ELGIN COUNTRY CLUB is host to this weeks Illinois PGA Match Play Championship.    _____________________________________________________________________

BY: RORY SPEARS-reporting from the Elgin country Club in Elgin Illinois. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Skokie Country Club’s Garrett Chaussard is the #1 seed for this weeks IPGA Match Play

GARRETT CHAUSSARD the Skokie Country Club teaching professional is back for a crack at a three-peat, in the Illinois PGA Match Play Championship.

Chaussard has a shot to win as the tournaments #1 seed, and he has moved into the Sweet 16. But Chaussard gets another past champion in the match play championship, Glen View Club’s Kyle Bauer right out of the blocks at 7:45 AM.

To play Bauer, Chaussard fought a tough match with Biltmore’s Doug Bauman, before coming out on top 4 & 2.

Bauer had to put on his rally cap-three down at the turn to White Pines new head professional Andrew Godfrey. Bauer rallied on the closing holes for a 2 & 1 win.

Bauer’s staff at the Glen View Club plays each other in another morning match, Round of 16, when Jim Billiter takes on Chris Green.

Illinois PGA section champion Mike Small, who held off Mistwood’s Andy Mickelson at Medinah, get’s a rematch with Mickelson on Thursday morning, Mickelson admitted he was hoping to not have to play Small until maybe the final four.

Small won his match 6 & 5 over Brett McClellan of Twin Orchard Country Club. Getting done early, had Small off to the range and putting green for 2 more hours of practice after a quick lunch and media interviews.

2010 Match Play Champion Travis Johns and the 2019 IPGA Player of the Year, had to hold off a charging Roy Biancalana, winning 2 UP, after making birdie on 17, and hitting his approach shot in on the par 3-18th (back nine first match) within 10 feet. When Biancalana missed his 25 foot birdie putt on the final hole, he conceded Johns putt for a birdie 2 to end the match.

John’s fellow professional at Medinah Country Club Rich Dukelow, who admitted he is not a fan of match play, held off Ivanhoe Club’s Michael Strain in 20 holes. Jim Sobb the Director of Golf at Ivanhoe who has won both the match play and senior match play championship in years past, lost 1 Up to Butler National’s Jeff Kellen. Sobb was 1 Up at the turn, in a match that went back and forth the entire round.

Click hear to hear interviews in order with Garrett Chaussard, Mike Small, Andy Mickelson, Travis Johns and Rick Dukelow.

Johns also talks about the U.S. Open this week at Winged Foot, and the success of the IPGA’s Birdies for Charity fundraising event last week at River Forest Country Club.

Elgin Country Club head professional Jonathon Duppler remains in the mix, after defeating Bill Sakas of the Glencoe Golf Club 4 & 2. Duppler is getting support from Elgin CC members out following his matches around the golf course.

Golfers on Golf will return to Elgin Country Club for the semi-finals and championship match on Friday. With updates tomorrow on the matches right here, so stay clicked in.