`The Longest Day in Golf’ is fast approaching for U.S. Open hopefuls. The golf focus for this week could be on the PGA Tour’s Memorial tournament in Ohio or the U.S. Women’s Open in North Carolina. For Chicago followers, though, it should be on Monday’s U.S. Open sectional eliminations. They will determine the last…
Daily Herald Columns
Five former Illinois Open champions seek Korn Ferry Tour title
How difficult is it to get on the PGA Tour? Just ask Vince India or Brad Hopfinger. They grew up in the Chicago suburbs, were stars at the University of Iowa together and among the select group of 10 players with wins in both the Illinois State Amateur and Illinois Open. Both were early…
Streelman wants to be a factor at another PGA Championship
Last year’s PGA Championship at Kiawah, in South Carolina, will be remembered historically for Phil Mickelson becoming, at 50, the oldest winner of a major championship. It’ll be memorable for Kevin Streelman, as well. Chicago’s most prominent PGA Tour member finished in a nine-way tie for eighth place, his first top-10 finish in 26 appearances…
Illini men take three-tourney winning streak into NCAA regional
The University of Illinois men’s team earned its 15th straight appearance in NCAA regional play, which starts on Monday. That was no surprise after the Illini won their seventh straight Big Ten title and 12th in the last 13 years last week, extending a run of three straight tournament titles. Now things get more difficult. …
John Deere Classic gives Flavin the royal treatment
The awarding of sponsor’s exemptions isn’t a big deal at a PGA Tour event. Tournament directors usually announce the lucky four or so winners in the early days of tournament week. That’s not the case with this year’s John Deere Classic, however. Highwood’s Patrick Flavin received the good news nearly two months before the…
Illini golfers are ready for another Big Ten title run at French Lick
Coach Mike Small’s University of Illinois men’s golf team hasn’t been the powerhouse this season that it had been during most of the last two decades. Things changed for the Illini in a big way at this crucial point of the season, however. The Illini tied for the title in their first tournament, then went…
New Orleans’ PGA Tour stop puts the focus on team play
This week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans isn’t a big deal compared to other events on the PGA Tour. It could turn out big for Doug Ghim and Nick Hardy, two of the Chicago area’s young guns on the circuit, however. The Zurich Classic is the only full-field team event of the PGA Tour season. …
Berger joins Johnson as JDC ambassador
Only Zach Johnson had been sporting the logo of Illinois’ only annual PGA Tour event on his golf bag. Now America’s next Ryder Cup captain has company. Daniel Berger, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour and member of the victorious U.S. Ryder Cup team last fall at Wisconsin’s Whistling Straits, sported the John Deere…
Scheffler is the obvious choice to win this year’s Masters
Picking the winner of any PGA Tour event is an exercise in futility. Still, come Masters time, forecasting the champion seems almost an obligation. I’ve been making the effort since attending my first Masters in 1986, and I’ve picked the winner only once – Fred Couples in 1992. With the 86th Masters teeing off on…
Masters preliminary events give young stars a chance to shine
Unless Kevin Streelman, Luke Donald, Doug Ghim, Nick Hardy or Dylan Wu win this week’s Valero Texas Open there won’t a Chicago-connected player in next week’s Masters tournament. The champion of the PGA Tour event on Sunday in Texas gets the final spot in the year’s first major championship at Georgia’s Augusta National, and all…