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Will the PGA TOUR Return to Chicago? A Look at Chicagoland’s Tournament-Ready Courses

March 15, 2026

During a press conference ahead of THE PLAYERS Championship, PGA TOUR CEO Brian Rolapp mentioned Chicago as one of the major U.S. markets the TOUR hopes to serve more effectively in the future.

“We’re looking at opportunities to be in some of the largest media markets in the United States that we’re not currently serving as well as we could — markets like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington D.C.”

For Chicago golf fans, the comment raises an intriguing possibility:

Could a regular PGA TOUR event return to the Chicagoland area?

Chicago has one of the richest professional golf histories in the United States. From hosting the 1897 US Open and major championships to PGA TOUR events, LPGA tournaments, Korn Ferry Tour stops, and even LIV Golf, the region has hosted world-class competitions over the past 120+ years.

Today, Chicago hosts the PGA TOUR periodically through the BMW Championship, which rotates among several venues. But the TOUR currently does not stage a regular annual event in the nation’s third-largest media market. The last stroke-play PGA Tour event that we hosted was the 2023 BMW Championship at Olympia Fields.

If that were to change, Chicagoland has no shortage of potential venues.

Below is a look at many of the courses that have hosted professional golf events in the Chicago area since 1950, along with the challenges and possibilities of bringing a full-time PGA TOUR stop back to the region.

2023 BMW Championship at Olympia Fields

Historic PGA TOUR and Major Championship Venues

Olympia Fields Country Club

Major events hosted include:

U.S. Open (1928, 2003)
BMW Championship (2020, 2023)

The North Course remains one of the most respected championship venues in the Midwest and is widely considered capable of hosting the game’s biggest events.

Medinah Country Club

BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club

Medinah’s famed Course No. 3 has hosted:

Ryder Cup (2012)
PGA Championship (1999, 2006)
BMW Championship (2019)

The course has recently completed a major redesign by the architecture firm Ogilvy Cocking Mead and will soon host one of the biggest events in international golf, the 2026 Presidents Cup.

Cog Hill Golf & Country Club (Dubsdread)

The Motorola Western Open at Cog Hill

For decades, Cog Hill served as Chicago’s primary PGA TOUR venue.

The famous Dubsdread (Course No. 4) hosted the Western Open from 1991 through 2006.

As a public course with deep tournament history, Cog Hill remains a fan favorite whenever the discussion of Chicago PGA TOUR venues arises.

Courses That Have Hosted Recent Professional Events

Rich Harvest Farms

Rich Harvest Farms

Located in Sugar Grove, Rich Harvest Farms has hosted several high-profile events:

LIV Golf Chicago
Solheim Cup (2009)
NCAA Championships

Owner Jerry Rich designed the facility specifically with championship tournaments in mind.

Conway Farms Golf Club

BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club

Its North Shore location and tournament infrastructure make it another logical candidate.

Other Chicagoland Courses With Professional Event History

Chicago’s tournament history extends well beyond PGA TOUR venues.

Chicago Golf Club – One of the oldest golf clubs in the United States, Chicago Golf Club hosted the U.S. Senior Women’s Open in 2018 is scheduled to host the U.S. Women’s Open in 2033.
Butler National Golf Club – Butler National hosted the Western Open for many years before the tournament moved to Cog Hill.
Kemper Lakes Golf Club – Kemper Lakes hosted the PGA Championship in 1989, won by Payne Stewart and the 2018 Women’s PGA Championship.
Merit Club – Merit Club hosted the Solheim Cup in 2000.
La Grange Country Club – La Grange hosted the US Women’s Open in 1974 and 1981.
North Shore Country Club – North Shore has hosted both Korn Ferry Tour and Champions Tour events.
Harborside International Golf Center – Located just minutes from downtown Chicago, Harborside has hosted professional and developmental tour events.

Merit Club

Additional Tournament Venues

Other Chicagoland facilities that have hosted professional or elite amateur competitions include:

Bolingbrook Golf Club – hosted LIV Golf Chicago
Chicago Highlands Club – hosted the 2020 Evans Scholars Invitational
The Glen Club – hosts the Evans Scholars Invitational
Stonebridge Country Club – hosted the Ameritech Senior Open Golf Championship in 1994
Shoreacres – hosted the Jackson T. Stephens Cup.

Shoreacres

The Success of Recent Professional Events in Chicago

Recent tournaments demonstrate that Chicago remains one of the strongest professional golf markets in the United States.

The 2023 BMW Championship at Olympia Fields

The 2023 BMW Championship at Olympia Fields delivered one of the most memorable tournaments of the PGA TOUR season. The event featured the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings, with spectators filling the North Course throughout the week.

The tournament was ultimately won by Viktor Hovland, who produced a record-setting final round to capture the title. The event highlighted Chicago’s ability to host a world-class golf tournament with strong attendance, enthusiastic crowds, and a championship-level golf course.

LIV Golf’s Attendance Success at Bolingbrook

LIV Golf at Bolingbrook Golf Club

When LIV Golf Chicago was hosted at Bolingbrook Golf Club in 2025, the event recorded the highest attendance of any LIV Golf tournament held in the United States.

The strong turnout reinforced the idea that the Chicago golf market remains eager for elite professional competition.

Why Hosting a PGA TOUR Event Is So Challenging

While Chicago has many tournament-worthy courses, hosting a modern PGA TOUR event requires far more than great golf architecture.

Infrastructure

A TOUR event requires extensive facilities including:

television compounds
corporate hospitality structures
media centers
merchandise villages
practice facilities

These installations can occupy dozens of acres surrounding the course.

Parking and transportation

Events must accommodate tens of thousands of spectators, requiring large parking areas and shuttle systems.

Course shutdown time

Courses often close several weeks before the tournament for construction and preparation.

These logistical requirements eliminate many otherwise excellent golf courses from consideration.

The Five Most Likely Courses to Host a Future Chicago PGA TOUR Event

Based on tournament history, infrastructure, and geography, several courses stand out.

Olympia Fields Country Club – With two BMW Championships in recent years and a strong championship layout, Olympia Fields remains one of the most tournament-ready venues in the Midwest.
Medinah Country Club – Following its redesign by Ogilvy Cocking Mead, Medinah’s Course No. 3 will again host global competition with the 2026 Presidents Cup, making it a strong future PGA TOUR candidate.
Rich Harvest Farms – Rich Harvest Farms was built with championship events in mind and has already hosted the Solheim Cup, NCAA Championships, and LIV Golf.
Cog Hill Golf & Country Club – Cog Hill’s Dubsdread course hosted the Western Open for 15 years and remains a historic fan favorite.
Conway Farms Golf Club – Conway Farms has successfully hosted multiple BMW Championships and offers a strategic Tom Fazio design near Chicago’s North Shore.

A Chicago Rotation?

If the PGA TOUR were to establish a regular Chicago event, it might not need to rely on a single venue. Instead, the tournament could rotate among several courses — similar to how The Open Championship rotates among historic links venues.

A Chicago rotation could include:

Olympia Fields
Medinah
Rich Harvest Farms
Conway Farms
Cog Hill

This model would allow multiple clubs to share hosting duties while showcasing the diversity of Chicago-area golf.

The Jackson Park Vision

Another concept once proposed for Chicago involved transforming Jackson Park Golf Course into a championship municipal venue.

The project, designed by Tiger Woods, envisioned rebuilding Jackson Park into a world-class public golf facility capable of hosting a PGA TOUR event. However, the proposal ultimately lost political and community support and was never completed.

Why Chicago Is Still One of the Most Important Golf Markets in America

Despite not hosting a regular PGA TOUR stop, Chicago remains one of the most important golf markets in the country.

The region features:

Hundreds of public and private golf courses
Some of the oldest golf clubs in the United States
A large population of avid golfers
A long history of hosting major championships and professional tournaments

Events like the BMW Championship, LIV Golf Chicago, and the upcoming Presidents Cup at Medinah continue to demonstrate the region’s ability to support world-class golf competitions. Chicago also remains home to one of the country’s most vibrant golf communities, with passionate fans, historic clubs, and a deep connection to the game.

Brian Rolapp’s recent comments suggest the PGA TOUR is again evaluating how it can better serve major markets like Chicago. If the TOUR ultimately returns with a regular event, the real question may not be whether Chicago is capable of hosting it. It may be which course will get the opportunity.