IRONS & WOODS coming this fall to Long Grove IL., on Rt.53 North of Lake Cook Road behind Menards. Irons & Woods will have HDGolf simulators, slots and more.        _____________________________________________________________________

BY-RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and or Facebook.

TRAVIS JOHNS rallies to win the 97th and or 98th Illinois PGA Section Championship, depending on which historical records you wish to accept.

Ruth Lake Country Club head golf professional Mark Labiak, with 2019 IPGA Section Champion Travis Johns.

IT WAS OVER, then it wasn’t. In golf where no lead is safe. 12-time IPGA section champion Mike Small got a dose of just that.

While champion Travis Johns a teaching professional at Medinah Country Club, had to figure it out for himself over the last few holes. The fact he was actually winning, came as a surpise to him.

Johns along with playing partner Garrett Chaussard, the teaching professional at Skokie Country Club thought something was up when they reached the 15th tee. Both of them thought someone hit the water on the par 3, 14th hole. They were so right. Going splash and making his second double bogey in a row, was Small. And at that point Small’s lead was gone for good.

2019 IPGA Section Champion Travis Johns drives the green on the par 4, 10th hole. To begin his back nine comeback. Photo by Nick Novelli.

Ruth Lakes par 4, 10th hole was the turning point. The dogleg right around water played differently for Johns and Small. Johns went for the green off the tee. It’s a full water carry of 268 yards, playing into a strong 2-club wind. As Johns put it, it was playing more like 286. Johns ripped a drive that landed just over the pin, and rolled 25 feet past the cup. Johns missed the eagle putt, but tapped in for birdie.

But Small’s approach landed in a bunker just short right of the green. His lie wasn’t great from a rake mark. His third shot barely found the front right fringe. Two putts later, his bogey 5 started a very unlike Mike Small run. Small’s back nine starting at ten was bogey, bogey, bogey, double bogey, double bogey, and then a bogey on 16.

Mike Small hits his drive on the first hole, in the second round.

Runs like that don’t happen to Mike Small, especially in a tournament that some pro’s call the Mike Small Invitational. After the second double-bogey on 14, several players had a chance to win, and maybe none of them knew it until after their round was over. The only two players that had a clue they could win were Brian Carroll from the Hawk Country Club, and Andy Mickelson from Mistwood Golf Club. Playing with Small, they were shocked Small couldn’t get off the bogey train.

Some might feel that it would have been fitting for Carroll to win. He has been close before, with several top 3 finishes. In fact it was Carroll who had a two-shot lead on Monday, after a brilliant 5 under par 66 in Round 1. But rains wiped out Carroll’s round, as the IPGA ordered a do-over on Monday night.

But as Small made bogey’s, Johns added birdies on 13, 14 and 15. And Chaussard the reigning two-time IPGA Match Play Champion, had birdies on 13 and 15. Both he and Johns were having their own little match play event, until they got swarmed by the arriving media and photographers on the 15th green. At that point they knew they were close, but never grasped that Johns was alone in first place, and Chaussard was in second place. But both players turned up the concentration level at that point and dug in. Johns and Chaussard both had birdie putts on 17 and 18, but both settled for pars.

But in the end, those pars were good enough when Small, Carroll and Mickelson couldn’t rally in the closing holes. White Eagle Country Club professional Curits Malm played steady golf for two days with a pair of 71’s, and moved up for a three-way tie for fifth.

Click here, to hear interviews with Champion Travis Johns, Mike Small, runner-up Garrett Chaussard, and Brian Carroll.

Defending Champion Dakun Chang had the low round of the day, with a 68. But all it did was earn him a tie for 9th with Mistwood’s Chris Ioriatti. Both Chang and Ioriatti qualfied for the National Club Professional Championship. Joining them will be Carroll, Mickelson, Malm, Johns, Chaussard, Chris French from the Aldeen Golf Club, and Julian Thompson from Ravina Green. Small was already exempt as a past champion. But with the new early dates for the event in 2020, he might not be able to compete. Because of his coaching duties at Illinois.

For Johns the win gives hime 3 IPGA Major Championships, he only needs the Illinois Open for the career Grand Slam. Johns earned the winners check of $12,000, with Chaussard getting $8,500 for his second place finish.

IRONS & WOODS OPENING THIS FALL IN LONG GROVE IL. On Rt.53 North of Lake Cook Road (behind Menards). HDGolf simulators, and slot machines. Golf season is now year round in the Chicago area. Come out and enjoy Irons & Woods all year round. ______________________________________________________________________

The Illinois PGA Section Championship at Ruth Lake Country Club.

THE ILLINOIS PGA cancelled the First Round of the section championship, after repeated rain storms soaked the Ruth Lake Country Club.

So in effect, they called a do-over.

The round was cancelled, after 36 players in the field had posted scores. Besides that, there were more players on the last 2 or 3 holes, that were near finishing.

Whether or not it was right thing to do, it left a bad taste in the mouth of many of the pro’s for one reason or another. What came to light on Tuesday morning, was the clubs superintendent telling the IPGA on Monday afternoon. That after the third rain delay, the course was unplayable.

By Tuesday, there was talk that the restart issue needs to be addressed by the section board later this year. Another surprise, was the championship being shortend to 36 holes. Which had been done before. In the 1990’s when rains hampered play at Kemper Lakes, shortening the event.

Mike Small drains his birdie putt on the 18th hole, to close out a stellar round of 63, in the delayed first round of the Illinois PGA Section Championship at Ruth Lake CC.

What wasn’t a surprise, is that 12-time winner of the championship, University of Illinois coach Mike Small. Shot a lights-out 8 under par 63. So Small holds a 5 shot lead over Andy Mickelson from Mistwood Golf Club, whose birdie on 16, got him to 3 under par.

Small’s opening round on Monday was a 1 under par 70. So with the benefit of an extra practice round, Small came out and lit up Ruth Lake on Tuesday.

Click here, to hear interviews with Mike Small and Andy Mickelson the Round 1 leaders.

Kurt Rogers of the South Side Country Club, made an Ace on the par 3 third hole. Rogers holed a 3-wood from 242 yards.

Second and final action is underway at Ruth Lake. Golfers on Golf returns returns with a final recap later today.

COMING TO LONG GROVE IL. THIS FALL, IRONS & WOODS. On Rt. 53 North of Lake Cook Road (behind Menards). HDGolf simulators will keep the golf season going year round. Need more-how about slot machines. Stay clicked in to see the build out that is starting shortly. Follow Irons & Woods on Facebook, for news on opening day.   _____________________________________________________________________

Golfers on Golf Radio the final show in the current WNDZ studio’s. L-R Ed Stevenson-Bill Berger and Rory Spears. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy-Facebook or Linkedin.

RORY HIT’S PAYDIRT, 15 Million for a weeks work on the golf course, not bad.

THE 2019 PGA TOUR season and Tour Championship is in the books. And Rory McIlroy is the winner. McIlroy “roared past” Brooks Koepka on Sunday for the win.

So the only remaining question now is, whether or not, it’s Brooks or Rory for the Player of the Year Award.

All of us at Golfers on Golf, send our best wishes to those injured by the lightning strike at the Tour Championship on Saturday. Because it looked pretty bad on television, it’s surprising that nobody was more seriously hurt.

The back nine on Sunday is where McIlroy broke away from Koepka, and the field to win his second tour title. 2019 turned out to be a great year on the PGA Tour for McIlroy, with wins at the Players Championship, the Canadian Open and in the playoffs. Congrats to Rory on a great 2019. ICYMI my thoughts on the playoff format, was posted yesterday.

The 2019 Illinois PGA Section Championship is at Ruth Lake Country Club.

THE ILLINOIS PGA has cancelled Round 1 of the Section Championship at Ruth Lake Country Club, long after it started.

So with at least 36 players of the field, in the clubhouse and posted, and many others almost complete with Round 1. Then rain halted play for the third time, and so the decision was made to cancel Round 1, and have a do-over. Seriously. I know about having half the field in and posted. But this isn’t the PGA Tour and or the the U.S Open. Play should have continued until dark, and pick it up where everyone left off in the morning. Other than Round 1 tomorrow, the schedule is unclear for the rest of the championship.

BIG 3 partner Tim Cronin has a story posting soon on the IPGA website and likely on his IllinoisGolfer.net website.

GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO is done for 2019, our final show for the year, was last Saturday on Am 750 WNDZ-Chicago. Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and I, would like to thank all of our sponsors for the year.

Our final show was filled with breaking news. From the Dupage County Forest Preserve District, comes the news that the board has approved the money for the new clubhouse, on the Preserve at Oak Meadows. Great news. Ground-breaking will be in September, and construction should take about a year. With some luck in the weather, maybe it can open around Labor Day weekend of 2020.

And the Rambo Scramble will be played Saturday October 12th at Maple Meadows, see Dupagegolf.com for sign up information.

While in town to play in the BMW Championship. PGA Tour player Joel Dahmen, his caddie and two other tour caddies went out to play the Presevre at Oak Meadows. Here (above) are his comments about the golf course. SPOILER CLUE-they all loved it.

AT MISTWOOD GOLF, the Mistwood Golf Dome needs a new dome-shell says owner Jim McWethy. The plan is for a new dome before winter. If not, Mistwood will have to get another year out of the current dome.

LEN ZIEHM is playing in the World Largest Amateur Championship in Myrtle Beach South Carolina, and you can learn more at lenziehmongolf.com. There was great weather today for Round 1.

AND FROM THE CDGA-Chadd Slutzky had a 54 hole total of 10 under par, to win the CDGA Mid Amateur at Stonebridge Country Club, by 3 shots. Congratulations to Chadd on his win.

Hawthorne racing and the OTB have left. Open space will be transformed. Becoming restaurant space, and a room for private functions. A new outdoor area that faces Rt. 53, is planned. Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville has a Taylor-Made ball-fitting event this Thursday from 4-7 PM. Info. at (815)-254-3333.

FROM INNISBROOK RESORT in Tarpon Springs Florida, one of the Rory Spears favorite golf destinations. Comes word from GM Mike Williams, that the room renovations that started a year ago are almost complete. And the four golf courses are in great shape after the renovations. More details and great fall and winter golf packages can be found at Innisbrookgolf.com. Home of the Copperhead Golf Course and the Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour.

WORD FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, is that Tristyn Nowlin will compete starting Thursday in the LPGA Q-School qualifying event. The top 60 players after 54 holes advance to the final round. Players from there, move on to Stage 2 of Q-School.

CONGRATULATIONS is in order to Kevin Frisch and Frisch PR, on taking over the public reletions for the Harbor Shores Golf Club, in Benton Harbor Michigan. Harbor Shores will host the 2020 Senior PGA Championship.

THE GOG BLOG will now heat up with the radio season behind us. Keep it here all winter long, for all the golf news Chicago area and beyond need to know. I’ll be at the Illinois PGA Section Championship starting tomorrow. Stay clicked in. RS

                                                               IRONS & WOODS COMING THIS FALL TO LONG GROVE ILLINOIS. RT. 53 North of Lake Cook Road. Irons and Woods will be a HDGolf Simulator driven facility. It will include slot machines and other fun activities. Because now the Chicago area golf season is year round. So stay clicked in to monitor the build-out up to the opening. #fun  ______________________________________________________________________

Golfersongolf.com by RORY SPEARS-Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy Looking at the world through some rose colored PEAKVision sunglasses.

TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3 was not completed.

Because lightning hit the golf course, and injured six spectators who were taken to a local hospital. And none of the injuries are reported to be, life-threatening.

Besides that, nothing much happened at the tour championship. But brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy are over par in their third rounds, so that leaves Justin Thomas back on top by a shot. So it should be some interesting golf in the final round.

But what will the ending be. Is 30 players enough to playing in the final week of the PGA Tour for this year. There have been complaints that several players are missing, that should be in the field. Okay-like who?

Tiger Woods, Shane Lowery, Phil Mickelson. While the first two won a major, they didn’t play well enough the rest of the year, to make the field. Mickelson won a WGC tournament, but didn’t play good enough the rest of the season to make the field. One stellar week, does not make a year regardless of what tournament you win.

As for Tiger, enjoy the green jacket.  So for Shane, enjoy the jug and the drinks from it.

McIlroy wondered out-loud this week about the format, that had Thomas winning by two shots before the week even started. While at Medinah, Thomas joked about sleeping on a Wednesday night lead, but it was no joke. He had a lead before he even tee’d off.

So why did he have a lead. Because last year when Woods won the tour championship, he did not win the FedExCup. Justin Rose did. So if your trying to make the winner in Atlanta, the overall winner. Why have three playoff events in the first place.  If the FedExCup is about the season long race, then take the full season into account. Not just the last three weeks.

I suggest the how low can you go format for earning extra points. The bigger the winning margin is, the bigger amount of bonus points you can get. This would encourage leaders to not put it on auto-pilot when they lead by 3 shots, with 3 holes to play. That, would make things more exciting, wire-to-wire.

Their would be incentive, for margin of victory. Maybe extra points for a hole-in-one, or that holed out shot from over 100 yards. How about points for putts, made over 50 feet. Holed out bunker shots would qualify for some extra points as well.

Don’t lag it up there, go for it. Regardless of who wins the FedExCup this year, the format again needs some tinkering. Lets shoot for some style points. RS

IRONS & WOODS OPENING THIS FALL on Rt.53 north of Lake Cook Road in Long Grove. Stay tuned to watch the build out, both here and on the social media sites. Irons & Woods will have HDGolf Simulators slot machines, and more. #golfseasonyearound.  _____________________________________________________________________

Golfers on Golf Radio is L-R Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and Rory Spears. In studio at Am 750 THE BIG WNDZ.

THE SEASON HAS RACED BY and our round for the year on the radio, is ending. So we wrap it up tomorrow morning (Saturday) for the season.

We hope you will join us from 10-11 am, for a great hour of golf talk.

Our topics include, wrapping up the BMW Championship. looking ahead at the tournaments still on the schedule.

Including the Senior Women’s LPGA Championship at the French Lick Resort, in October. This week the Illinois PGA Championship at Ruth Lake Country Club tee’s off on Monday morning.

Our guests include Mike Williams GM at the Innisbrook Resort in Florida, just North of Tampa. And Jim McWethy owner of the Mistwood Golf Course in Romeoville, and the Mistwood Golf Dome in Bolingbrook.

Join us on the tee at 10 AM. As we get ready to putt out for the 2019 golf radio season.

IRONS & WOODS IS COMING TO LONG GROVE IL. ON RT.53 North of Lake Cook Road this fall. HDGolf simulators, slots and more fun. Golf season is now year round.    ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS-Director of Conent and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, and on Linkedin or Facebook. At Medinah Country Club.

GARY WOODLAND finally had a round of golf that worked for him. An 8 under par 64 that was maybe his best round of golf since Round 4 at the U.S Open.

Woodland is the U.S. Open Champion but he is still looking for a place on the Presidents Cup Team.

The top 8 in points after the BMW Championship made the team, but Woodland is only in 9th place.

AFTER HIS FIRST ROUND AT THE BMW-CHAMPIONSHIP Woodland spoke with Golfers on Golf about winning the U.S. Open, life since the open, his deal with Chicago based Wilson Golf. And what has sunk in, since winning the open at Pebble Beach.

Click here, to hear the interview with U.S. Open Champion Gary Woodland.

Since the U.S. Open victory, Woodland’s wife has given birth to twins, and with the demand for his time. Woodland freely admits he is so in need for some practice time.

Woodland (white pants) leads the way down the 4th fairway on Medinah 3, during Sundays round. With Tommy Fleetwood and Adam Hadwin.

Because of the scheduled after the open, Woodland talks about not being ready to play at what was his next tournament in Detroit.

But add’s he is well aware of the Wilson Driver vs Driver 2 winner, the Cortex Driver. And during the offseason ahead, he will spend sometime trying to dial it in. Right now it does not go straight enough for him. But he add’s it’s a “hotclub” and it hits drives a long way.

Woodland is 9th place in the FedExCup points standings, and will play in the PGA Tour Championship this week in Atlanta.

For more on Gary Woodland with Wilson Golf, see Wilsongolf.com

IRONS & WOODS-COMING THIS FALL TO LONG GROVE IL. Follow the build out on Facebook or here. HDGolf Simulators, slot machines. Rt.53 north of Lake-Cook Road.    _____________________________________________________________________

      KINGMADE JERKY has now become the official beef jerky snack of the PGA Tour .

In a joint announcement, the PGA Tour and Kingmade Jerky have started a new multi-year marketing relationship, that designates Kingmade Jerky as the “Official Jerky and Meat Snack of the PGA Tour.”

Kingmade Founder Jeff King, discovered golf at age 9, and then started working as a professional caddie in 1998. King’s career covers working with some of the top players in the game.

While working in his home kitchen in McKinney Texas, King started creating recipes in 2012. King would then bring his jerky out to the golf course as a snack.

“Players tried it and called it, the best jerky they ever had,” King said. “Within a few weeks, players were asking me for some, and then started sending me flavor ideas.”

Because of the growing demand, King started working to improve the recipes players had given him. King says he tried to “create the healthiest and best-tasting jerky ever.”  So when demand still continued to grow, King realized he was onto something.

“Kingmade Jerky is a natural fit for the PGA Tour and its players,” says Matt Iofredo, Vice President of Licensing and Merchandising PGA Tour. “Because we share a committment to health, active lifestyles and quality. We look forward to working together with Kingmade to share this product.”

Tom Ponder, General Partner of Bushwood Investment Partners LLC, is now serving as the CEO.

See Kingmade on PGATOUR.com, and SiriusXm Radio. Besides TPC Network clubs.

Kingmade Beef Jerky is available in three nutritious flavors. Classic, Buffalo, and Sweet Chili.

Find more information at Kingmadejerky.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Linkedin.

IRONS & WOODS coming this fall to Long Grove IL., Chicago area are you ready for a year round golf season. HDGolf simualtors, slots and more in the new fun location. You can find Irons & Woods on Rt. 53 North of Lake Cook Road (Behind the Menards store). ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS. Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin or Twitter @GogBlogGuy. On the putting clock at Medinah CC.

WHAT A WEEK that came to an end on Sunday night.

Medinah, the BMW Championship, the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods, and golf in general, are raising a lot of questions.

First of all, it’s not a surprise that Justin Thomas won the championship. But how he did it, with a course record 61 and by shooting 25 under par. Has left some folks with raised eyebrows.

The Medinah membership has to be stunned. Because seeing the famed #3 Course get shredded like a second course at some amateur event, that needs two courses because of field size shouldn’t happen.

The 18th hole on Medinah #3.

If 25 under par can happen on Medinah 3, what will happen on the Olympia Fields North Course, during the 2020 BMW Championship.

One former Olympia Fields member suggested on social media this past weekend, that 30 under par is not out of the question, and he might be right.

Because of the low numbers, there is some discussion, about how the PGA Tour is setting up its golf courses. But when given perfect scoring conditions, PGA Tour players will chew up any course. Maybe, the tour as they look to shrink the field each week during the playoffs, should make each course a bit tougher each week. Tighten up the fairways, and make the rough a little more penal. Instead of 3 or 4 tough pins, it should be 7 or 8 per round. Both Erin Hills and the Pete Dye Course at the French Lick Resort can play at over 8,000 yards, now that could be fun to watch.

The late Joe Jemsek always suggested, he would put the pins in the bunkers on  Course 4, Dubsdread, if the pro’s shot to low at Cog Hill. Maybe he was on to something, Joe was always ahead of his time.

THE NEW FORMAT heading into East Lake, gives Thomas a 2-shot lead over Patrick Cantlay and a score of 10 under par on the first tee come Thursday. I’ll tackle that issue on Thursday in another column.

BMW IS BACK, for at least 3 more years. That one snuck out of the car-park early in the week and caught many folks by surprise. Kudo’s to Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune (The official media outlet for years, of the Western Golf Association) for breaking the story.

I spoke with Greenstein and even he was surprised at the turn of events. Greenstein said that on the Friday before championship, that he had learned that the company LG was going to be the new sponsor. But by last Monday that had all changed. And it appears yet another change at the top of BMW management, cleared the way to stick around the PGA Tour for three more years.

The champions wall by the first tee at Olympia Fields Country Club, host of the 2020 BMW Championship. Which name will join the wall in 2020, after the BMW Championship.

WHAT WE DO KNOW, is that the new deal is for three more years. And 2020 will stay at Olympia Fields on the Southside. Besides that, the future is up in the air. Apparently even the WGA doesn’t know where the tournament going beyond next year.

So the rumor-mill is this. 2021 to either Caves Valley in Maryland, outside of the great city of Baltimore. And or back to Cherry Hills near Denver Colorado. But it’s there where the picture gets fuzzy. If those sites are named as the out of town courses, what years will they host.

So will the new contract stipulate the championship must be in Chicago every other year. Could the BMW drive out of town for two straight years in 2021 and 2022. Or could 2022 be a Chicago course year, before a travel date in 2023. But again in 2023, there is no contract. Might Conway Farms in Lake Forest be on tap for 2022 ?

Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest hosted the BMW Championship in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Might they play host again in 2022.

WGA Sr. Vice President of Tournaments, Vince Pellegrino suggested the following idea during an interview with BIG 3 partner Tim Cronin and yours truly, during the Sr. Players Championship at Exmoor in 2018.

That if the tournament would be staying in town every year, he wouldn’t mind having it at Jackson Park once the course gets redone. But will it ever get done ?

So that question still lurks, but it could get answered tomorrow when City of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot addresses city issues, and needed budget cuts. There was supposed to be a press conference at Medinah with Tiger Woods, and other key players such as Mike Keiser and Mark Rolfing, that never happened. Supporters of the course, seemed in the gloom and doom mode, and fearing the mayors comments on Tuesday might not be good news. Word is steps that need to be taken, in order for some work to get done this fall have not been completed.

SPEAKING OF WOODS the story that did not get written last weekend, was this Tigers last appearance in a tournament in Chicago. Because some people believe it is.

Tiger Woods walks to his ball in the left rough and trees, on the ninth hole. During Sunday’s final round.

Woods apparently is looking at a reduced schedule in the years ahead. Which begs the question, can he earn enough FedExCup points to make the BMW next year. Or any year.

The USGA and the PGA don’t seem to have any plans to bring the U.S. Open, or the PGA Championship, or the Ryder Cup to Chicago any time soon. That doesn’t give Woods any options to play here. Down the road if a Senior U.S. Open were to come to Chicago, and Woods actually plays in the them. That seems to be the best chance for Woods to ever play in Chicago again, if he fails to make the field at Olympia Fields next August.

THE FINAL GOLFERS ON GOLF RADIO for 2019 airs this Saturday at 10 AM, 23 weeks has flown by quickly. I hope you will join Ed Stevenson, Bill Berger and I for one more hour of golf talk on the BIG Am 750, WNDZ. The Gog Blog returns this week. Go Play, area courses are in great shape. RS

IRONS & WOODS coming this fall to Long Grove Illinois. North of Lake Cook Road on Rt. 53 (Behind Menards). Golf season goes year-round at Irons & Woods. #slots #fun    _____________________________________________________________________

BMW CHAMPIONSHIP-CHAMPION JUSTIN THOMAS records a Thank You message to his supporters on social media after his press conference. THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears-Director of Content and creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, andon Linkedin or Facebook. On the putting clock at Medinah, during the BMW Championship _____________________________________________________________________

THAT’S TEN, career wins for Justin Thomas in the professional ranks. And he did it in fine form, winning the BMW Championship by three shots over Patrick Cantlay.

Who, would have ever thought that 25 under par would happen on Medinah #3. Second place was 22 under par. Besides that, 20 under par (Hidecki Matsuyama) was only good enough for third place. Poor Tony Finau, 18 under par only got him 4th place.

So after shooting 61, a course record in Saturday’s third round. What could Thomas possibly do for an encore. What Thomas did accomplish besides winning the BMW, and taking home $1,665,000 for a weeks work. Was shooting a 4 under par 68, and showing the world when needed, he can flip a club upside down and hit a lefthanded shot. As he did on the par 5 tenth hole, where he almost put his second shot out on Lake Avenue. The ball hit the top of the fence before coming down under the branch of a small tree.

Because he had a six shot lead to start the round, Thomas said he was nervous on the way to the course, because what was on his mind was not losing the tournament.  And  wanting a good position going into the tour championship.

So when that six shot lead shrunk to just 2 shots on the 11th tee, Thomas did need to refocus a little. So Thomas just went out, and birdied three of the next five holes, and that was good enough to hold off Cantlays late charge.

Click here, to listen to Justin Thomas and his championship press conference.

Tiger Woods will not be defending his title in Atlanta this week. Saying he’s disapointed to miss the tour championship. Tiger called 2019 a great year for him, by winning another green jacket.

Phil Mickelson had an interesting day, that started before he left his hotel room. Staying in the hotel next door to Medinah, Mickelson had to be evacuated from the top floor when it was struck by lightning, and a small fire started on the roof. Because he left without his clubs, there was some question if he could get back in to get them. So Mickelson told his Twitter world, I don’t have my clubs and I don’t know if can play. But he got them in time to warm up and play.

Lucas Glover and Jason Kokrak finished 29th and 30th, to be the last two players into the tour championship. Shane Lowery fell back to 33rd to miss the top 30, along with Jordan Spieth who dropped to 44th, and misses the tour championship for the second straight year.

The BMW Championship returns to the Chicago area in August of 2020 and held at Olympia Fields Country Club. The Gog Blog Speaks Out, returns tomorrow.

IRONS & WOODS COMING THIS FALL TO LONG GROVE IL., where your golf season never ends. Irons & Woods will be golf and sports simulator driven. But slots and more. ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy, Linkedin and Facebook. Justin Thomas is interviewed, after his 3rd Round 61, on Medinah #3.

IF THERE WAS any question about the course record on Medinah #3, there is not one anymore.

Because Justin Thomas simply crushed any record that stood, and he made it look so simple.

Besides the fact he shot an 11 under par 61, he now holds a six shot lead heading into Sundays final round.

So now unless Thomas stubs his toe, like Greg Norman did at Cog Hill one year. This championship is over. And the only remaining questions will be, who will finish second, who will finish third, and who will be going to East Lake next week for the Tour Championship.

There are several players fighting hard, trying to move into the top 30 on the points list to qualify. But some players look like their time is up, and so they will be at home next week, season over. And Tiger Woods is expected to be, one of those players

But one thing is now certain. Justin Thomas will play in Atlanta next week. Because the show Thomas put on Saturday at Medinah. Is nothing short of, one of the best rounds ever played on the PGA Tour.

61, yes 61. Besides the Medinah members standing around the bar asking, 61, what happened. The plain truth is that, when the games best players have great conditions. They can tear a tough course apart.

Thomas started off with birdies on holes 1,2,3,4,and 5. Maybe he should have shot 54. And it looked like he could have, after making an eagle on the par 5, 10th hole. And he wasn’t done. Thomas chipped in from the rough next to the par 5, 14th green for birdie. Need more. Okay, how about an 8-Iron from 179 yards on the par 4, 16th hole. And that was the club and distance, on his “eagle 2”, that 1-hopped into the cup.

So when partner Tony Finau holed an eagle on the fourth hole. Thomas had to be thinking, maybe I need one of those too. And two eagles is what he got. Besides the 11 birdies.

Click here, to hear the post round interview with Justin Thomas, who carded a Medinah Course #3 record 61.

Click here, and hear Tony Finau’s third round interview. As he describes watching the 61 shot by Thomas.

Because of a mid-day storm, play was delayed for 75 minutes. And with overnight storms expected on Saturday. Sunday’s final round is delayed until 10 AM.  So players will tee off in threesomes, between 10 Am and Noon. And will tee off both, 1 & 10 tees.