In most years there are two, maybe three, Illinois-connected players in the finals of the U.S. Open. This year, for the 124th Open that tees off on Thursday in Pinehurst, N.C., there will be four such players among the 156 starters. Interestingly, though, none of them are among the area’s regular PGA Tour players….
Daily Herald Columns
Cantigny starts a renovation just as Dubsdread re-opens
It may have been coincidental, but two of the Chicago area’s most prominent public golf facilities made announcements on the same day last week that will have a big impact on the area’s golf community. At Cantigny, in Wheaton, it was the ground-breaking for an extraordinary three-year redo. At Cog Hill, in Lemont, it was…
Defending champ says PGA Tour needs more John Deere Classics
Illinois is one of those few states to have both a PGA Tour and a LIV Tour tournament this year. The friction between the two circuits is still there, but Sepp Straka downplayed it during the John Deere Classic’s annual Champions Day in Rock Island last week. Straka will defend his title in Illinois’…
Illini men could contend for NCAA golf title again
Mike Small has had better teams than his current one at the University of Illinois. Several of them, including last year’s veteran squad, even came close to winning the NCAA title but couldn’t finish the job. The current Illini did make it to the NCAA finals, which begin a week-long run on Friday (MAY…
New Butler National pro could be PGA’s player to watch
Andy Svoboda, the new head professional at Butler National in Oak Brook, has made a big impression since arriving on the Chicago golf scene in March, and this week he could make an even bigger one. Svoboda is one of two Illinois PGA members to qualify for the PGA Championship, which tees off Thursday…
Gotterup is an appropriate first champion at Myrtle Beach
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – This was only fitting. The newest tournament on the PGA Tour was won by one of the circuit’s youngest players. Chris Gotterup, just 24 and barely a year removed from his last college tournament, captured the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club. He took a four-stroke…
Three golfers with Chicago ties await the PGA Championship
Next week’s PGA Championship is the second of golf’s four major tournaments of 2024, and it’ll be extremely significant from a Chicago perspective. Two present Chicago area club professionals – Andy Svoboda of Butler National and Jeff Kellen of North Shore – earned spots in the field by finishing in the top 20 at…
NU golfers show Illini aren’t invincible in the Big Ten
Illinois’ record eight-year run as the Big Ten champion in men’s golf is over. Northwestern, led by medalist Daniel Svard, was a winner by 15 strokes at Ohio’s Scioto Country Club on Sunday with the Illini second. Both schools will get their regional assignments in the NCAA tournament today on The Golf Channel’s Selection Show….
Illinois PGA adds team golf to its tournament schedule
The Illinois PGA informally opened its tournament season this week, but it won’t be long until the section’s newest feature in the schedule kicks in. Team play will make its debut on May 13 at the first stroke play event at Schaumburg Golf Club. This is real team play, not best ball or foursome…
U.S. Open qualifiers tee off next week nation-wide
The year’s major golf championship ended on Sunday, when Scottie Scheffler’s last putt dropped, giving hims his second title in three years at the Masters. Though the second of the four majors, the PGA Championship, will be played in May the third major actually begins next Monday (APRIL 22) and the Chicago area gets…