THE PRESERVE OPENING THIS SUMMER stay tuned to DuPagegolf.com and this website for details. IT’S 100 YEARS FOR THE DONALD ROSS COURSE AT THE FRENCH LICK RESORT, see Frenchlick.com for details on everything this summer long  _____________________________________________________________________

KPMG-RD 1 SUSPENDED with 30 players needing to complete round 1. Leader is Chella Choi at 5 under par. Amy Yang is -5 through 17 holes.

US SR OPEN at Salem Country Club near Boston. Illinois Coach Mike Small is T-13 after Round 1, after shooting a 3 under par 67.

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter @GogBlogGuy with Illinois Golf Coach Mike Small.

University of Illinois Golf Coach Mike Small has qualified for the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club in North Carolina, which will be contested from August 10-13.

Small was one of the 12 Illinois PGA Section players who made the field of the 50th Professional National Championship at SunRiver Resort in Oregon.

The top 20 players at the PNC make it into the PGA Championship and Small with a -2 score, ended up T-3. this will be Smalls 10th appearance at the PGA.

Four of the 12 Illinois PGA Section players made the cut at the PNC. the other three Illinois PGA Section members that made the cut were Jim Billiter of Kemper Lakes Golf Club, Curtis Malm of the White Eagle Country Club, and Adam Schumacher of the Indiana Hill Club.

The rest of the field from the Illinois PGA was: Brian Brodell of Mistwood, Travis Johns of Medinah, Brian Janty of Exmoor Country Club, Nick Taute of South Side CC, Steve Orrick of the CC of Decatur, Matt Slowinski of Hinsdale Country Club, Doug Bauman of Biltmore Country Club, and Chris Green of the Glen View Club.

Small had an excellent chance of winning his fourth PNG title, which would have been a record, but he double-bogeyed the 9th hole that hurt his chances. He did rally on the back nine and was one shot back winner of Omar Uresti, but slipped back after another bogey on the 18th hole.

This week Small is competing with two other members of the of the Illinois PGA Section at the US Open at Salem Country Club outside of Boston. While Small is three under par and in a T-13 after a first round 67. Bauman and Glen Oaks head professional Danny Mulhearn both shot a 6 over par round 76. Both players are T-122.

The Gog Blog returns tomorrow from the KPMG Championship at Olympia Fields.