ERIN, Wis. – Phil Mickelson doesn’t show up and defending champion Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day – the top three players in the Official World Golf Rankings – miss the 36-hole cut. What kind of U.S. Open is this anyway? Actually, it’s been quite a good one in terms of competitiveness and the…
Author: lenz
Dustin Johnson’s the man to beat at Erin Hills
ERIN, Wis. — No matter how you slice it, Dustin Johnson is at the top of the golf world. The FedEx Cup standings say so. So do the Official World Golf Rankings. And, starting today, Johnson will defend the most prestigious title he’s ever won at the U.S. Open. So, what could possibly go wrong…
Mickelson ends the suspense, finally WDs from U.S. Open
ERIN, Wis. – Phil Mickelson ended the suspense before first round play began in the 117rh U.S. Open. He officially withdrew from the championship, ending speculation that he might make a dramatic last minute arrival at the first tee. Mickelson had said he would skip the Open to attend his daughter Amanda’s high school graduation…
Could this be Rickie Fowler’s time to nab that first major title?
ERIN, Wis. – Rickie Fowler is sure that he’ll win one of golf’s major titles some day. So is most everyone else, and this week could be his time. In 2014 he finished in the top five at all four of them – the Masters, U.S. and British Opens and PGA Championship – and was…
Could this U.S. Open produce seventh straight first time major champion?
ERIN, Wis. – It would seem that the more established players would have the most success in a tournament as difficult to win as the U.S. Open. That hasn’t been the case lately, however. The last six U.S. Opens have had champions who won their first major title, and another could be in the offing…
It’s on to the U.S. Open for Rust-Oleum champion Jaeger
Stephan Jaeger took care of business on Sunday, nursing a four-stroke lead at the start of the day to nab a two-stroke win in the $600,000 Rust-Oleum Championship. Now it’s on to the U.S. Open. The Germany-born Jaeger survived a 36-hole U.S. Open sectional qualifier on Monday before claiming the $108,000 first prize in the…
Women’s Western Amateur reaches milestone at River Forest — and it’s all good
The Women’s Western Amateur has been put on by largely Chicago area volunteers for 116 years and this week’s tournament at River Forest Country Club, in Elmhurst, will mark the end of an era. The tournament, which tees off today and concludes on Saturday, isn’t folding. It’s just that the Women’s Western Golf Association will…
Jaeger, Rocha prove the best wind players at Ivanhoe
With winds blowing steadily at 25 miles per hour and gusting to 35 at times Saturday didn’t figure to be a good day for scoring at the Rust-Oleum Championship. A couple players apparently didn’t get that memo, however. Alexandre Rocha, who started the day in a tie for 52nd place, shot an 8-under-par 64 and…
CDGA’s amateurs beat IPGA pros, regain Radix Cup
The Illinois PGA pros used to dominate their amateur counterparts in the annual Radix Cup matches at Oak Park County Club, but no more. Though the IPGA owns a 35-19-2 overall edge the amateurs won for the 10th time in the last 18 meetings on Wednesday. The CDGA’s best took a 10-8 victory. Neither team,…
Stricker, Pope head U.S. Open qualifiers on golf’s `longest day’
If any player should have received a special invitation to the first U.S. Open ever played in Wisconsin it would be Steve Stricker. He won 12 PGA Tour events including the 1997 Western Open and three straight John Deere Classics from 2009-11. He’s also the current U.S. Presidents Cup captain. U.S. Golf Association leaders, however,…