SILVIS, IL. – No question Chris Gotterup is ready to defend his title in the Scottish Open this week. Last year Gotterup was the surprise winner in a duel with Rory McIlroy in that event but – after his impressive victory in the John Deere Classic on Sunday – Gotterup’s game is ready for…
Daily Herald Columns
Spieth’s return perks up the John Deere Classic field
SILVIS, IL. — The John Deere Classic, Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour event, tees off for the 55th time on Thursday at TPC Deere Run with eight past champions, another eight among the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings and two of the top-four finishers at this year’s U.S. Open. Jordan Spieth,…
Jordan Thomas had an impressive Chicago Adaptive Open win
A guy named Thomas with the initials JT could well be a contender when the 126th U.S. Open tees off on Thursday at New York’s Shinnecock Hills course. The Chicago Adaptive Open already had a champion of that description when Jordan Thomas, a 37-year old Nashville, TN. resident, shot 70-69 in his two rounds…
Hardy makes it to the U.S. Open again
Northbrook’s Nick Hardy has had better seasons as a golf touring pro. The former Illinois star was a PGA Tour regular and even won a tournament – the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event in 2023 – but he’s struggled this season on the Korn Ferry Tour. Hardy, 30, survived the 36-hole cut…
Illinois State Women’s Amateur moves to Elgin CC
Very few of the big Illinois golf tournaments have undergone as many recent changes as the Illinois State Women’s Amateur. The downstate-based Illinois Women’s Golf Association conducted the tournament for 90 years, then passed it on to the Chicago District Golf Association in 2024. The tourney was played in a match play format through…
NCAA hopes are on the line for Illini, NU golfers
The national championships in Division I college golf are on the line the next two weeks, and — in these parts, at least – it’s all about Illinois and Northwestern. Coach Emily Fletcher’s NU women are the defending champion on the women’s side. They won their first title last year at Omni LaCosta Resort…
Svoboda gets his first big IPGA victory
The 108th PGA Championship – second of the year’s four major tournaments – tees off Thursday at Aronimink, in Pennsylvania, but the Illinois Section of the PGA crowned the first winner of its four majors last week and it was significant. Andy Svoboda was an immediate contender since joining the IPGA in 2024 after being…
Two-tourney week brings Illinois PGA players together
This week’s two PGA Tour stops are the final warmups for the year’s second major tournament – the PGA Championship. The top stars will be at the Truist Championship at Quail Valley, in Charlotte, N.C., which tees off on Thursday. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the runner-up in his last three tournaments, won’t be there…
Illinois prep champion tops U.S. Open local qualifier
Last week’s first of three Illinois local qualifiers for the U.S. Open hardly went according to form. Evanston amateur Lester Low, the reigning Illinois high school champion, posted the best score – a 7-under-par 65 at Stonewall Orchard, in Gurnee, and that was two strokes better than veteran tour player Andy Svoboda, the head…
Stonewall Orchard is an early host for U.S. Open local qualifiers
This month’s Masters was the first of the year’s four major championships and – with just a 91-player field – was the smallest of those events. The biggest of the majors is the U.S. Open which officially started on Monday (APRIL 20) with the first of 109 local qualifiers. Illinois will again have three…