Chad Johansen the General Manager and Head Golf Professional of the Blackberry Oaks Golf Course in Bristol (near Aurora) invites you to play in this weekends Blackberry Amateur, sponsored by Wilson Golf and Michelob Ultra, is your game ready for some fun competition. Blackberryamateur.com or please call (630)-553-7170. THE Schaumburg Golf Club is getting ready to open the Players nine from Renovation on June 30th, and on that day the Baer Nine will close and the new putting green will open. For tee times on the Players Nine call the club now at (847)-885-9000. #chandlersCH ______________________________________________________________________
WGAESF.org
THE WESTERN GOLF ASSOCIATION (WGA) begins it’s golf season this week at the Evanston Golf Club in Evanston Illinois, with the playing of the 101st Western Junior Golf Championship.
William Mouw of Chino California returns to defend the title he won in 2017 at the Park Ridge Country Club.
Mouw who has committed to play college golf at Pepperdine University. Mouw’s score of 272 last tued tied the WGA Junior record set by current PGA Tour professional Hunter Mahan.
Should Mouw be ab;e to repeat as champion, he would be the first western junior champion to repeat since Ben Dowling in 1940-41. Past WGA junior champions include Mahan, Rickie Fowler and Jim Furyk. While the WGA-Junior has been played in 15 states and several top Chicago area clubs, this marks the first time it will be played at Evanston. The championship has been held since 1898 and Evanston is one of the 11 charter club that help in founding the WGA.
The course was designed by the famed architect Donald Ross, and renovated by Ron Prichard in 2007. Two local players of note include Illinois incoming freshman Tommy Kuhl of Morton, and Illinois Sophomore Brendan O’Reilly. For more details on the championship that runs Monday-Thursday of this week see westernjunior.com.
THE 116th WESTERN AMATEUR will be played at the Sunset Ridge Country Club from July 30th through August 4th. Founded in 1899 the Western Amateur includes past champions like Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, and two time winner Justin Leonard. In 1972 Subset Ridge hosted the Western Open won by Jim Jamieson.
Both of last years finalists have moved on to the professional ranks, but the field is still expected to be a strong one. Five players expected to play are U.S Open qualifiers, including Will Grimmer.
Local architect Rick Jacobson did renovation work on the course in 2006. This is the last year until 2021 the Western Amateur will be held in the Chicago area, when it returns to the Glen View Club. both events have free parking and free admission.
THE GOG BLOG is written by RORY SPEARS, Director of Creation and Content. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy and on Facebook and Linkedin.