BRICKYARD CROSSING-this weekends Indy 500 is not all that happens at the Brickyard-once the race has handed out the checked flag-the golfers return next week. _____________________________________________________________________
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2020 IPGA Senior Section Champion Mike Small.
MIKE SMALL has started another run of golf titles. this time it’s in the Illinois PGA Senior Section Championship. Make 2020 his fourth straight win the championship, only Gary Groh has won this title four straight times.
Small now heads up a group of nine Illinois PGA section professional headed to Port. St. Lucie Florida and PGA Golf Club for the 32nd Senior PGA Professional Championship, October 15-18.
Small’s winning score was 8 under par (136) for the two day event, held at the Merit Club in Libertyville.
“I’m just grateful we have places to play and tournaments to play in,” said Small. “We haven’t been able to play much this year. So any chance we get to play in a tournament, as a professional you have to take advantage of it.”
Small opened Round 1 with a 3 under par 69, that included three birdies and no bogeys. But was still two shots behind leader John Varner of Beverly Country Club.
Round two started slow for Small, two birdies and two bogeys left him even for the day at the turn. But after a birdie on the tenth hole, he made birdies on 12-13-17 and 18. For a bogey free 31 on the back nine.
Small added,” i didn’t do anything great the first 27 holes. But the last nine holes I was 5-under and that was fun. It was really anybody’s tournament with nine holes to play.
Second place was a three-way tie between David Hannon (Evanston GC), Jim Sobb (Ivanhoe Club) and David Paeglow (Kishwaukee CC). Sobb is a 5-time former champion in the event.
Small and Roy Biancalana (Blackberry Oaks GC) were already both exempt into the National Senior PGA event in Florida. The other professionals who earned their way to the nationals are Hannon, Sobb, Paeglow, Kevin Rafferty (Dicks Sporting Goods), Kevin Healy (Black Sheep GC), Doug Bauman (Biltmore CC), John Guyton (Chicago Golf Club).
The top 35 finishers at the PGA Golf Club earn their way into the 2021 Senir PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa Oklahoma.
Small will attempt to win his 13th Illinois PGA Section Championship when the tournament returns to Medinah Country Club next week August 24-25-26.