2013 Western Am champion, Jordan Niebrugge, is also in the field and is NCAA champion Bryson DeChambeau. Niebrugge was low amateur at the British Open earlier this month.

Seven of last year’s Sweet Sixteen at Beverly are back as are six other Palmer Cup participants.

That star-studded turnout is a delight to Jerry Rich, the Rich Harvest creator who has done more than anyone else in bringing big tournaments to Chicago in recent years.

“The caliber of talent in this field is truly remarkable,’’ said Rich. “We’re honored to host the future of professional golf.’’

Play begins at 7 a.m. off both the Nos. 1 and 10 tees next Tuesday and Wednesday. Both tees will also be used for the double round on Thursday, Aug. 6. Match play rounds will start at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7 and Saturday, Aug. 8. Semifinals are at 8 a.m. and the championship match at 2 p.m. on the final day. There’s no admission charge on any day of the tournament.

Qualified amateurs

Nine Illinois golfers have qualified for the U.S. Amateur, to be played Aug. 17-23 at Olympia Fields. The group is headed by recently-crowned Illinois Open champion David Cooke, who led a qualifying session at Royal Country Club of Long Grove. Also advancing to Olympia Fields from there were Ethan Farnam of Crystal Lake and Jordan Wetsch of St. Charles.

Others headed to Olympia Fields are two-time Illinois Amateur champion Todd Mitchell of Bloomington; Chicago District Amateur titlist Alex Burge, of Bloomington; Daniel Hudson, Western Springs; Andrew Price, Lake Bluff; Dan Stringfellow, Roselle; and Mack Foster, of downstate Knoxville.

Stephanie Miller, a junior at Illinois from Elgin, qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur, coming up Aug. 10-16 in Portland, Ore. She shot 3-under-par 68 to finish second in a qualifying session at Sportsman’s, in Northbrook.

Shawn Rennegarbe, the medalist at the rain-shortened Illinois State Women’s Amateur, also qualified. The Addieville resident who plays at Arknasas survived an elimination at Dayton, Ohio.

Here and there

Royal Fox, in St. Charles, will host the Illinois PGA Assistants Championship on Monday.

The Chicago District Golf Assn. will conduct qualifiers for the Illinois State Mid-Amateur Championship on Tuesday at Balmoral Woods in Crete, next Wednesday at Ironwood in Normal and Thursday, Aug. 5 at Palatine Hills. Finals are Aug. 25-26 at Flossmoor Country Club.

The Schaumburg Parks Foundation’s Links Technology Outing on Aug. 12 has a unique feature. Taste on the Tee will be a feature of it, with foods and beverages provided on virtually every hole.

Here’s a good indication that golf in Chicago has withstood some tough economic times.

Two well-established park district courses that had undergone costly renovations re-opened on consecutive days last week. Glenview Park’s course renovation was a $5.3 million project and another $1.2 million was spent to upgrade the clubhouse. Construction on Mount Prospect’s course renovation was reported at $7.1 million.

Glenview Park’s course dates back to 1920, and the Glenview Park District has operated it since 1955. Mount Prospect’s layout also started as a private facility in 1926 and Mount Prospect Park District has operated the course since 1961.

The Arlington Heights Park District is also renovating its Arlington Lakes course – a $2.4 million project that is projected to be completed in July, 2016. That course was closed in June. So was Oak Meadows, owned by the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. This will likely turn out more costly than any of the others, as Aurora architect Greg Martin must deal with flooding issues in addition to renovating the course. He expects only four of the current holes to remain and 1,500 trees to come down before the project is completed in the spring of 2017.

As for Glenview Park and Mount Prospect, both were in need of upgrades. Libertyville architect Rick Jacobson supervised the Glenview project and St. Charles architect David Esler directed the work at Mount Prospect. Both courses were land-locked, so lengthening of either wasn’t possible.

Mount Prospect will look more different to returning golfers. Esler’s work included a re-design of the back nine — which now has five new holes — to create a much-expanded learning center. The old range had but six hitting stations. The new, double-ended range has 25 and there’s also a 15,000 square foot short-game area an 18-hole putting course that is spread over 17,000 square feet.

Glenview Park improved its clubhouse while the course renovation was in progress. Jacobson, who grew up within a mile of the course, created more movement in the fairways to improve storm-water management for both the course and the surrounding area. He also reconstructed the greens, tees and bunkers.

Both courses are instituting the cart-path-only policy for players wishing to ride during their rounds in an effort to facilitate the grow-in periods needed to complete the renovations. Both courses, however, are ideal for walkers.

Cut day at Western Am

The 156-man starting field for the 113th Western Amateur championship at Rich Harvest Farms, in Sugar Grove, will be cut drastically on Wednesday.

Only the low 44 and ties will continue in the grueling championship that concludes on Saturday. University of Texas junior Beau Hossler is the defending champion but he has a long road ahead if he’s to become the first repeat winner since Justin Leonard in 1992-93.

The Western Am requires 72 holes of match play followed by four matches before a champion is crowned. Stroke play ends with a 36-hole session on Thursday. The top 16 advance to the match play portion of the event, with two rounds of matches scheduled for Friday and the semifinals and final on Saturday. Admission and parking are free.

Here and there

The PGA Tour has given the John Deere Classic potentially difficult dates for 2016. The JDC will be played Aug. 8-14, opposite the Olympic Games in Brazil. Golf will be contested in the Olympics for the first time since 1904. The JDC has been played in July, the week before the British Open, in recent years.

Tim Streng, representing the Wildcat Golf Academy, was a five-shot winner in the Illinois PGA Assistants Championship on Monday at Royal Fox in St. Charles. He posted a 4-under-par 138 total over 36 holes to edge Andy Mickelson, of Mistwood in Romeoville, for the title.

Dave Ryan, of Taylorville, successfully defended his title in last week’s Chicago District Golf Assn. Senior Amateur at Merit Club in Libertyville. Ryan defended Lake Forest’s Craig Sopko 3 and 2 in the championship match.

The Illinois PGA Senior Championship is next Monday and Tuesday (AUG 10-11) at Whisper Creek, in Huntley.