It’ll be nothing like the just-completed Ryder Cup, but there is one big competitive event left in the Chicago golf season. The Illinois PGA will stage the last of its four major tournaments, the IPGA Players Championship, at Eagle Ridge in Galena on Monday and Tuesday. The section’s player-of-the-year and assistant player-of-the-year awards will be…
Author: lenz
RYDER CUP: Kaymer’s attitude adjustment paid off in the end
Germany’s Martin Kaymer changed his attitude. For that he was rewarded Sunday with the honor of assuring the Ryder Cup would remain in Europe for two more years. Kaymer hadn’t been playing well leading into this year’s Ryder Cup. In fact he skipped the last qualifying tournament for Team Europe even though he held the…
RYDER CUP: Donald’s fast start was the key to Europe’s comeback
Luke Donald did his job perfectly for Team Europe on Sunday. With his team trailing 10-6, captain Jose Maria Olazabal sent former world No. 1 and Northwestern alum Donald out first in Sunday’s singles in hopes of building some quick momentum for his team. Donald didn’t disappoint. His opponent, long-hitting Bubba Watson, had been a…
RYDER CUP: Poulter’s five-birdie finish gives Europe some hope
There may be no better match play competitor in Ryder Cup history than England’s Ian Poulter. He’s kept Team Europe alive – at least barely – through two days of the 39th staging of the event at Medinah, and he gave a pulsating finish to Saturday’s session. After playing partner Rory McIlroy made birdie at…
RYDER CUP: European captain’s picks were too much for Tiger
Opening day at the 39th Ryder Cup didn’t go well for Team Europe on Friday, but the gang that won four of the last five competitions did win one battle. The two captain’s picks made by European captain Jose Maria Olazabal were twice as productive as the four captain’s picks made by U.S. captain Davis…
Seve and Jose Maria was the best Ryder Cup pairing ever
The first big thing that Jose Maria Olazabal, the European Ryder Cup captain, did for team was get his players some special golf bags. All 12 of them arrived at the first tee this week at Medinah with bags emblazoned with the iconic silhouette depicting the late Seve Ballesteros’ British Open title in 1984. That…
JUST MY OPINION: Chicago’s rich golf history is second to none
Go ahead, I dare you! Show me one American city that has a richer golf history than Chicago. I don’t think you can do it. Of course, as a golf writer here for over 40 years, I may be prejudiced. Still, I can’t think of another city with such a broad background of action on…
Donald’s dilemma: local golf hero playing for the wrong team
It’s hard to imagine Luke Donald drawing hecklers when the 39th Ryder Cup matches tee off on Friday at Medinah Country Club. But it could happen. A former NCAA champion for Northwestern, Donald has been a class act since establishing residence in Chicago 15 years ago. He married a Chicago woman, kept his NU coach…
Roger Warren is back home — as U.S. Junior Ryder Cup captain
Roger Warren got his start in golf while living in the Chicago area. He went on to big things in the game, and now he’s back. Warren will captain the U.S. in the Junior Ryder Cup competition, which begins at 5 p.m. on Sunday with opening ceremonies at Olympia Fields Country Club. After two days…
Tour Championship will set the stage for the Ryder Cup
Get ready, get set….. The golf season is reaching a climax, with The Tour Championship concluding the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs this week and the 39th Ryder Cup coming the following week to Medinah Country Club. Medinah, though, will open its gates to the public on Saturday. There won’t be any PGA Tour players…