Author: lenz

Haven’t heard of Curly Lambeau? Maybe you should

I’m an avid reader, and always have a book going on some topic or another. That got me to writing book reviews on some of them, and my last three reads have taken me in new directions.

The first two led to my taking on books that went well over 1,000 pages for the first time – one being a look back at Frank Delano Roosevelt’s life and times during World War II and the other a biographical look at Samuel Clements, an author better known as Mark Twain.

I couldn’t put the first one down – it was that historically captivating — and the second took me into previously uncharted territory. I had no inkling about the life of this famous author. While those books were most worthwhile reading I – for some reason – didn’t write my own reviews on either one.

When it comes to “Lambeau,’’ however, I couldn’t resist.  Herb Gould, my long time sports-writing colleague at the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote this one.  Kudos to Herb.  While Herb didn’t hit the 1,000-page mark, he created a book that provided captivating reading from the first page to the last and his extensive research uncovered the complex life of a most worthy sports figure of the past.

BOOK REVIEW TIME: Check out this one on a key sports figure from the past.

Lambeau was “The Man Who Created the Green Bay Packers.’’ That team plays its home games in Lambeau Field, one of the most popular stadiums in the National Football League. The book might seem like a biography of Lambeau, and he was certainly a most interesting topic for that kind of writing.  Herb has gone far beyond that, however.

He has given us a candid glimpse into what life was like in the early days of professional football – and those were interesting times, to be sure. Names like Vince Lombardi, George Halas, Johnny Blood and Don Hudson are prominent.

Their particulars are thoroughly covered in “Lambeau.’’ He was a successful player and coach before being forced out of his job leading the Packers. Then, though a series of lifestyle changes, he found Green Bay a happy place again.

Most interesting was the politics involved in getting Lambeau’s name on the city’s football stadium.  Seems like his name should have been an obvious choice – but it wasn’t. You’ll have to read “Lambeau’’ to the end to find out how it happened.

 

 

 

 

 

Ryder Cup countdown is on; Carroll wins another IPGA title

Both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League climaxed their seasons last weekend, but –at least arguably – the biggest event of the year is coming up next month.  The Ryder Cup matches are Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage Black, in New York, and that puts Northwestern alum Luke Donald in the spotlight again.

Donald captained the European team to victory in Italy in 2023 and he’ll announce his six captain’s picks for this staging on Sept. 2, well after U.S. captain Keegan Bradley fills out his team. Roster choices traditionally trigger an intense buildup of interest before each Ryder Cup.

Bradley’s automatically qualified selections were Scottie Scheffler, J.C. Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau. Bradley announces his six captain’s choices today (WEDNESDAY), and the suspense is building.  It’s even possible that Bradley could pick himself, which would make him the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.

“I wish he was alive and I could call him,’’ Bradley said after Sunday’s Tour Championship concluded at Atlanta’s East Lake – the Ryder Cup site in 1963. “I think he’d have some great advice for me.’’

Well, golf was different when Palmer was a playing captain.  The Ryder Cup wasn’t as popular then, and there were no captain’s picks.  The entire teams were chosen on a point system.

Donald learned his automatically qualified six players after last weekend’s British Masters.  They were Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, and Rasmus Hojgaard. Hojgaard’s twin brother, Nicolai, helped the Euros win two years ago but is a longshot to be among Donald’s picks.

HAIL THE CHAMPS: Just as the pro tours were wrapping up their seasons, so were local tournament organizers.

Brian Carroll, the head professional at The Hawk in St. Charles,  became a three-time winner of the Illinois PGA Championship on Tuesday at Chicago’s Beverly Country Club.

Carroll, who won titles in 2022 and 2024,  fired a final round 66 to earn a one-stroke victory over first-round leader Jeff Kellen, of North Shore in Glenview.  Carroll was at 4-under-par 138 in the event that was shifted from 54 to 36 holes this year.

Kellen, who shot 71 on Tuesday, finished one stroke back in second place and Mike Troy, of Troy’s par-3 Course, was at 2-under 140 to finish solo third.

Earlier Roy Biancalana won the IPGA’s Super Senior Open at Pine Meadow, in Mundelein, and Lake Forest’s Max Scodro captured the Illinois State Mid-Amateur at Inverness.

Biancalana, who teaches at The Hawk in St. Charles, opened with a 64, then went on to a four-stroke win over Lakewood’s  Doug Bauman. It was Biancalana’s fourth victory in the Super Senior event, which was first held in 2011.  Biancalana’s other titles came in 2020, 2021 and 2023.  St. Charles’ Dave Esler, the defending champion, tied for third and shared low amateur honors with Crystal Lake’s Mike Karney.

“I’m getting older, so how much longer can I keep on winning this thing?’’ wondered Biancalana, who was at 9-under-par 135 for the 36-holes.  “I put a lot of pressure on myself with my 64 – my lowest competitive round in recent years.  It was hard to battle the thought of  ‘If you lose this tournament after a 64 you’re a choker.’ You have to win after shooting a score like that, but it’s not easy.’’

Scodro,  who won the Illinois Open in 2012, bounced back from a one-shot loss to Will Hickey, of Burr Ridge, in the Mid-Am two years ago.  This time Scodro carded a 3-under-par 69 in the final round to win by one over Jack Watson, of Lincolnshire , and Dan Stringfellow, of Roselle. Scodro was at 5-under-par 211 for his 54 holes.

COMING UP NEXT:  The Chicago tournament calendar focuses on the collegiate and high school seasons now with three big events on tap on the collegiate side in September.  Northwestern will have both its men’s and women’s teams in the Jackson T. Stephens Cup Sept. 15-17 at Shoreacres, in Lake Bluff.  The Illinois men will host the Fighting Illini Invitational Sept. 19-21 at Olympia Fields and Northwestern’s men will stage the Windon Memorial at Knollwood, in Lake Forest, Sept. 29-30.

CHARITABLE SIDE:  The Illinois PGA will hold its annual Birdies for Charity event Sept. 2 at River Forest Country Club.   The 90-hole event put on by the area’s club professionals has raised over $4.3 million for various charities in the past.

SENIOR WOMEN: Three Chicago area players were in last week’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open in California. Lake Forest’s Jamie Fischer did the best, tying for 41st .  Becky Morgan, of Wales, was the champion with a 7-under-par 285 score for 72 holes.  Juli Inkster was six strokes back in second place and Annika Sorenstam tied for eighth.

 

 

Illinois PGA shortens its most historic championship

 

The Illinois PGA hasn’t been afraid to make changes to its tournaments – especially the biggest ones.

First the section opened its Illinois Women’s Open to out-of-state players because, said IPGA executive director Carrie Williams, “We wanted the strongest field it could be.’’ So did the staff at long-time tourney site Mistwood Golf Club, in Romeoville.

Not only did the field get stronger, it also got bigger.  This year’s IWO had over 100 entries for its 30th anniversary staging.

The men’s version of the Illinois Open took a recent change, too. Long limited to Illinois residents, the field now permits players who grew up in the state or attended college here. That led to University of Illinois alum Michael Feagles winning this year and long-time PGA Tour and Champions Tour member Gary Hallberg competing again after he moved back to Barrington after residing for years in Colorado.

Hallberg was an Illinois Open winner twice.  Another past champion, Carlos Sainz Jr., was also back in the field.  He now lives and works in Texas.

Again, the field got stronger and the policy change allowed for the participation of players now living in other states and competing on the PGA’s Latin American and Canadian tours.

“Making that change wasn’t easy, but its is the best thing for the event,’’ said Williams.

And to think that years ago  just the participation of PGA Tour players and long-time Chicago area residents Bob Zender and Rick Dalpos created controversy — especially after both won IPGA Section Championships.

Well, that event – first played in 1923 — will undergo an even more radical change next week when Chicago’s Beverly Country Club is the host site. The IPGA Championship had  long been contested at 54 holes.  This year’s it’ll be over only 36 holes with 18 on Monday and 18 more on Tuesday  (AUGUST 25-26).

“A little more than half of the PGA sections are doing that,’’ said Williams. “It helps us getting the field and the sites. More pros can play and we don’t have to ask a club to give up its course for three days, just two. We think that will open us up to go to more high-profile facilities.’’

Beverly is certainly one of those.  Heading the field there will be defending champion Brian Carroll and 14-time winner Mike Small, head coach of the University of Illinois men’s team.  Carroll, head professional at The Hawk in St. Charles, won titles in 2022 and 2024 and the last of Small’s victories were in 2020 and 2023. Butler National’s Andy Svoboda, the low pro at the last two Illinois Opens and leader in the IPGA’s Sam Bernardi Player of the Year standings, also looms a strong contender.

FROM THE TOURS: Both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League conclude their seasons this weekend.  The PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs end with The Tour Championship on Sunday in Atlanta.

The top 30 on the point list after last week’s BMW Championship in Maryland will battle in the season-ender, and it’ll have a most appropriate change in format.  Gone are the handicaps that were used in recent years.  Now all 30 players start the 72-hole test at zero.

Jon Rahm retained his LIV Individual Championship on Sunday in Indiana, but it had a strange ending.  Rahm, who won the title last year at Bolingbrook, didn’t win a tournament this season while his nearest rival, Joaquin Niemann, won five.  That discrepancy would suggest a change in the season-long point structure is in order.

LIV now has committed sites and dates for eight of its 14 tournaments in 2026.  The circuit announced the return to The Club at Chatham Hills in Westfield, Ind., even before last week’s event was over.  Chicago hosted two LIV events at Rich Harvest Farms, in Sugar Grove, and the last two at Bolingbrook.  No word yet on whether the Saudi-backed circuit will be back in 2026.

HERE AND THERE: Only one LIV golfer, Bryson DeChambeau, was among the six automatic selections to the U.S. Ryder Cup team. The others were PGA Tour members Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun, Harris English, Russell Henley and Xander Schauffele. Keegan Bradley will announce his six captain’s pix after The Tour Championship.

The Illinois Super Senior Open concludes its two-day run on Wednesday at Pine Meadow, in Mundelein.

 

 

Rahm improves his chances for a LIV repeat

Spain’s Jon Rahm didn’t win the LIV Tour’s stop in Chicago but he improved his chances of repeating as the circuit’s Individual champion. (Joy Sarver Photo)

Last week’s LIV/Chicago tourney at Bolingbrook Golf Club set the stage for this week’s LIV Individual Championship at the Club of Chatham Hills in Indianapolis.  Last year Bolingbrook hosted that tournament with Jon Rahm winning.

Rahm has a mathematical chance to win the top prize again after finishing tied for second at Bolingbrook. He gained ground on front-runner Joaquin Niemann, who tied for 17th after piling up five early season wins.

Niemann takes a 12.27 point lead on Rahm into Indianapolis. He has 206.43 points to Rahm’s 196.16. No other player can break into the top two in the standings at Indianapolis.  To win again Rahm would have to finish at least in a tie for seventh.  Niemann needs a second-place finish even if Rahm wins.

LIV has confirmed a return to two of its U.S. markets in 2026, but Bolingbrook and Chicago weren’t among them.  The circuit will play in Virginia and Washington D.C. and LIV also confirmed returns to Riyadh, Saudia Arabia for the season opener Feb. 5-7; Adelaide, Australia; Mexico City, the United Kingdom and Singapore.  There will be some course changes at those sites, still to be announced,  and a new tournament is scheduled in South Africa.

Those confirmations account for half of the 2026 season with two weeks left in this one.

Bolingbrook hosted LIV the last two years after Rich Harvest, in Sugar Grove, was the site the first two years of the circuit’s existence. The players liked Bolingbrook, especially the attendance there this year.

“Chicago has such great sports fans, with the way they responded to the tournament,’’ said Phil Mickelson.

 

ILLINOIS OPEN AFTERMATH: Last week’s Illinois Open presented by Troon was a big hit in its first staging at Kemper Lakes, in Kildeer. Troon manages Kemper Lakes now and also made a large contribution to the purse. No site is set for next year’s tourney, though.

Carrie Williams, the Illinois PGA executive director, said the first-round setup of 7,497 yards may have been the longest in the 76-year history of the tournament. In the final round the tee at No.18 was moved up to 287 yards, making it a rare drive-able par-4.

“We wanted to show off the full experience at Kemper Lakes,’’ she said. “Ideally we would like Kemper Lakes to be an anchor site.  We’d come  every two-three years, It wouldn’t be a representative state open if we didn’t travel a little.’’

FEDEX CUP UPDATE:  The Western Golf Association conducts its BMW Championship, second event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs, beginning on Thursday at Caves Valley in Maryland.

The 50-man field includes Illinois alums Thomas Detry and Brian Campbell.  Both need to climb into the top 30 on the FedEx point list to play in the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta next week. Detry stands 36th and Campbell 39th.  Campbell won the John Deere Classic, Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour stop, in July.

HERE AND THERE: Marty Schiene, who won three Illinois Opens in his tournament-playing days in the 1990s, has retired as the men’s coach at DePaul.  His replacement is Ryan Jamison, a DePaul alum who spent the last five years as a PGA Tour caddie for, among others, Akshay Bhatia and Brandon Wu.

Northern Illinois has named Ryan Stefko as the assistant to both men’s coach John Carlson and women’s coach Kim Keiser.

Jerry Rich has announced that Jasmine Ly, one of NIU’s top players, has become an ambassador for his Kids Golf Foundation.  Ly played in 45 tournaments for the Huskies and was the first NIU golfer to win the Mid American Conference women’s title.

Next big event on the Chicago District Golf Association schedule in the 33rd Illinois State Mid-Amateur Aug. 18-19 at Inverness. Qualifying for the Illinois State Senior Amateur begins the same day play concludes at Inverness. The Illinois PGA will conduct the Illinois Super Senior Open Aug.19-20 at Pine Meadow, in Mundelein.

The GolfPass Academy will bring its clinic program at Chicago’s Harborside International on Aug. 21.  Lauren Thompsosn, former co-host of Golf Channel’s Morning Drive, will be the host.

 

Stinger sweep provides a climax to LIV/Chicago

Happy champs: (from left) Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester and Charl Schwartzel celebrate the Stinger GC sweep of both the individual and team titles at LIV/Chicago. (Photos by Joy Sarver)

It was a rare team sweep in the fourth version of the LIV/Chicago tourney Sunday at Bolingbrook Golf Club. Dean Burmester won the individual title and his Stinger unit won the team crown – and both came in one-hole sudden death playoffs.

Burmester, whose only previous LIV win was at Miami last year, watched two golfers from Spain – Chicago defending champion Jon Rahm and LIV rookie Josele Ballester —  miss birdie putts from 15 and 12 feet in the playoff before he buried his from seven feet to be the winner.

The team playoff involved two-man teams from the Stinger and Torque units. Though Burmester was a member of the four-man Stingers, he didn’t participate in the team playoff. Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace made birdies to eliminate the Torque unit of captain Joaquin Niemann and Carlos Ortiz.

Stinger is an all-South African team, and there were some sidelights to their big week.  LIV recently announced that it will have its first tournament in South Africa next March, and the players can’t wait.

“We’re all very excited, knowing we’re going to play in front of our people,’’ said captain Louis Oosthuizen, who decided the team members and their families would stay together in one home this week.  That hasn’t been the norm in past years, but it worked big-time.

Burmester picked up $4 million for his individual title while Rahm and Ballester earned $1,875,000. The Stinger unit picked up $3 million for the team win. Stinger GC had gone 31 tournaments without a team victory until Sunday.

Dean Burmester sinks the winning putt at LIV/Chicago, then celebrates with caddie, Jason Reynolds.

The Saudi-back LIV circuit introduced a fresh – and somewhat controversial — approach to professional golf after recruiting some stars off the PGA Tour four years ago. That new look – a 14-tournament season spread over five continents with big purses and team competition figuring in — seems to be working.  The circuit – as well as LIV/Chicago – has been growing in popularity and Saturday’s crowd at Bolingbrook was easily the biggest in the four years the tourney was played here.

Burmester had a two-stroke lead entering the final round, but it didn’t last long.  He made bogeys on the first three holes on Sunday.  Ballester, at 21 one of LIV’s youngest players, and Rahm were always hovering around the lead and Harold Varner was among the others joining the battle while posting a 65 – the low round of the day.

“I was down on myself,’’ said Burmester. “After those three bogeys in a row I was like fudge.  I don’t know where I’m going.  My head says nowhere, but I kept at it.’’

The three in the playoff finished regulation play at 9-under-par 213.  Rahm and Ballester shot 69 in the third round and Burmester had 71.

Jon Rahm shows how painful it was to miss a putt on the LIV/Chicago individual playoff.

“This has been emotional,’’ said Burmester.  “I’ve been going through a rough time, some personal stuff, and I’ve been grinding.  I think about my wife and kids back home, and I’m just trying to do the best I can for them. My wife finished an ultra marathon when we played in West Virginia and I was on my phone watching her.  That gave me inspiration.’’

Rahm gained some inspiration for next week’s tournament, the LIV Individual Championship at the Club at Chatham Hills in Indianapolis.  He won that honor last year but has no wins this season.  Still, he is No. 2 behind Chile’s Niemann, a five-time winner, in the season-long point race.

His good showing at Bolingbrook, coupled with Niemann finishing tied for 17th, enabled Rahm to gain ground on Niemann and keep his hopes of repeating as the season individual champion alive.

The galleries were the biggest around the 18th green every day at Bolingbrook.

 

 

 

 

LIV’s top stars are overshadowed by Burmester, Ballester

South African Dean Burmester, who posted a 65,  was in charge in the second round of LIV/Chicago at Bolingbook.  (Joy Sarver Photos)

 

Maybe it was the weather – 91 degrees with winds gusting to 22 miles per hour. Maybe it was the gallery. Though no attendance figures were given it was most certainly the largest of the 14 rounds played by the LIV Tour in Chicago over the past four years.

Whatever the reason, the leaderboard at LIV/Chicago changed quickly, and dramatically, in Round 2 on Saturday. Two long-time stars, Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson, held the first-round lead and Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm were right behind them.

Those five, all among the biggest names in golf, were barely evident on the leaderboard after nine holes in the second round. In that short time the hardly household names in the spotlight were Dean Burmester of South Africa, Josele Ballester of Spain and Richard Bland of England.

Burmester had a win on the LIV circuit last year.  Ballester, at 21, is one of the circuit’s youngest player.  He didn’t play in the first eight tournaments of the season and didn’t break par in the next three after that. Bland, 48, is one of LIV’s oldest players and has been hanging on for three years.

They were the stars of Round 2.  Burmester shot 65 to claim the 36-hole lead at 9-under-par 133. Ballester carded a 66 and is at 7-under 135. Brand hung tough with them until a late double bogey dropped in him into a tie for seventh place.

Spain’s Josele Ballester is thrilled to be paired with Jon Rahm in the final round.

“Playing with Phil (Mickelson) for two days in a row was special,’’ said Burmester.  “The crowds are so positive when Phil is around, and the Chicago crowd certainly turned out today. When you walk on the first tee you always get those butterflies, but it felt special today.’’

Burmester, eighth in the point standing to decide LIV’s season-long individual champion, hasn’t ruled himself out of that coveted prize, which will be determined after next week’s tournament at the Club at Chatham Hills in Indianapolis.

When Brand faltered Rahm, the defending champion of LIV/Chicago, climbed into a tie with Ballester and improved his chances to both win on Sunday and repeat as the LIV Individual season champion.  He’s still winless for this season but remains in second place in the standings and closing the gap on five-time winner Joaquin Niemann of Chile.

Niemann is down in a tie for 35th place and may have trouble hanging on to his season-long lead through Sunday’s final round at Bolingbrook Golf Club and next week’s wrapup to LIV’s Individual point race in Indianapolis.

Rahm got his game going with a 4-iron second shot at the 12th hole that set up an eagle.

“That was about as good as I can hit a golf shot,’’ he said, “and making that eagle is what changed the momentum for the rest of the round. The goal is to win, and by winning I’ll get the most amount of points I can possibly get, and then I’ll need a little luck on my side that Joaquin doesn’t have a good week.’’

Ballester gets the honor of playing in the same threesome with Burmester and Rahm in Sunday’s final round. A “dumb’’ bogey detracted from Ballester’s round on Saturday.  It came at the 18th hole.

“I hit a 410-yard drive,’’ he said.  “I was about 20 yards from the green, and hit four shots from there.  I was honestly not expecting to leave that hole with a bogey after the drive that I hit.’’

Should Ballester win on Sunday he’ll be the youngest player to win a LIV tournament.

“I’d think of it like the accomplishment of starting my professional career in not the best way, and in two months turning it around and winning in fashion – especially with Jon in the final pairing and with many great players,’’ said Ballester.

Ballester, like Rahm, is from Spain. He turned pro after completing his college studies at Arizona State.  Though that was Mickelson’s alma mater Garcia,  as captain of the Fireballs, picked him to join his team. The Fireballs are in a three-way tie for the lead in the LIV/Chicago team competition with Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers and Louis Oosthuizen’s Stinger.

Bolingbrook’s island green at No. 6 was an ideal spot for LIV’s traditional Party Hole.

 

 

 

 

Niemann struggles; DJ, Mickelson shine in LIV start

Sergio Garcia tees off with Dustin Johnson looking on. They shared the first-round lead in the LIV/Chicago tourney at Bolingbrook Golf Club. (Joy Sarver Photos)

 

For the moment, at least, there’s some suspense on who will emerge as the individual champion on the LIV Golf Tour. With five wins in the first 11 tournaments Chile’s Joaquin Niemann would seem a shoo-in for the season-long  honor with just this week’s LIV/Chicago event at Bolingbrook Golf Club and next week’s event in Indianapolis remaining.

Niemann had a big lead on second place Jon Rahm, the defending champion, entering the Bolingbrook stop, but Niemann showed his vulnerability in a big way in Friday’s first round.

Playing with Rahm, he made a triple bogey seven on the eighth hole and stumbled in with a 3-over-par 74.  So,  Niemann goes into Saturday’s second round in a tie for 45th place.  He beat only seven in the 54-man field in the first round.

Neither Rahm nor Niemann were doing much talking Friday. Of more immediate significance was how LIV’s biggest name stars performed.

Check out the club flex as Dustin Johnson smacks a tee shot en route to shooting a 67.

Spain’s Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson shot 4-under-par 67s to take the lead after the first 18 holes and six players, most notably Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Rahm, were just one stroke behind. (Also posting 68s were Dean Burmester and Tyrrell Hatton).

Johnson was the clearly dominant player in 2022, when the Saudi-backed circuit made its debut. His game tailed off after that, however, and the American star finished dead last in LIV’s previous tournament in the United Kingdom two weeks ago.

“In the UK I wasn’t nearly as bad as my score,’’ insisted Johnson. “I feel I’m always close to getting my game back.  It just takes a couple of shots here and there to get me going again.’’

He got them on Friday, and it also didn’t hurt that his brother, Austin, was back as his caddie.  Austin had been missing in action for a while, and Dustin admitted “I’d prefer having AJ on my bag.’’

Jon Rahm’s intensity increases as he cuts into Joaquin Niemann’s lead in LIV player race.

And then there was Mickelson who, with Johnson, were the key signees for LIV when they made controversial decisions to break from the PGA Tour.  Mickelson hasn’t won on the LIV circuit yet but could have his best finish with two strong rounds this weekend. He strung four birdies in a row, had five in his first 16 holes and was tied for the lead briefly on Friday.

“I just need to finish rounds off better,’’ said Mickelson.  “I’m trying to get back to the top 10 (on the LIV standings).  I want to finish this year off right.  At 55 that’d be a good accomplishment against competition like this.  It would mean a lot to me.’’

Garcia has been searching for putting help, and he brought back one of his old blades for this week.  While it worked Friday, it may not stay in his bag for long.

“I have a new one coming in the next couple weeks, and I’m excited about it,’’ said Garcia. “We’re always searching for things to help us improve.’’

Meanwhile, Rahm and DeChambeau – second and third in the battle for the season individual honors – put themselves in position to challenge Niemann in the final 10 days of the season.

“Joaco (Niemann) has played pretty bad golf before in the first round and come back and almost won tournaments,’’ said DeChambeau.  “He’s incredible out here.  He’ll do fine the next couple days.’’

In the team competition captain Louis Oosthuizen’s Stingers were 6-under par and one shot ahead of Garcia’s Fireballs.  DeChambeau’s Crushers and Johnson’s 4Aces were tied for third, three strokes behind the Stingers.

Striking signage was easily evident around the Bolingbrook course.

 

Another Rahm-Niemann duel at LIV/Chicago?

 

Jon Rahm did the celebrating at last year’s LIV/Chicago tournament at Bolingbrook with Joaquin Niemann watching. This week their roles could be reversed. (Joy Sarver Photo)

In 2022 – the first season for the LIV Golf League – the dominant player, by far, was Dustin Johnson. Every year since the race for that top honor has gotten tighter and the winner has changed.

In 2023 it was Talor Gooch. Last year it was Spain’s Jon Rahm. And now – going into Friday’s start of LIV/Chicago at the Bolingbrook Golf Club – it figures to be Chile’s Joaquin Niemann. He’s won five tournaments this year including the last one, in the United Kingdom two weeks ago.

“I don’t know if that’s momentum or not,’’ said Niemann after returning to Bolingbrook.  “I feel like I’ve just got to keep doing what I’ve been doing.’’

Last year he couldn’t chase down Rahm.  He won their head-to-head battle at Bolingbrook in what was then the LIV Individual Championship for the season.  This year the tourney designated for that honor is next week in Indianapolis. Point standings when it’s over will decide the winner, and Niemann has 206.80 points to Rahm’s 169.16.

That sounds onesided, but Rahm still believes he has a chance and Niemann agrees.

“I know it’s going to be tough,’’ said Niemann.  “Jon’s playing amazing golf.  I know how good a player he is. I was in a similar position last year, and I don’t want to finish it the same way. I’ve just got to go out and play golf.’’

The stop at Bolingbrook, a course designed by Arthur Hills, proved tougher than expected for LIV’s started studded 54-man field last year.

“I played great.  I remember the course was a lot of fun to play.  It was really firm and windy.  Conditions were unbelievable,’’ said Niemann. “I was happy with my performance.  I gave it everything I had.  That was the best I could do, and it wasn’t enough.’’

Though his wins have been piling up this season Niemann recently changed his coach and his caddie.  When asked about it this week he said it was a “tough question’’, wouldn’t discuss it further and quickly ended the press conference.

Though he’s second in the point stands Rahm hasn’t won this year.

“The only thing left to do this year is get a win,’’ he said.  “For there to be a realistic chance for me to win it all again starts with a win here, obviously combined with Joaquin maybe not having a great week.  I need that going into next week (in Indianapolis) with a realistic chance and hopefully have a showdown again in the last event.’’

Niemann and Rahm will play together in Friday’s first round with Bubba Watson completing the threesome off Hole 1.  The shotgun start is at 11:05 p.m. Friday, 12:05 on Saturday and it moves up to 10:05 a.m. for Sunday’s final round.

LIV NOTES: Last pre-tourney event was a pro-am at Bolingbrook on Thursday….The tour announced that the season-ending Team Championship Aug. 22-24 at The Cardinal at St. John’s Resort in Plymouth, MI., will have a new format.  The event will start with a Wednesday play-in match between the Nos. 12 and 13 teams from the season-long standings. The remain 12 teams will go through two days of match play starting on Aug. 22  with the survivors deciding the title on Sunday at stroke play.

 

 

Another Illini win: this time it’s Feagles at the Illinois Open

Michael Feagles (left) went on to win the Illinois Open, and it helped that he was playing with former Illinois teammate Dylan Meyer in the final round at Kemper Lakes. (Joy Sarver Photos)

 

 

Mike Small, the University of Illinois coach who has won 14 Illinois PGA titles, was bidding for a recording tying fifth Illinois Open crown on Friday.  He had an uncharacteristically bad day at Kemper Lakes in Kildeer and didn’t get it,  but the day wasn’t a complete downer.

In July one of Small’s former Illini players, Brian Campbell, won the John Deere Classic – Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour event.  Then, on Wednesday, another Small pupil – Michael Feagles – captured the 76th Illinois Open,  the state’s biggest event for Illinois golfers.

Feagles, who lives in Arizona, took advantage of a recent rule change by the Illinois PGA that allowed non-residents of the state to play in the Illinois Open as long as they had some connection to the state. Feagles, thanks to going to college in Champaign, was the first non-Illinois resident to win the tournament.

“It was a little surreal,’’ he said.  “The way I played this week I didn’t think I would win.  I struggled the whole week, but now it’s great to be on the list of champions with the legendary Mike Small.’’

Feagles was paired with Dylan Meyer, a former Illini teammate from Indiana, and they teed off in the twosome immediately behind Small.

“I came to Illinois when I was an 18-year old wide-eyed kid,’’ said Feagles.  “The coach has been a role model to me, like a second father.  After I finished my round he told me to `get it done’ if I was in a playoff.  And he did it in a very coach-like fashion.’’

It was all laughs after Michael Feagles (left) outdueled Brian Ohr (right) to win the Illinois Open.

A three-hole playoff for the title was a definite possibility after Feagles finished with a 69 for a 54-hole score of 1-under-par 215 and Butler National head professional Andy Svoboda, Medinah teaching pro Travis Johns and 36-hole leader Brian Ohr were still on the course with a chance to win.

“The worst thing was not being able to control anything,’’ said Feagles.  “Golfers are all control freaks.’’

Svoboda finished at even par to finish solo second and was the low pro for the second straight year.  Ohr came in with bogeys at Nos. 14, 17 and 18 to lose the lead and wound up in a tie for third with Tommy Kuhl, another Illinois alum who shot a 66 – the day’s low round.  Glen Ellyn’s Grant Roscich, in a tie for fifth with Johns, was low amateur.

Pierce Grieve, who won last year’s Illinois State Amateur and this year’s Chicago District Amateur, also made a run at the title by shooting a 67. Preparing for the U.S. Amateur, Grieve climbed into a tie for 10th in his first Illinois Open appearances.

Feagles’ Illini background created a comfort zone for him.  He won and then lost his playing privileges on the Korn Ferry Tour after his Illini days were over.  He also didn’t survive a session of PGA qualifying school and spent the last two years grabbing tournaments where he could.

This is the form that made Michael Feagles the only player under par in the 76th Illinois Open.

“Last year I won a lot.  I learned how to win, and that’s huge,’’ he said.  Among his wins were the Arizona and Nevada state opens.

“I have no (tour) status, as I’ve had in the past,’’ he said.  “I learned how to win in college, but you have to also learn how to win at the next level. Now I’ll continue to go to Q-School and hope to keep my head on straight, catch lightning in a bottle and get to the PGA Tour.’’

Getting paired with Meyer was a big help in Wednesday’s pressure-packed situation.

“Playing with Dylan reminded me of college golf, where pars were very valuable,’’ said Feagles.  “Pro golf has become so birdie-crazy.  Dylan and I had a blast.  We were teammates for two years and played together on great teams at Illinois.’’

Meyer, who lost an Illinois Open title to Vince India in in a playoff two years ago, tied for 13th this time. At one point in the tournament there was an Illinois alum in five consecutive pairings.

TO THE VICTORS: Grant Roscich (left) was low amateur and Andy Svoboda (right was low pro at the Illinois Open, but Michael Feagles was the center of attention at the awards ceremony.

 

 

It’s Ohr by four with a round to go in the Illinois Open

Travis Johns, a teaching professional at Medinah Country Club, and Brian Ohr, who is “transitioning’’ to instruction after focusing on tournament play, were paired together in the first two rounds of the 76th Illinois Open and benefitted from it at Kemper Lakes, in Kildeer.

John, 47, took the first-round lead with a 68 when Kemper was set up at 7,497 yards – the longest in tournament history. Ohr, playing the same 18 holes but with a shorter setup,  shot 69 on Tuesday and now owns a four-stroke lead on the field at the 36-hole.

So, both have had a taste of leading the biggest championship in Illinois golf and liked playing together. Ohr goes into the last 18 with a four-stroke lead on Johns and Timmy Crawford, of Arlington Heights, who also had a 69 on Tuesday.

This is more than a three-man race, however.  Two of the Illinois PGA best players are just a stroke behind Johns and Crawford in a tie for fourth. Mike Small, coach of the University of Illinois men’s team, is one of them and he’s won the Illinois Open four times.  Andy Svoboda, head pro at Butler National in Oak Brook, had success on both the Korn Ferry and PGA tours before shifting to the club pro ranks.

Johns, though, may have a psychological edge on his rivals.  He’s already won at Kemper Lakes, in the Illinois PGA Match Play Championship in 2010, and has an added incentive.  He needs an Illinois Open win to complete an IPGA Grand Slam.

He already owns wins in the Match Play (two times), Illinois PGA Section Championship and IPGA Players Championship and hopes to become the first club professional to win the Illinois Open since Todd Tremaglio in 1998.

“I’ve thought about that,’’ said Johns, “but my last one is the hardest to get because tour players are here.’’

Johns, 47, struggled with his putting in the second round, three-putting four times.

“Normally I’m pretty good at putting, and I can’t remember when I last had a nine-hole round like that,’’ he said.  “There’s still a score out there if you can get it rolling.  A 66 isn’t impossible.’’

Ohr, 26, took a fling at the Korn Ferry Tour last year without much success.  This year’s he’s teaching at Next Level Golf in Northbrook.

“Moving to the instructional side has given structure to my life,’’ said Ohr, “but I haven’t completely closed the door on competing.  I’ll try to jump on the opportunity when it comes. I’m playing the best in my career.’’

His track record in the Illinois Open hasn’t been good – only two top-20 finishes in eight appearances – but he’s found a  new avenue for competition. The competing this year has been done on the Advocates Professional Golf Tour.

“It’s a great place to compete,’’ he said.  “I’ve had eight-nine events so I’m still staying sharp.  That Tour plays on good courses and has prepared me well.’’

Crawford, 24, has also struggled as a budding tournament player. He spent four years of collegiate golf at Loyola and then had a “bonus year’’ at Illinois for enduring a Covid year. He had five starts on the Korn Ferry Tour last year but none this year, so his recent tournaments have been on mini tours.

The low 50 and ties – 52 players who were 11 over par or better  after 36 holes — will wrap up the tournament Wednesday. The  final rounds begin at 7:30 a.m. with play in twosomes.