The previous six 18-hole qualifying sessions to determine who plays in next week’s 77th Illinois Open brought out the best from the amateur entrants.
Bloomington’s T.J. Barger, coming off a record-setting senior season at Illinois State, was the best. He shot a 10-under-par 62 at the Atkins Golf Club in Urbana in a round that included back-to-back eagles and a 29 on the back nine.
Barger, who spent his freshman season at Illinois before playing the next three at ISU, finished with the Redbirds’ record for lowest career scoring average (72.28). Along the way he was the Chicago District Golf Association Player of the Year in 2023, but he wasn’t the only amateur to lead an Illinois Open qualifier this year.
Amateurs either led solo or shared the top spot in qualifying sessions at Mistwood, in Romeoville; Village Links of Glen Ellyn; Winnetka and Bull Valley, in Woodstock.
Chicago’s Charles Kulwin, the reigning Illinois State Amateur champion, shot 65 for the low scorer at Mistwood. Chicago’s Michael Schachner and Hinsdale’s Devin Swoyer both shot 68s to share honors with Indiana resident Michael Davon at Village Links of Glen Ellyn and Wheaton’s Callan Fahey was co-medalist with Lake Bluff’s Eric Kutke with 69s at Bull Valley, in Woodstock.
Only Lake Bluff’s Conner Polender, with a 68 at Sunset Valley in Highland Park, was a non-amateur leading solo in a qualifying session.
The 54-hole Illinois Open proper tees off on Monday at Wynstone, in Barrington, and today’s (WEDNESDAY AUG 5) Last Chance Qualifier on the Prairie Course at Countryside in Mundelein offers the final opportunity for players to earn a spot. There’ll be 76 players battling it out there with six spots at Wynstone on the line.
PRESIDENTS CUP: Uniforms for both the U.S. and International teams that will battle in the Presidents Cup Sept. 22-27 at Medinah were unveiled on Tuesday. B.Draddy and Zero Restriction will exclusively dress both teams in addition to their captains, caddies and staff for both the competition and various off-course events.
The U.S. team uniforms will feature a patriotic red, white and blue Palette rooted in tradition while the Internationals will don a combination of black and gold, which is reflective of a shield that unites them.
ANOTHER STANFORD WINNER: The 124th Western Amateur ran late. It was to end on Saturday but inclement weather forced the semifinals and final to be moved to Sunday. That’s when Jay Leng became the fifth player from Stanford to win the prestigious title at Chicago’s Beverly Country Club.
Leng shocked Miles Russell, the tournament medalist and No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, 3 and 1 in the morning semifinals before coasting to a 5&4 win over Vanderbilt’s Michael Riebe in the final. Leng was ranked 33rd and fellow Californian Riebe was No. 109 in the world rankings.
“It was nice playing a friend (in the final) because I knew it’d be a friendly match,’’ said the 20-year old Leng. “We just played last week together. It felt like just another match, though there were a few hundred people watching.’’
NEXT UP: The Illinois Open starts a busy stretch for the Illinois PGA Section. The field at Wynstone will be cut to the low 50 and ties for a final round on Wednesday (AUG 12). Then the IPGA conducts the Illinois Super Senior Open Aug 18-19 at Pine Meadow, in Mundelein, and the Illinois PGA Championship Aug. 24-25 at Elgin Country Club.
The Chicago District Golf Association will conduct the Illinois Mid-Amateur Championship Aug. 17-18 at Edgewood Valley, in Burr Ridge, while the Western Golf Association has the BMW Championship, the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoff event, at Bellerive in St. Louis Aug. 18-23.