STRICKER AND KELLY 1-2 AT US SENIOR OPEN

  IT’S SENIOR OPEN WEEK. THE BAER NINE at the Schaumburg Golf Club will have seven holes open tomorrow for play. With the last two holes opening by August 1st. For details please call the club at (847)-885-9000 or visit online at Schaumburggolf.com.       _____________________________________________________________________

BY: Rory Spears, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy and on Facebook or Linkedin.

REPORTING FROM THE WARREN COURSE in South Bend Indiana.

  STEVE STRICKER and JERRY KELLY Team Wisconsin on the Champions Tour are tearing up the Warren Course here in South Bend. Stricker with rounds of 62-64 is as hot as the temperatures outside.

Stricker is -14 in the U.S. Senior Open that looks more like the John Deere Classic, with the shootout thats going on. One USGA official told Golfers on Golf, we would love to crown Steve a USGA Champion. Just wish he could make a few less birdies.

Stricker is making the Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore designed Warren Course in South Bend, look easy, and not like a U.S. Open venue. But he is enjoying the course and admitted he is motivated to win. Sticker would love to avenge the loss he had to Kelly at his American Family tournament last weekend in Madison Wisconsin in a playoff.

He would love to win his first major, and he would like to be crowned a USGA Champion. Right now he is making putts from everywhere, and seems ready to win. Even the big gun on the PGA Champions Tour Bernhard Langer, when asked if he can make a run this weekend, answered, “yes if I start playing golf like Steve Stricker, and making putts like him.”

Click here to hear Steve Strickers interview after his second round at the U.S. Senior Open in South Bend Ind.

Stricker has his entire family here, and his wife Nikki is on the bag this week. He seems at ease with her by his side for the entrie round. Win or lose this weekend, Stricker will be tough to beat.

JERRY KELLY is right behind Stricker, after round of 64-64 and is 12 under par. Kelly calls Stricker a good friend, and that the two of them have been there for each other in the good times and bad. He says if he is paired with Stricker on Saturday or and or Sunday as well, they will be good times.

Kelly like Stricker is putting well, and says he played some of the tought holes on the course very good.

Team Wisconsin they are, good friends they are, and both want to win come Sunday.

Click here to hear the flash area interview with Jerry, in second place at the U.S. Sr Open.

NOTES: Course designer Ben Crenshaw was out on the golf course today watching golf. He watched Medinah professional Rich Dukelow tee off on the 13th hole. Dukelow missed the cut, shooting +9 for his 36 holes. Dukelow had two great putts on the 15th and 16th holes in Round 2. Both died on the lip of the cup, and the one on 15 seemed to have the ball hanging over the hole.

Crenshaw was asked about the low scores for the first two rounds. “With all the rain that we’ve had, their is not much they can do with the golf course. The guys playing well, will eat it up.”

GOG spoke with the Golden Bear Jack Nicklaus, who was roaming the course in a golf cart driven by a USGA security chief. When I asked him about watching his son Gary Nicklaus compete again, Nicklaus answered, “He is not competing yet. He has been a way from it (the game) for so long. He needs to learn how to play out here again, then he can go compete.”

Spoken like a true champion.

More on Golfers on Golf Radio tomorrow morning at 10 AM on Am 750 The Big WNDZ-Chicago.

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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.