Chicago Golf Report

2012 Illinois Open Golf Championship at The Glen Club

The biggest local golf event in Illinois takes place this week as the 63rd Illinois Open Championship is contested at the beautiful Glen Club in Glenview. The tournament runs from July 16-18 and features some of the top local players in the game.

The Illinois Open is run by the Illinois PGA and is a 54-hole championship over three days to determine the state’s finest golfer. Professionals and amateurs with a handicap of 10 or less who reside within the state of Illinois are eligible to qualify. The championship field includes the top 156 golfers who advanced through the Illinois Open qualifiers.

2011 Champion Philip Arouca is back to defend his title at The Glen Club, where he is a member. Arouca’s familiarity with the golf course will serve him well as he tries to keep Mike Small from a record-tying fifth Illinois Open title. Arouca won last year at Hawthorn Woods Country Club, which hosted the Illinois Open for the past four years.

The event returns in 2012 to The Glen Club, which hosted the tournament between 2002 and 2007. “We are very excited to be hosting the Illinois Open at The Glen Club for a seventh time,” said Steve Skinner, CEO of KemperSports, which owns The Glen Club. “The Glen Club is one of the top courses in Illinois and it will prove to be a challenging test for the state’s best players.”

Defending champion Arouca, 27, of Wilmette captured the 2011 Illinois Open crown after finishing with a 54-hole total of 202 (-11). His margin of victory was three strokes over amateur Michael Schachner from Libertyville, and four strokes over Matt Miller from Bloomington as well as Bennett Blakeman from Burr Ridge. Arouca earned $15,500 for the victory, his first Illinois Open title.

Past winners of the Illinois Open include Senior PGA standouts Gary Hallberg, David Ogrin and Lance Ten Broeck, who led the 2012 US Senior Open after two rounds. Felice Torza won the first Illinois Open Championship in 1950 at legendary Onwentsia Country Club in Lake Forest. Gary Pinns is the all-time leader in wins with five.

You can follow the event this week at the Illinois PGA website.

2012 Illinois Open Championship

The Glen Club
2901 W Lake Ave
Glenview, IL
(847) 724-7272

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