Chicago has had a LIV golf tournament all three years since the Saudi-backed circuit started play in 2022. Last week’s stop at Bolingbrook Golf Club produced a LIV attendance record for its tournaments held in the U.S. and the two before that at Rich Harvest Farms, in Sugar Grove, were also well received.
Still, there’s no indication the circuit will be back in 2025. If that’s the case it’d mean another sparse season for major tournament play in the Chicago area. The PGA Tour doesn’t return until the President’s Cup at Medinah in 2026. The LPGA and U.S. Golf Association don’t have a Chicago course on their schedules.
LIV has announced only its first four tournaments for 2025. The season tees off Feb. 6 at a new site – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Then comes Adelaide, Australia Feb. 14-16, Hong Kong March 7-9 and Singapore March 14-16. Adelaide drew a LIV record 94,000 at its tournament this year.
This year’s LIV schedule had 14 tournaments, seven in the U.S. The event at Bolingbrook wasn’t announced until the season was well underway. There may be a wait this time, too, as sources say LIV is interested in taking a tournament to Brickyard Crossing, a Pete Dye design that has four holes running inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That may be a Midwest site that could knock Chicago off the schedule.
What is certain is that the LIV players want to be back in Chicago.
“I have a pretty good track record in Chicago, so I’m always happy to come back,’’ said Jon Rahm, who won both the LIV Individual Championship and LIV/Chicago on Sunday. His feelings are based on more than just his big week at Bolingbrook. He enjoyed his PGA Tour stops here, too.
“I’ve played Olympia Fields twice and won once,’’ he said. “I’ve played at Medinah and finished top-five. I’ve played at Conway Farms and was definitely top-10 and came to Bolingbrook and won. I would encourage (LIV) to come back here. I definitely like coming here and playing golf in this city.’’
Bryson DeChambeau, whose resume includes wins in the U.S. Amateur at Olympia Fields, the John Deere Classic in downstate Silvis and last year’s LIV stop at Rich Harvest, also wants to come back.
“It’d be great. Illinois is a fantastic state,’’ he said. “Golf courses are always fantastic and, shoot, Bolingbrook played close to a major championship test. I’d love to see us come back here and have more of this type of golf. I truly love it. I feel our games are well-suited to a place like this. Hopefully we’ll get another shot.’’
HERE AND THERE: The 38th Illinois State Senior Amateur concludes its three-day run at Itasca Country Club.
Biggest event left on the Chicago calendar is the Illinois PGA Players Championship Sept. 30-Oct. 1 at The Glen Club in Glenview. It’ll decide who wins the IPGA Player of the Year award.
Two IPGA senior events are in October – the Match Play at Chicago’s Ridge Country Club Oct. 7-9 and the Senior Players Championship Oct. 14-15 at Twin Orchard, in Long Grove.
Last event on the Chicago District Golf Association schedule is the Senior Amateur Four-Ball Championship Sept. 30-Oct. 3 at Ivanhoe.