RALSTON SETS THE PACE AT WESTERN AM BIRDIEFEST

  CHICAGOLAND GOLF PUBLISHER VAL RUSSELL invites everyone to pick up a copy of the August issue of Chicagoland Golf, coming this week to area golf courses and golf retail stores. NEED NEW CLUBS time to Go Rogue Go CALLAWAY, Callawaygolf.com.  ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy and on Facebook, Linkedin and now Instragram, with Patrick Flavin who T-6 after a second round 67.

THE 116TH WESTERN AMATEUR is rolling along at the Sunset Ridge Country Club in Northfield. Another thing rolling along are putts that are early and often finding the bottom of the cup.

The new promo for the Western Amateur should be, these kids are good, and they are.

Sunset Ridge at 6,823 yards is not the longest course, but the WGA tried to give these top amateurs a bit of a challenge by growing up the rough, making the greens very fast and tucking the pins. Guess what, it’s not working, as the cut will fall below par, maybe as low as five under par.

Click here to hear interviews with leader Spencer Ralston, Patrick Flavin and Collin Morikawa.

Even a double bogey could not slow down Ralston the University of Georgia golf team member that is headed to Pebble Beach as his next stop after the Western Amateur to play in the U.S. Amateur. Ralston who said he hit only one fairway all round, backed up his first round 63, with a 66.

Collin Morikawa from the University of California golf team who is also using the Western Amateur as his final tune up for the U.S. Amateur, said he is enjoying the championship, and the key is not short siding yourself because the WGA “really tucked some of the pins.”

Reigning Illinois Open Champion Patrick Flavin, carded his second straight 4 under par 67, and is T-10. Flavin says his putting has been good, after struggling with it a little earlier this year. Flavin will be the only player from the small Illinois contingent that will survive the first cut at the end of play after 36 holes.

westernamateurchampionship.com

Former NFL quarterback Tony Romo missed the 36 hole cut after rounds of 74-78, NHL referee Garrett Rank needs some birdies in round two to make the cut. Rank had a late tee time and was early in his round when play was suspended at 3:04 PM local time CST. Play then resumed after an 1 hour and 6 minute delay. Rank shot even par for round 2 and missed the cut. 44 players and ties from the field of 156 players, will advance to a 36 hole day on Thursday, to determine the Sweet 16 for match play that begins on Friday.

The championship semi-finals are Saturday morning, and the championship match is expected to start in the noon hour on Saturday. Braden Thornberry the #1 rated amateur in the world and a member of the Ole Miss golf team finished two shots inside the cut line, after a late rally late in his second round. Thornberry just barely survived the 36 hole cut.

The two days of match play will have live online streaming for the first time, on Golf Channel.com and westernamateurchampionship.com.

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About Rory Spears

Rory spent over 8 years growing up working at Rob Roy Golf Club in Prospect Hts.IL, then two years at Chevy Chase in Wheeling. He has covered golf in Chicago since 1986. Rory was one of the initial members of WSCR all-sports radio Chicago and covered golf there for 5 seasons, before moving on to work for ESPN/Sportsticker and ESPN Radio. In addition to hosting Golfers on Golf Radio on WCPT AM820 Chicago, he writes for both the Chicago District (CDGA) Magazine, and formerly Chicagoland Golf. Rory has played over 525 courses in 39 states, and rates golf courses. He does golf course management and communications consulting, within the golf industry.