Big golf events used to be commonplace in Chicago. Now, not so much. No U.S. Opens or PGA Championships are scheduled in these parts. The PGA Tour comes only every other year, for the BMW Championship. The LPGA and Buy.com Tour no longer make annual stops here. Only the Champions Tour, with its new Encompass…
Features
Johnson’s JDC title defense is almost as captivating as Stricker’s was last year
Clair Peterson, tournament director for the John Deere Classic, has felt blessed – and with good reason. From 2009-2011 he had a very popular champion whose presence enhanced the interest in the JDC. Steve Stricker, from nearby Madison, Wis., tried to become only the fifth golfer in 140 years to win a major professional tournament…
Encompass outing is memorable with putter announcement looming
Officials for the Encompass Championship, which brings golf’s Champions Tour back to Chicago for the first time in 12 years next month, held their kickoff event on Monday at North Shore Country Club in Glenview. They announced the latest player commitments for the June 17-23 event included 16 major championships winners – Mark Calcavecchia, Ben…
CDGA’s date changes will streamline Chicago golf calendar
There are two major changes coming to amateur golf in the Chicago area for 2013. Both involve scheduling, and both represent improvements from the way things were. For starters, the Chicago District Golf Assn. made one major schedule change, as well as a few others. The big one has the men’s 83rd Illinois State Amateur…
Points should be tired, Streelman well-rest for the Masters
Luke Donald is just one of three Illinois players in their year’s Masters field. The other two – Kevin Streelman and D.A. Points – are in the field for the first time since making their tournament debuts in 2011. Streelman (75-74) and Points (72-76) both failed to survive the 36-hole cut in their Masters debuts,…
NOTES: Mom’s putter revived Points’ career
Winfield’s Kevin Streelman wasn’t the only Illinois golfer earning a trip to the Masters in March. D.A. Points, the former University of Illinois golfer, also did it by winning the Shell Houston Open last Sunday. Like Streelman, Points will be making his second Masters appearance next week; both missed the cut in 2011. Unlike Streelman,…
KICKOFF AT CANTIGNY: Daily Herald columns will start April 3
The Daily Herald joined forces with the staff of the Cantigny Golf Academy in Wheaton to celebrate the start of another Chicago golf season. Following introductions by Eileen Brown, the Herald’s director of Innovation and Audience Development, over 80 Daily Herald Total Access subscribers received a tour of the Academy from head professional Patrick Lynch…
Chicago golf publication takes on a new/old name
You might notice there’s a new, old golf publication making its debut at the 30th Chicago Golf Show. Sound confusing? Let me explain. Chicago Area Golf was the publication that provided coverage of the Chicago golf scene the last three years. Starting with this issue the publication that will do the same job will be…
IT ZIEHMS TO ME: Chicago Golf Show is ready to turn 30
The Chicago Golf Show celebrates its 30th anniversary beginning on Friday, and some significance announcements will be made as part of the festivities. For one thing, the Chicago Open will be revived again, this time as a fundraiser for the Illinois Junior Golf Association. And Val Russell, publisher of the golf newspaper called Chicago Area…
IT ZIEHMS TO ME: A fitting honor for Bill Ogden
A golf professional’s job was much different when Bill Ogden ran the shop at North Shore Country Club. Ogden not only could compete at the highest level, but he also was a master at handling the detail work that was required on the job. The Chicago area never has had a club pro as widely…