Gary Smith, by his own admission, is not a champion golfer but his golf story is well worth telling. Tim Rosaforte, a long-time friend of mine who works for The Golf Channel, told it first as a TV feature. Now it’s my turn. Smith is a Naperville resident, but I met him at the International…
Author: lenz
We will all have to deal with `THE BIG CONFLICT’
This is my 50th year reporting on the Chicago golf scene and I can assure you there has never been a month like the one confronting us this July. There have been busy tournaments times in the past, but never anything like what’s coming in the next few days. I’m calling the whole scenario “The…
Kemper’s Gauntlet is no problem for champion Sung Hyun Park
Where do you start to explain this one? The climax to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes had it all on Sunday – a sparkling 18-hole score, a miracle shot from the edge of a pond, clutch birdie putts at dramatic moments, a lightning delay that interrupted a two-hole playoff. And it ended…
Kemper Lakes is back on the radar as a major tournament venue
Watching the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship wrap up on Sunday created good vibes for Steve Jouzapaitis, the owner of Kemper Lakes. What was once one of America’s most prominent golf venues could be again, following a successful staging of a major championship. “I expected more issues and things to address, but everything was so smooth,’’…
Ryu-Henderson shootout in final round will start early at Kemper Lakes
An imposing weather forecast for Sunday will create a viewers’ headache for the climax to the 64th KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, and that’s a shame. The expected duel for the title between Korean So Yeon Ryu and Canadian Brooke Henderson should be a dandy, based on how both performed in Saturday’s third round. Normally players…
Feng makes her case in battle for a new No. 1 in women’s golf
The possibility is remote, but China’s Shanshan Feng – in a tie for 54th place at the start of Saturday’s third round of the 64th KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – could still win the title on Sunday and regain her place as the No. 1-ranked player in women’s golf. Feng demonstrated on Saturday what one…
Stomach problems hamper start of Kang’s title defense
Danielle Kang began the defense of her title in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Thursday in less than impressive fashion. She shot 73 at soggy Kemper Lakes, and it was not a pretty site. At one point Kang was doubled over in pain, the cause of which she suspected was the waffles she had for…
First round at Kemper Lakes proves a walk in the park
There are four players named Park on the Ladies PGA tour roster, and they’re all good. The best known in Inbee Park, three-time winner of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the current No. 1-ranked player in the Rolex World Rankings. Hee Young Park has won twice on the circuit and Jane Park calls Chicago…
Wie got an early look at Kemper Lakes — when she was 11
Michelle Wie’s days as a young phenom are over. In her early years she did things very few women players ever did, competing against the best women in her mid-teenage years and later taking on the men in a few PGA Tour events that included two appearances in the John Deere Classic. With five wins…
Inbee Park benefits from a lighter tournament schedule
The world’s No. 1-ranked woman’s golfer has barely played half the tournaments as her leading rivals have, but don’t worry about Korean Inbee Park heading into Thursday’s start of the 64th KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Park has played in only nine tournaments this season, and that was by design. At 29 she’s learned that her…