The first day of Chicago’s only pro tour stop of the year certainly had its share of twists on Friday. So many, in fact, that Tom Lehman’s 7-under-par 65 was almost an after-thought. Here’s a sampling: In the middle of the first round Tiger Woods announced on his Facebook page that he’s ready to compete…
Author: lenz
Here’s five players well worth watching at Encompass tourney
The 12th event on the Champions Tour’s 2014 schedule, the $1.8 million Encompass Championship, begins its 54-hole run on Friday at North Shore Country Club in Glenview. Last of the event’s three pro-ams is on tap for Thursday and the first two rounds of the 54-hole tourney proper will have a tournament within a tournament,…
Couples is out, but Montgomerie is in for Encompass tourney
This week’s second Encompass Championship at North Shore Country Club has two major differences from the first staging as far as the 81-player field is concerned. Fred Couples, last year’s runner-up, won’t be there when play begins on Friday at the Glenview course but Colin Montgomerie will. Though Couples is one of the most popular…
Family matters have affected Streelman’s U.S. Open preparations
Wheaton’s Kevin Streelman remains one of golf’s most promising up-and-coming players, but he’s not going into this week’s U.S. Open with any momentum. Chicago’s only homegrown PGA Tour player missed the cut in his last three tournaments. “It’s been a strange year golf-wise,’’ said Streelman, “but it’s been a wonderful year off the course thanks…
Was scheduling back-to-back Opens at Pinehurst No. 2 a good idea?
For American golfers June is the biggest month of the year. It’s U.S. Open time, and this June will be different than all the others. This time you need a primer to know what will be going on, so here goes: The men’s U.S. Open dates back to 1895 and the U.S. Women’s Open to…
Here’s 10 good reasons to go to the Encompass Championship
The Encompass Championship on the Champions Tour is coming to North Shore Country Club in Glenview from June 16-22. Tournament rounds are June 20-22. If you love golf you should be there. Here’s 10 good reasons why: 1, It’s Unique. The pro golf tours are making fewer and fewer appearances in the Chicago area, and…
Four top college stars will get PGA Tour experience at JDC
Illinois’ only PGA Tour event of 2014 has thrived by appealing to young players, and director Clair Peterson saw no reason to change that approach when he announced his sponsor exemptions for the John Deere Classic this week. Peterson invited four of the very best college stars to battle the PGA Tour players in the…
Wisconsin’s golf boom really started at Blackwolf Run two decade ago
KOHLER, Wis. – What’s been going on in golf in Wisconsin is astonishing. Another PGA Championship and a Ryder Cup coming to Whistling Straits. A U.S. Open on its way to Erin Hills. A Robert Trent Jones renovation of the famous Flower Hole at Sentry World. A new Mike Keiser resort, Sand Valley, with four…
This is American golf’s `other Augusta’
AUGUSTA, MI. – When you put Augusta and golf together you think of April, azaleas and the Masters tournament, right? Well, that’d be understandable. Not all the great Augusta golf is played in Georgia, though. Check out Augusta, Michigan. Golf is pretty good there, too. This little town (population of only about 1,000) in southwest…
Five local medalists spur Chicago hopes in U.S. Open sectional play
The U.S. Golf Assn. scheduled one of its sectional qualifiers for the U.S. Open at a Chicago area course for at least four decades. That policy changed two years ago and it’s especially unfortunate this year, given the results at the 111 nation-wide local qualifiers. Players with Chicago roots were medalists at five of those…