While PGA Tour Champions has always been fun to cover, I’ve always felt there was one thing that was strange about it — the circuit’s designated major championships. Like the LPGA, the Champions circuit has designated five tournaments as major championships, while the PGA Tour has stuck to just four – the Masters, U.S. Open,…
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Kemper Lakes’ Billiter seeks repeat as Illinois PGA Player of the Year
The Illinois PGA has been awarding its Bernardi Trophy to the section’s Player-of-the-Year for 46 years, and Jim Billiter has been a factor in two of the more interesting races. Understandably, more Bernardi points are available in the section’s four annual major championships – the IPGA Match Play, the Illinois Open, the IPGA Championship and…
The story behind `Caddyshack’ rivals the movie itself
`Caddyshack’ may not be my favorite sports movie. I still lean towards `Chariots of Fire.’ `Caddyshack’ isn’t even my favorite golf movie. I give the nod there to `The Greatest Game Ever Played.’ Still, there’s no movie I’ve watched more times than the classic golf comedy that was filmed nearly 40 years ago. I had…
`Tiger Woods’ provides an inside look at the world’s most fascinating athlete
Book review time. If you ever wanted to know what Tiger Woods’ life has really been like this creation – titled simply “Tiger Woods’’ – is a must read. Certainly anybody who has reported on golf should check it out. Co-authors Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian were more than qualified to take on this project…
Blalock gets well-deserved invite into the first U.S. Senior Women’s Open
Jane Blalock, who provided the only tournament options for Ladies PGA members once they reached the senior ranks, was – most appropriately – among the first two special exemptions into the first U.S. Senior Women’s Open that will come to Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton in July. The U.S. Golf Association also issued a special…
Tour Edge, Wilson, WGA make an impact at PGA Merchandise Show
ORLANDO, Florida – The PGA Merchandise Show is – as far as the golf industry is concerned – the major annual event for the sport, and last week’s 65th staging of the show at the Orange County Convention Center underscored that. The Show, which draws about 40,000 visitors annually, featured more than 7,500 PGA professionals…
Revelation Golf: A success story that’s ongoing
RevelationGolf has done lots of good things since Elk Grove resident Donna Strum created the program in 2005. Strum, a therapeutic recreation specialist, quit a job at a hospital to work with children and adults with physical disabilities, breast cancer survivors and at-risk youth. It wasn’t until two years later, Strum and her assistant, Kathy…
My big night at the ING Media Awards
I’m excited, and most appreciative. Last night three of my pieces from 2017 were cited in the 24th annual International Network of Golf Media Awards presentation, which climaxed the first day of the 65th PGA Merchandise Show at the Orange County Convention Center. My Daily Herald piece, “Koepka wins first major,’’ was the winner in…
GOLF TRAVEL NOTEBOOK: PGA National Resort is up for sale
PGA National Resort & Spa, home of the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic, is up for sale. The resort, which includes five courses in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., fetched $170 million when it was acquired by Walton Street Capital of Chicago in 2006 from a Florida investor, according to a report in the Palm Beach Post….
Dick Nugent was one of Chicago’s most prolific — and best — golf course designers
I was just sad to learn of the passing of Dick Nugent, the long-time Chicago golf course architect, on New Year’s Day. I don’t know more details, but Nugent was 87 — a very nice man and and one of the most prolific architects in the Chicago area. A University of Illinois graduate — he…