GLENVIEW, Ill. – November 11, 2019 – The Illinois PGA has finalized its Open Championship schedule for the 2020 season. Returning in 2020 will be the Illinois Open Championship, the Illinois Senior Open Championship and the Illinois Super Senior Open Championship. The Illinois PGA will also be partnering with Mistwood Golf Club to assist with the running of the Illinois Women’s Open.
For the first time since 2016, the Illinois Open will be moving away from The Glen Club. The Glen Club has served as the Illinois Open Championship site for six of past eight seasons. The 71st Illinois Open Championship will be played at White Eagle Golf Club and Stonebridge Country Club.
“We cherish the relationship that we have with The Glen Club and Kemper Sports,” said Carrie Williams, Executive Director of the Illinois PGA Section. “The Illinois Open will be returning to The Glen Club in the future, but we are excited to move our state championship of golf around the state of Illinois.”
White Eagle Golf Club in Naperville, Ill. will be the Championship site for 71st Illinois Open, while Stonebridge Country Club, located just down the road, will be the companion course.
“We are thrilled to host the 71st Illinois Open at White Eagle,” said Curtis Malm, Head PGA Professional at White Eagle Golf Club. “The Illinois Open showcases the best golfers in the state of Illinois, both Professionals and amateurs and we couldn’t be happier to bring this event to White Eagle.”
The 71st Illinois Open will take place August 3-5, 2020. The first two rounds will be played at White Eagle Golf Club and Stonebridge Country Club with the final round being played at White Eagle Golf Club. Qualifying events for the Illinois Open will begin in late June. The Illinois Open has a 264-player field. Any legal resident (professional or amateur) of the State of Illinois is eligible to qualify for the Illinois Open. Amateurs must carry a verified handicap index of 10.0 or less.
New in 2020, the Illinois PGA will be partnering with Mistwood Golf Club to assist with the running of the Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open.
“We are excited to partner with Mistwood Golf Club to assist with this already highly regarded tournament,” said Williams. “The Illinois Women’s Open features some of the best female golfers in Illinois as well as throughout the Midwest and rest of the country, and Mistwood has been a great host of this tournament for many years.”
2020 will mark the 26th anniversary for the Illinois Women’s Open. This event is open to all female professionals and amateurs with a USGA handicap of 15.0 or less. The Illinois Women’s Open is 54-hole championship with the first 36-holes being played on day one. Following round two, the field will be cut to approximately the low 40 percent and ties, for the final round, and takes place in mid-July.
“We are excited to partner with the Illinois PGA to further the reach of the Phil Kosin Illinois Women’s Open at Mistwood Golf Club,” said Andy Mickelson, Director of Golf at Mistwood Golf Club. “This event has been the foundation for competitive women’s golf in Illinois and we have been the proud host for the last 20 years. It was Phil’s wish to host the best women in Illinois tournament golf and beyond. Partnering with the Illinois PGA will only further ensure that his legacy and the highest levels of women’s tournament golf remains in Illinois.”
The Illinois Senior Open will be returning to Royal Fox Country Club in 2020, following its first appearance at this location in 2019. The Illinois Senior Open is a 36-hole event with no cut and is open to any legal resident (professional or amateur) of the State of Illinois who has reached the age of 50 by the scheduled first day of the event. Amateurs must carry a verified handicap index of 10.0 or less. The Illinois Senior Open will take place in late September.
The Illinois Super Senior Open will return to its original host site of Pine Meadow Golf Club in 2020. This event had previously been held at Makray Golf Club the last two years. The Illinois Super Senior Open is a 36-hole event without a cut. There will be an overall champion and four (4) different age divisions champions (60-64, 65-69, 70-74 and 75 and up). This event is open to any legal resident (professional or amateur) of the State of Illinois who has reached the age of 60 by the first day of the event. Amateurs must carry a verified handicap index of 14.0 or less. This event will be played in early October.
About the Illinois PGA/Illinois PGA Foundation
The Illinois Section of the PGA of America is a professional organization serving the men and women golf professionals in northern and central Illinois who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf. The Illinois PGA is responsible for the administration of competitive golf tournaments, educational opportunities, support programs and growth of the game initiatives. With over 840 members and apprentices, the Illinois PGA is one of the 41 regional Sections that comprise the PGA of America. The Illinois PGA Foundation focuses its community efforts on promoting the goodwill and growth of the game with an emphasis on activities that benefit youth. Foundation initiatives include: GolfWorks Illinois, Youth-based Scholarship Funds and the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame. For more information about the Illinois PGA and the Illinois PGA Foundation, please visit www.www.ipga.com and join us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
CONTACT:
Kevin Quinn
Illinois PGA Communications
708.336.1294 mobile
847.729.4102 office
kbquinn@pgahq.com