Monday qualifiers are a way of life for Patrick Flaviin, the budding golf touring pro from Highwood. One of only two players to win both the Illinois State Amateur and Illinois Open in the same year, Flavin estimates he’s played in 30 such nail-biting rounds in hopes of getting into tournaments on either the PGA…
Daily Herald Columns
Small, Biancalana will play in a golf major in 2022
Mike Small considers himself a golf coach first and a player second, but he proved again how good a player he can be in qualifying for another major championship last week — this one of the senior variety. The University of Illinois men’s coach was free to compete after his Illiini concluded the 2021 portion…
Pinns heads latest Illinois Golf Hall of Fame induction class
Gary Pinns is probably best known in Illinois golf circles for winning the Illinois Open five times. No one else has done that. Pinns has done much more than that, howeve3r. He gave the PGA Tour a four-year shot before making an instantly successful transition into teaching. He’s been doing that as director of instruction …
U.S. dominates in this Ryder Cup
HAVEN, Wis.—The longstanding U.S. frustrations in the Ryder Cup are over. After losing to Europe in four of the previous five meetings and seven of the last nine captain Steve Stricker found a combination of young players who dominated the 43rd staging of golf’s premier team event at Whistling Straits. In fact, this American team…
Could this be the day the U.S. reclaims the Ryder Cup?
HAVEN, Wis. – If it wasn’t for a nightmarish day nine years ago the United States golfers and their supporters would already be in a celebratory mood at Whistling Straits. The U.S. went 3-1 in Saturday’s morning foursome matches for the third straight session to open a 9-3 lead. The Europeans had their best session…
At least there’s hope for the U.S. after great start in Ryder Cup
HAVEN, Wis. – Beautiful weather greeted the 40,000 spectators when the 43rd Ryder Cup teed off Fridays. So did massive traffic jams on the rural roads that surround Whistling Straits. At the end of the day, though, there was at least hope for the American side that has been dominated by the Europe in in…
Stricker in the spotlight at Ryder Cup Opening Ceremonies
HAVEN, Wis. – Thursday’s Opening Ceremonies for the 43rd Ryder Cup was not without the unexpected. U.S. captain Steve Stricker provided it. First Stricker broke into tears while introducing his wife and daughters to a standing room only crowd who ignored a late afternoon rain to gather at the Dye Pavilion at Whistling Straits. “I…
Euros made a good move in donning Packers’ gear at Ryder Cup
HAVEN, Wis. – The fun is over – well almost – and things are getting serious at the 43rd Ryder Cup. Clearly the European team, which has won four of the last five Ryder Cups, is well prepared. Captain Padraig Harrington, in a clear move to soften the passions of the partisan American crowd, had…
Who’s the real team to beat in this Ryder Cup?
HAVEN, Wis. – Most of the world golf media is labelling the United States the favorite in the 43rd Ryder Cup matches, which tee off on Friday at Whistling Straits. I’m not part of that group. Frankly, it’d be shocking if this U.S. Ryder Cup team even made a game of it against the Europeans….
Tour Edge makes early introduction of its new golf clubs
It’s obvious that the pandemic changed golf. Play increased nation-wide last year because the sport was a safe outlet for people in need of exercise and this year, according to industry reports, play is up another 15 percent over that. “There’s been a 40 percent bump in new golfers coming into the game or players…