THE NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS RESORT, just over 50 miles from Pittsburgh PA. One Pete Dye Course, and another on the way opening in 2017. THE PHIL KOSIN ILLINOIS WOMEN’S OPEN at Mistwood GC in Romeoville, Round 1 tee’s off on Monday morning, the championship is decided Wednesday the 20th. Mistwoodgc.com.   ______________________________________________________________________

   VINCE PELLEGRINO SR. VP of Tournaments of the Western Golf Association (L) and RORY SPEARS (R) Editor and Director of Content, for Golfersongolf.com in front of the Chick Evans portrait at the Glenview Club in Glenview. See WGAESF.ORG. #caddies.  _____________________________________________________________________

2012 Winner of the Western Junior Championship, Adam Wood talks Western Amateur at the Knollwood Club of Lake Forest.

This past week the Western Golf Association held media day for the upcoming 114th Western Amateur Championship, that will be contested at the Knollwood Club of Lake Forest.

Defending champion Dawson Armstrong who won at Rich Harvest Farms last year, returns to head up a stellar field, that will be one of the best amateur fields in the world of golf this year.

If Armstrong expects to repeat, he might have to play his through players like, PAC-12 Freshman of the year Collin Morikawa of Cal., USC Trojan and 2015 US Amateur Semi-finalist at Olympia Fields Sean Crocker, and University of Florida Sophomore Sam Horsfield who recently played in the U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Top local players in the field of 156 include, University of Illinois, Nick Hardy from Northbrook, University of Texas Junior Doug Ghim or Arlington Heights, recent Ohio State graduate T-K Kelly, and Patrick Flavin of Highwood Illinois, who is playing college golf at Miami University. Six of the sweet-sixteen who advanced to match play last year, return for another chance at the trophy.

“The depth of our field is what has made the Western Amateur one of the most prestigious amateur golf championships in the world for more than a century,” said Vince Pellegrino, Senior Vice president of Tournaments for the Western Golf Association, which as conducted the championship since 1899. “We are excited to see how this group of decorated collegiate players, top-tier international competitors and promising juniors perform on this classic design at the Knollwood Club.”

The Western Amateur will have players from 20 nations including the United States, and past champions include Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Justin Leonard. Current PGA Tour players Jordan Spieth, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson, Jim Furyk have all played in the Western Amateur. Recent Sr. PGA Champion Rocco Mediate was defeated in the championship match.

Click here to hear an interview with media day guest speaker Adam Wood from Zionsville Indiana, and member of the Duke University Golf Team.

The par 3, 12 hole at the Knollwood Club

The Western Amateur will be played from August 1-6 at the Knollwood Club, with the championship match starting about noon on the 6th. Match play begins on Friday the 5th. Admission and parking are free. Knolwood is located on Rt. 43 just north of Rt. 60 and just south of Rt. 176 in Lake Forest. More details see westernamateur.com. or visit the Western Golf Association website.

The Knollwood Club founded in 1924, and the golf course designed by Colt & Alison, underwent a restoration by architect Keith Foster in 2009-2010. The back yardage will play around 7,200 yards and par could be lowered to 71, by the making of the par 5 sixth hole into a par 4. That option is being studied by the tournament committee.