2016 Illinois Open Champion Carlos Sainz Jr. (L) receives the Illinois Open trophy from then IPGA Section President Jim Opp (R). (file photo)

Long time Illinois PGA Section professional Jim Opp, passed away yesterday in his home.

His wife Susan, broke the news on social media to Jim’s many friends, and fellow IPGA professionals.

For many years Opp was the head golf professional at Randall-Oaks and Bonnie Dundee Golf Courses.

Opp recently worked at the Illinois Open, where he told his friends he was headed into the hospital for back surgery. Opp seemed to be making progress from the surgery, and came home from a rehab session on Saturday. Some time later he felt dizzy before going to bed for the evening. Shortly afterwards according to his wife, he went into cardiac arrest.

In 2017 at the annual IPGA Section awards, Opp took pride in seeing several of his former assistants, receive section awards that year. Over the years, Opp won several section awards himself. He started in the golf business in 1977, and was a resident of Palatine.

Dates and times for memorial services are still pending.