Deerfield’s Vince India needed to get back into tournament-playing mode in defense of his Illinois Open title next week, and he certainly went after it with enthusiasm.
India just completed a six-month suspension for betting on golf with a legal online sportsbook. That was a severe penalty, considering India was not a participant in an event he bet on and apologized for the PGA Tour infraction immediately.
One of just 10 golfers to own titles in both the Illinois State Amateur and Illinois Open, India is getting into action by entering state opens. He played in the Colorado Open last week, but shot a pair of 72s and missed the cut.
“Now I play in the Iowa Open running right into the Illinois Open,’’ said India. The Iowa event runs Thursday through Sunday at Blue Tee Ridge in Riverside, IA., and the Illinois Open tees off on Monday (APRIL 5) at Flossmoor Country Club.
There’s no break for India on this stretch, but he attempted such scheduling last year and it was a successful venture. Frustrated with his play on the Korn Ferry Tour, he finished up a tie for 21st place showing in the circuit’s NV5 Invitational at The Glen Club and then headed for the Illinois Open at Flossmoor.
While most big professional tournaments are Thursday through Sunday affairs, the Illinois PGA has preferred a Monday to Wednesday, 54-hole format. It didn’t hurt India last year. India won at Flossmoor, beating Illinois alum Dylan Meyer in a playoff, and the $21,702 payday was his largest check of the season.
India, 35, starred at Iowa before turning pro in 2011. He’s been a regular on the Korn Ferry Tour but the suspension kept him from returning this year. He entered qualifying for the Canada swing of PGA Tour Americas in May but the trio of state opens may be a better indication of where India’s future in tournament play is headed.
He has been one of the very best players to come out of the Chicago ranks. He won the Illinois State Amateur in 2010 and took his first Illinois Open in 2018.
Gary Hallberg was the first to captured the two biggest events for Illinois players, winning the Open in 1977 and 1982 and the Amateur in both 1978 and 1979. Of the 10 who accomplished the feat he did the best in the professional ranks. He was the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 1980 and went on to win three times on that circuit and once on PGA Tour Champions.
Others who have won the state’s two biggest events are Gary Pinns, David Ogrin, Bill Hoffer, Roy Biancalana, Mark Hensby, Brad Hopfinger, Patrick Flavin and Tee-K Kelly.
This year marks the 75th playing of the Illinois Open. Pinns is the most successful Illinois Open player, winning five titles between 1978 and 1990. Illinois men’s coach Mike Small won four times between 2003 and 2007. India would join Harry Cooper, Dick Hart and Marty Schiene with three titles if he wins at Flossmoor. Cooper won his three from 1933-35, Hart from 1964-71 and Schiene from 1991-97.
HERE AND THERE
Tim Clarke, who had been president of Wilson Golf from 2006 to 2023, will take over as president of Batavia-based Tour Edge on Aug. 5. Current president David Glod, who founded Tour Edge in 1986, will become chief executive officer and remain the majority owner and chief club designer.
A grand re-opening of the Winnetka Park District’s 18-hole course has been scheduled for Aug. 13. Libertyville architect Rick Jacobson has supervised a major renovation of the layout, which opened in 1917. The renovation project began in March of 2023.
Germany’s Thomas Rosenmueller tied the NV5 Invitational scoring record with a 25-under-par 259 at The Glen Club in Glenview to win Chicago’s annual stop on the Korn Ferry Tour. His score tied for fourth lowest on the PGA Tour’s developmental circuit this season.
Olympia Fields has named Maryland architect Andrew Green to oversee a restoration of its North Course, which has been the site of U.S. Open, PGA Championship and U.S. Amateur tourneys as well as the BMW Championship, a FedEx Cup Playoff event on the PGA Tour.
The Arlington Heights Park District has announced the Arlington Amateur will be held Sept. 7-8 with the first 120 players to sign up competing. The event will have four divisions – men, senior (60-69) men, super senior (70 and up) men and women.