BLACKBERRY OAKS HEAD GOLF PROFESSIONAL CHAD JOHANSEN holds the Blackberry Amateur trophy, the Blackberry Amateur is June 23-24, sign up today at Blackberryamateur.com, or call (630)-553-7170, lets fill the field #120 players. THE MISTWOOD GOLF CLUB is open for the summer, and this Best in State you can Play golf course award winner from Golfweek Magazine is ready for you. So why not come out and play Mistwood in Romeoville, see Mistwoodgc.com or call (815)-254-3333.         _____________________________________________________________________

Golfers on Golf Radio returns this morning for Week #6, join Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and Rory Spears on Am 750 WNDZ from 10-11 AM.

Golfers on Golf Radio is back on the tee at 10 Am this morning, for week #6.

This morning Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and Rory Spears join you for another of golf talk from news in the area and around the country.

This morning two guests will join the show live. First on the tee from Florida Elisa Gaudet, the author of three books including the full series of Two Good Rounds.

 ELISA GAUDET (L) is the founder of Women’s Golf Day that will take place this coming June 5th across America, visit Womensgolfday.com for more details and locations and clubs that are participating.

MATT TAUSIG the Director of Golf at the Four Seasons Golf Resort in Lake in the Ozarks Missouri, joins us to tell us more about this great Midwest golf destination, and all the new things happening there.

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO 10-11 am this morning on AM 750 WNDZ, join us on the tee, and on the links.

BREAKING NEWS…The Rust Oleum Championship has just announced that former Masters Champion Mike Weir has joined the field for the championship the week of June 4-10 at the Ivanhoe Country Club in Mundelein. For tickets go online at Rustoleumchampionship.com.

 BLACKBERRY OAKS GENERAL MANAGER and head golf professional Chad Johansen, invites you to take part in one of the most fun amateur golf tournaments of the summer, The Blackberry Am on June 23-24, see the Blackberry Amateur website or call (630)-553-7170 to register, let’s FILL THE WHOLE FIELD at 120 players this year. KPMG the Women’s PGA Championship coming June 28 to July 1st at the Kemper Lakes Golf Club in Kildeer, tickets are on sale now, Danielle Kang is defending champ.  _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation, Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on Linkedin and Facebook. Rory’s jacket by Sunice Golf Apparel.

RAIN, RAIN Go away, for the second straight day it is pouring outside, and you can hope for is that all the local golf courses have great drainage. :Last night my clubhouse had to get at least two inches of rain if not more.

It’s media week for the Ladies KPMG PGA Championship which tee’s off the last week of June at Kemper Lakes in Kildeer.

Yesterday there was a conference downtown with some tournament officials before defending champion Danielle Kang, and former Chicago Bulls star Toni Kukoc hot a few shots out to an island green in the Chicago River, which had an actual green in it, and no it was not dyed green like on St. Patrick’s Day. Kang’s first shot landed on the green, and Kukoc later landed a shot in about six feet from the flag according to observers. At least the rain stopped long enough for Kang and Kukoc to hit.

Kukoc by the way was filling in for Cubs star Kris Bryant who instead hit his Home Run shot at Wrigley Field, but it wasn’t enough as the Cubs make up game with the Atlanta Braves was a 6-5 Braves win. Former Bears player Brain Urlacher could have been the sub, but his appearance fee was rather steep and KPMG and the PGA took a pass, and were smart to do so.

ILLINOIS, the Men’s Golf Team is off to a great start in Columbus Ohio at the NCAA Regionals, sitting in third place. Five teams will advance to the NCAA nationals in Stillwater Oklahoma. More great news is that Northwestern is in Fourth Place and has a great chance to advance as well.

For Illinois Michael Feagles at 3 under par (68) is the co-leader in the clubhouse, with Seniors Dylan Meyer and Nick Hardy T-8 at even par. For the Wildcats of NU Everton Hawkins leads the way, after shooting a one over par 72. Go Illini, and Go Cats, all the way to Stillwater.

IF YOUR WONDERING about my thoughts on the Players Championship, of course it was surprising that old TW made the cut, by a shot. Of course when your T-70 after 36 holes, and 14 shots back, it’s easy to come out and wheel and deal with no pressure. Oh and BTW, that splash you heard on 17, the island green, you betcha.

I’ll have more this week, and some input and the Supreme Court sports betting ruling made on Monday, that allows all 50 states to have sports book betting. RS

   BLACKBERRY OAKS GM/PRO Chad Johansen holds the Blackberry Amateur Trophy from the Blackberry Amateur, that will be played June 23-24,  Blackberryamateur.com or call (630)-553-7170 for details. Let’s FILL THE FIELD, at 120 players. The New Mack Daddy Callaway Wedges by Roger Cleveland, Callawaygolf.com. Up your short game.   _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy and on Facebook, and Linkedin. On the new 16th tee box at Kemper Lakes Golf Club. Home of the 2018 KPMG Championship.

The first IPGA Major Championship of the year goes to Garrett Chaussard the teaching professional at Skokie Country Club, in Glencoe.

Chaussard earned his first major with a 3&2 win over Chris Green of the Glen View Club in Glenview, at the kemper Lakes Golf Club in Kildeer.

It was Green who had the early lead at 1 UP through seven, the match went all back to All-Square after Green bogeyed 8. Chaussard made par on 9 and he took a 1 UP lead into the back nine.

On the par 3, 13th hole Chaussard hit it 12 feet from the cup and made one of the few birdies in the final match. This coming after both players struggled on the par 4, 12th hole.

Garrett Chaussard holds the Illinois Match Play Championship Trophy, for winning the 2018 Match Play Championship. Photo by Nick Novelli, courtesy of IPGA

Green tried to comeback on 14 after hitting his approach to 10 feet,but  could not convert and the hole was halved.

Both players then made par’s on the par 5, 15th hole. On the 16th hole, both players hit the fairway and then Green missed the green with his approach shot landing in a greenside bunker.

Chaussard then put the heat on Green, when his approach found the center of the green, 20 feet from the cup.

After blasting out of the bunker, Green’s attempt for par slip past the edge of the cup, and with that the match closed out, and Chaussard had won his first section major championship, by a score of 3&2.

The weather conditions for the championship match were sunny, but windy. Earlier in the week play got delayed due to rain and cold temperatures.

Click here to hear our interview with IPGA Match Play Champion Garrett Chaussard from the Skokie Country Club.

Defending Champion and host professional Jim Billiter of kemper Lakes was defeated in Round 2 of the championship on the 18th hole by Brett Packee.

The Gog Blog Speaks Out returns tomorrow.

 GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO is back on the tee for week 5 of the season at 10 Am this morning on AM 750 WNDZ, with special guest host  Jon Parsons GM-Head Golf Professional at the Schaumburg Golf Club, current;y undergoing a 3 year renovation.    ______________________________________________________________________

Schaumburg Golf Club’s renovation is taking shape

Golfers on Golf Radio returns this morning hitting off the 5th tee,for week #5 of the season.

Today we talk renovations and on the public side, including the three year project at the Schuamburg Golf Club in Schuamburg with the clubs GM and head golf professional Jon Parsons.

Schaumburg’s new look is night and day on the holes that have been redone already. Plsu we discuss how Schuamburg has become a full year round golf facility. Regular show host Ed Stevenson is celebrating a birthday today, so he checks in via the phone line, from out at The Preserve at Oak Meadows, which just brought home another award, the renovation of the year award from Golf Magazine.

We will hear from Rust Oleum Championship sponsors exemptions Nick Hardy and T-K Kelly on media day at Ivanhoe Golf Club, and Illinois PGA Match Play Champion, and the sections first major championship winner of the year, Skokie Country Clubs Garrett Chaussard.

All this and more, please join Bill Berger, Rory Spears and Ed Stevenson on Am 750 WNDZ at 10 Am this morning.

   MISTWOOD GOLF CLUB IN ROMEOVILLE HAS  one of the top fitting centers in the country, and one of the Best in State courses “You can Play” in Illinois per Golfweek Magazine. See Mistwoodgc.com or call (815)-254-3333, Mistwood home of the Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open July 16-18 and the Women’s Western Golf Association 118th National Amateur Championship the last week of June. Visit WWGA.org.               _____________________________________________________________________

   GOLF COURSE ARCHITECT GREG MARTIN (L) and his team that included golf course clubhouse design architect Dan Wohlfeil, have won the opportunity to redesign the Sportsman’s Country Club operated by the Northbrook Park District.

BY RORY SPEARS (R), Director of Content and Creation Golfersongolf.com. At Bay Harbor Golf Club, Boyne Resorts, Northern Michigan, Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

Multiple sources confirmed to Golfers on Golf today, that Greg Martin and Dan Wohlfeil have won the bid for the renovation project, of the Northbrook Park District’s Sportsman’s Country Club on Dundee Road.

Martin and Wohlfeil were unavailable for comment on Thursday night. Architect Ray Hearn (Mistwood Golf Club) and his team are believed to be the runner-ups.

It’s believed that the Northbrook Park District wants to begin work late in the summer of 2019. The golf course is expected to remain open all of this year until winter arrives in November or December.

Martin, who’s work at the Preserve at Oak Meadows in Addison, has just won him another award, 2018 Renovation of the Year by Golf magazine, has done several recent park district courses in the Chicago area. Wohlfeil who is working on clubhouses at the Chicago Highlands Golf Club and will do the Preserve at Oak Meadows Clubhouse, recently won awards for his work at at Mistwood.

Hearn, reached at an event at Mistwood Golf Club on Thursday night, told Golfers on Golf that he tried to team up with Wohlfeil for the Sportsman’s project, but his call came in 40 minutes after Martins call did, and by them Wohlfeil was spoken for.

Golfers on Golf will continue to follow this story.

 ILLINOIS SR. AND SOON TO BE PROFESSIONAL NICK HARDY hits a drive at the Rust Oleum-Championship preview day. Tickets on sale rustroleumchampionship.com.  ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

While the Illinois Men’s golf team has made a regular habit of going to the NCAA National Championships, the schools women’s team is looking for their first visit.

Today they have their chance to make program history. Six teams at the Wisconsin regional will advance to Stillwater Oklahoma and the nationals at Oklahoma State University.

Currently headed into the final round Illinois sits in a tie for 6thplace with Northwestern and Ohio State at a score of 1 over par for 36 holes.

“Tomorrow we are going to continue to remain focused on our process and what we can control,” said head coach Renee Sloan. “We will keep the energy positive and enjoy the opportunity

NCAA Golf

Jan Prapassarangkul lead the way for Illinois with a round that included five birdies and a three under par 69 score. The Senior sits in 16th place overall.

Duke University is in lead at 14 under par, Virginia is second place at 6 under par and USC is in third place at 3 under par. Defending national champion Arizona State is fourth at 2 under par tied with Oregon State,

Tee times begin at 8 Am CST today, and the fate of the Illini should be determined by early afternoon.

  BLACKBERRY OAKS GM-PRO CHAD JOHANSEN holds the Blackberry Amateur trophy. The Blackberry Amateur is played on June 23-24 and the goal is to fill the field this year at 120 players. The championship is sponsored by Wilson Golf and Michelob Ultra. To Sign up see Blackberryoaks.com or call (630)-553-7170. THE INAUGURAL  U.S. Sr. Women’s Open is from July 12-15 at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton. For tickets now on sale usseniorwomensopen.com. Be part of golf history a first U.S. Open.  ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Contetn and Creation, back on the course, it’s golf season. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy Linkedin and Facebook.

THE MEDIA DAY CIRCUIT is underway, and yesterday at the Ivanhoe Country Club, was the day for the media to connect with the Web.com tour and the Rust Oleum-Championship.

Championship Director Scott Cassin, Ivanhoe head golf professional Jim Sobb, and sponsor exemptions Nick Hardy and T-K Kelly were on hand for the event.

This years championship week is from June 4th through the 10th. Defending champion Stephan Jaeger is on the PGA Tour and will not return to defend his title so 2018 will see a new champion, and a player who might punch his ticket to the PGA Tour in 2019. The purse for 2018 is $600,000.

Cassin told Golfers on Golf, that while the championships three year contract expires after this years event, all parties the PGA Tour (who owns the tournament) Web.com, Rust Oleum are all working together to continue the tournament, but there is no official agreement yet, we will see what happens. With so many other tournaments off the schedule in the Chicago area in 2019, Rust Oleum would be much more in the big picture next year should they return.

Rustoleumchampionship.com June 4-10, Ivanhoe Country Club.

While Hardy and Kelly are two of the exemptions there are two more to hand out by Cassin and tournament .

Those two exemptions will go to a veteran professional with Chicago area ties and or golf history here. The other exemption will go to a younger player with local ties that is not already in the field.

The field already has players with some local connections playing or are likely to play. They include former Illinois Open Champion Carlos Sainz Jr. (Elgin), Brad Hopfinger (Lake Forest), Max Marsico (Chicago), and Five-time PGA Tour winner mark Wilson (Elmhurst) might play. The field of players will be 156.

  T-K KELLY hits his drive on the second hole at Ivanhoe Country Club, while Illinois Sr. soon to be PGA professional Nick Hardy hit’s his drive on the 200 yard par 3, 12th hole, that left him less than two feet for his birdie putt, where he made a two.

Click here to hear the interview with Illinois Sr. Nick Hardy or Northbrook who will make his pro debut at the Rust Oleum Championship.

Click here to hear the interview with Ohio State alum and Wheaton native T-K Kelly who will play in the Rust Oleum Championship.

Ticket sales are now underway, and tickets purchased Pre-tournament will have those proceeds go to area charities.

Hardy is expected to get some of his former Illini teammates to join him in the field for the championship, they include Scott Langley, Luke Guthrie and Brian Campbell.

For information on the championship or buy tickets visit Rustoleumchampionship.com

  THE MISTWOOD GOLF CLUB IN ROMEOVILLE, is home to one of the top golf facilities in the state, and this summer Mistwood will serve as home to the Women’s Western Golf Association’s National Amateur Golf Championship in June, and the Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open July 16-18. Mistwood is also home to McWethy’s Tavern a great place for food and drink before or after your round. For great golf and more make the trip to Mistwood, for tee times or more see Mistwoodgc.com or call (815)-254-3333.  ______________________________________________________________________

  MISTWOOD DIRECTOR OF GOLF Andy Mickelson joins Golfers on Golf Radio this morning on Am 750 WNDZ as our guest host. Mistwood owner Jim McWethy joins us as a guest. It’s Golfers on Golf Radio, week #4 on the tee at 10 AM this morning. #GOG

Multiple sources confirm to Golfers on Golf  that the Sportsman’s Country Club and the Northbrook Park District are expected to announce the winning team of who will get the job to renovate the golf course and the clubhouse starting in 2019.

  CHICAGOLAND GOLF PUBLISHER VAL RUSSEL holds up the first issue of 2018, but now you can pick up the third issue of the season at your favorite course or golf retail store. NCAA golf is on the road to Stillwater Oklahoma and the National Championships ______________________________________________________________________

  NICK HARDY (L) in the University of Illinois practice center, on the right Illinois men’s golf coach MIKE SMALL. Hardy and Small both with Golfers on Golf Radio writer and radio host Rory Spears. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy and on Facebook and Linkedin. Golfers on Golf Radio air’s Saturday mornings on Am 750 WNDZ Chicago.       _____________________________________________________________________

They did it again. Last weekend the University of Illinois Men’s Golf Team won their fourth straight Men’s Big Ten Title at the Baltimore Country Club. Senior Nick Hardy won the Big Ten Championship for his second time at Illinois, the first time being his freshman year. As a result Hardy was named Big Ten Player of the Year, and Small was named Coach of the Year.

Earlier today, Golfers on Golf spoke with both Coach Mike Small, and Nick Hardy on the Big Ten Championship, the NCAA regional ahead and closed with some thoughts on their individual summer plans, that include Hardy turning professional at the Rust Oleum Championship the first week of June.

Click here to hear the interviews with Illinois men’s golf coach Mike Small and University of Illinois senior Nick Hardy, The Big Ten Player of the Year.

Golfers on Golf Radio will recap the Big Ten Championship this coming Saturday morning on Am 750 WNDZ Chicago starting at 10 AM. Nick Hardy will be a guest host of Golfers on Golf at some point this summer, date TBA.

    ARE YOU READY TO GO ROGUE, try the new Callaway Rogue Driver, and the full Rogue line of Callaway Clubs, Learn more at Callawaygolf.com TICKETS ARE NOW on sale for the U.S. Sr. Women’s Open at the Chicago Golf Club July 12-15, come see the first ever U.S. Sr. Women’s Open, get tickets at usseniorwomensopen.com #USGA         _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation, follow RORY on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. Hitting it long and straight on Copperhead at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor Florida

THE NCAA has announced the regionals for the men’s golf championship. The NCAA national championship will be played at the Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater Oklahoma from May 25-30. Home of the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

As for the regional’s, No. 12 Illinois heads up a strong field at the Scarlet Course, part of the Ohio State University Golf Club, in Columbus Ohio. The Scarlet Course recently renovated by Ohio State Alum Jack Nicklaus, serves as the home course to both the Ohio State men’s and women’s golf teams. It is a par 72 course that totals out at 7,455 yards.

The 54 hole regional will be contested from May 14-16, and all schools play 18 holes per day, unless weather conditions force play into the next day.

The top five teams and low individual not on a qualifying team,will move on to the national championships.

The field for the Columbus regional includes, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, UNLV, Wake Forest, Northwestern, Penn State, Tennessee, Louisville, Jacksonville, Michigan State, Yale and Cleveland. last year Illinois had a third place finish to advance to the NCAA Championships at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove Illinois.

Purdue University of the Big Ten was sent south to play at Reunion Resort in Orlando Florida. Big Ten players earning spots in the Ohio State regional included Daniel Wetterich of Ohio State, Kyle Mueller of Michigan, Alex Schaake of Iowa, Maryland’s David Kocher and Peter Knade.

Indiana Universities Jake Brown will compete as an individual in Bryan Texas, at the regional hosted by Texas A&M University.

Coming up tomorrow, Illinois head coach Mike Small and Big Ten Champion Nick Hardy of Illinois, join Golfers on Golf to wrap up the Big Ten Championship and look ahead to the NCAA Regional’s and Championships. Small and Hardy both comment on their busy summers ahead, including his professional debut at the Rust Oleum championship at the Ivanhoe Country Club in Mundelein the first week of June.