This week’s 126th Women’s Western Amateur is not just one of the oldest tournaments in the Chicago area. It is by far the most prestigious women’s event on the 2026 calendar with Maelynn Kim, of Katy, TX, the defending champion.
The Women’s Western Am, held without interruption since 1901, completes its 36-hole stroke play qualifying on Wednesday at River Forest, in Elmhurst. Then there’ll be a cut to 32 players for five rounds of match play beginning on Thursday and concluding on Saturday.
“The championship has long been a showcase for the next generation of stars in women’s golf,’’ said Susan Buchanan, the president of the Women’s Western Golf Association. WWGA alumni have combined for over 340 Ladies PGA tournament titles, 60 Solheim Cup appearances and 135 major tournament titles.
River Forest hosted the event in 2017. While Maddie Szerzyk won the title that year, the medalist was Alison Corpuz. She went on to win the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach.
This year’s field has 120 players from 27 states and 12 countries. The champion will be exempt for the next 10 Women’s Western Amateurs, gets a spot in this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur and spots in four Women’s Elite Amateur Golf Series events in 2027.
The Women’s Western Amateur kicks off a busy month for the Western Golf Association. The Evans Scholars Invitational, a Korn Ferry Tour event, runs July 23-26 at The Glen Club, in Glenview, and the day after that ends the men’s Western Amateur begins at Chicago’s Beverly Country Club.
NO SMALL FEAT: University of Illinois men’s coach Mike Small keeps adding to his playing resume. Last week he won the Illinois PGA Professionals Championship for the eighth time in 10 years and he had to beat former PGA Tour winner Gary Hallberg to do it.
“It’s nice to be mentioned alongside a record like that, but that’s not really a goal of mine,’’ said Small. “I just enjoy coming out during the summer and playing golf with the guys. I coach all year and like to use these tournaments to test my coaching on myself. If I ask my players to do certain things I want to make sure I can do them, too.’’
Small shot 65-68 for an 11-under-par 133 total in the 36-hole event and beat Hallberg by four shots. Hallberg shot his age with a 67 in the second round.
BACK TO DEERE RUN: No sooner had the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic just left town but the Advocates Professional Golf Association is coming to the course for a 54-hole tournament July 14-16.
The APGA Tour, founded in 2010, will conduct its seventh tournament of this season with the champion receiving $8,000 from a $25,000 purse. Marcus Byrd, who won at Deere Run in 2023 and 2025, will be seeking his 11th win on the circuit.
The 54-man field includes Illinois players Alec Martinez, of Orland Park; Brian Ohr, Wheeling; and Marcus Smith, Rockford.
BACK TO CONWAY: Conway Farms, in Lake Forest, hosted many major professional and amateur events over the years and they included visits from the PGA Tour. The club will host the Malbon Buckets Cup Tour on July 13. Its players will compete for a $36,000 purse.