2023 Illinois PGA Full Schedule
GOLF, Ill. – February 10, 2023 – The Illinois PGA has announced its tournament schedule for the 2023 season. This season will feature over 50 Illinois PGA Section events. The types of events will vary each week. The 2023 schedule will showcase Illinois PGA Major Championships, the Illinois Open Series, Illinois Open Qualifiers, single-day Stroke Play Events, Pro-Special Events, and Pro-Am Events.
2023 Illinois PGA Major Championships:
The 2023 Illinois PGA tournament schedule is highlighted by the Illinois PGA Major Championships; the Illinois PGA Match Play Championship presented by Harris Golf Cars, the 74th Illinois Open Championship, the Nadler Golf Cars Illinois PGA Professional Championship, and the Illinois PGA Players Championship.
The Illinois PGA Majors kick off with the Illinois PGA Match Play presented by Harris Golf Cars. This event will return to Bull Valley Golf Club for the second time in three years. The Match Play Championship will again be accompanied by a Stroke Play qualifier for seeding into the event. The Stroke Play event will be held on Monday, May 8 with the Match Play rounds taking place the following three days from May 9-11. The defending Champion of this event is Chris Nieto, PGA (Exmoor Country Club).
The Illinois Open Championship is venturing south in 2023. For the first time in the Championship’s 73 years, the Illinois Open will be contested at Flossmoor Golf Club. The Illinois Open made a permanent transition to a one-site Championship in 2021 following the restructuring during the COVID-19 pandemic. David Perkins (East Peoria, IL) is the defending Champion of this event.
There will be seven Illinois Open qualifiers throughout the state in the months of June and July. The registration deadline for all qualifiers is Monday, June 19. The full list of qualifying sites and dates is listed below:
- Illinois Open Qualifier #1 – Deerfield Golf Club – June 21, 2023
- Illinois Open Qualifier #2 – Willow Crest Golf Club – June 29, 2023
- Illinois Open Qualifier #3 – Maple Meadows Golf Club – July 5, 2023
- Illinois Open Qualifier #4 – Ironwood Golf Course – July 13, 2023
- Illinois Open Qualifier #5 – Sunset Valley Golf Club – July 17, 2023
- Illinois Open Qualifier #6 – The Hawk Country Club – July 19, 2023
- Illinois Open Last Chance Qualifier – Countryside Golf Club (Prairie) – July 26
The Illinois Open will once again be accompanied by the Illinois Open Pro-Am, which will take place Sunday, July 30 at Flossmoor Golf Club on the eve of the 74th Illinois Open. Teams can register for this event at ipga.com. A competitor from the field will be assigned as the pro to each team that participates in this event.
The Nadler Golf Cars Illinois PGA Professional Championship will be contested at Thunderhawk Golf Club for the first time in event history on August 14-16. As in years past the Section Championship also serves as the qualifier for the National PGA Professional Championship. A total of 10 Illinois PGA Members will qualify for the National Championship in 2024.
Twin Orchard Country Club will play host to an Illinois PGA Major Championship for the first time since 2020. In 2020, Twin Orchard played host to the Senior Players Championship. In 2023 the Illinois PGA Players Championship will be contested at Twin Orchard. The Players is set for October 9-10 and will no longer be an invite-only event for the top 36 players on the Bernardi Illinois PGA Player of the Year points race. In 2023, the Illinois PGA Players Championship will return to its traditional form of allowing any Class-A Illinois PGA Member or Associate to register for the event. The Illinois PGA will use both the White and Red course at Twin Orchard for this event. Kevin Flack (Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Club) is the defending Players Champion.
2023 Illinois Senior Major Championships:
In addition to the regular division Major Championships, the Illinois PGA will also administer four Senior Major Championships in 2023.
The XXIO Illinois Senior Open Championship will return to the Preserve at Oak Meadows for the second consecutive year on June 26-27. This event is open to any legal resident (professional or amateur) of the State of Illinois who has reached the age of 50 by June 26. All amateurs must carry a verified handicap index of 10.0 or less. Mike Small, PGA (University of Illinois) is the defending Champion of the XXIO Illinois Senior Open Championship.
The Nadler Golf Cars Illinois Senior PGA Professional Championship is the premier Senior event on the Illinois PGA schedule and will serve as the national qualifier for the Senior PGA Professional Championship. This event will return to its traditional home of the Merit Club on August 7-8. The Illinois Senior PGA Professional Championship was contested at the Merit Club from 2017-2020 before moving locations in 2021 and 2022. Roy Biancalana, PGA (The Hawk Country Club) is the defending Champion of this event.
Ridge Country Club will host the third Illinois Senior Major Championship in 2023. The Illinois PGA Match Play Championship will be contested on October 2-4 at Ridge Country Club. Roy Biancalana, PGA (The Hawk Country Club) is the defending Champion of this event.
The final Senior Major Championship for 2023 is the Illinois PGA Senior Players Championship. The location of this event is still to be announced but it is scheduled to take place on October 16-17 as the final Player of the Year points-eligible event of the 2023 season. New in 2023, this event will no longer be an invitational. The Illinois Senior Players Championship will now be open to all senior Illinois PGA Members and Associates. David Paeglow, PGA (Kishwaukee Country Club) is the defending Illinois PGA Senior Players Champion.
The Illinois Super Senior Open will return to its traditional site of Pine Meadow Golf Club from August 29 – 30. Doug Bauman, PGA (Biltmore Country Club) is the defending Champion of this event.
2023 Assistant Major Championships
There are two Illinois PGA Assistant Major Championships on the 2023 schedule. The National Car Rental Illinois Assistant PGA Professional Championship will take place on June 12 at Briarwood Country Club, and serve as the national qualifier for the National Car Rental Assistant PGA Professional Championship. Kevin Flack (Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Club) is the defending Champion of this event.
The second Illinois PGA Assistant Major Championship is the season-long Assistant Match Play Championship. Matches will be played from June 12 – October 20. Players that register for this event will be responsible for scheduling their matches with their opponents throughout the season. The Illinois PGA will provide match deadline dates for each round for which all players must complete their matches by. Paul Schlimm, Jr. (Chicago Highlands Club) is the defending Illinois PGA Assistant Match Play Champion.
2023 Illinois PGA Stroke Play Schedule:
The Illinois PGA Stroke Play series is back in full force for the 2023 season. There will be six Illinois PGA Stroke Play events in 2023. The full Stroke Play calendar is listed below:
- Illinois PGA Stroke Play #1 – Bull Valley Golf Club – May 8, 2023
- Illinois PGA Stroke Play #2 – Schaumburg Golf Club – May 15, 2023
- Illinois PGA Stroke Play #3 – Beverly Country Club – May 30, 2023
- Illinois PGA Stroke Play #4 – TBA – June 19, 2023
- Illinois PGA Stroke Play #5 – Oak Park Country Club – July 10, 2023
- Illinois PGA Stroke Play #6 – Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Club – September 11, 2023
2023 will mirror the previous three seasons for all Assistants and Senior Stroke Play divisions. The Illinois PGA no longer holds individual Assistant Stroke Plays or Senior Stroke Plays. Instead, there will be Assistant and Senior divisions within all Stroke Play events.
2023 Illinois PGA Pro-Am Events
In addition to the Illinois Open Pro-Am, the Illinois PGA will administer six Pro-Ams in 2023. Three Pro-Ams will be Illinois PGA Section events, and the other three will support the Illinois PGA Foundation.
The Las Vegas Pro-Am will take place on March 12-16 at Dragon Ridge Country Club, Cascata, and Las Vegas Country Club. For the second straight year, the Illinois PGA Fall Travel Pro-Am will be held at Whistling Straits. This event is scheduled for October 8-9. The Illinois PGA is also introducing two new Pro-Am events in 2023. The Spring Travel Pro-Am will make its debut on May 21-22 at Harbor Shores Resort and Lost Dunes.
2023 Illinois PGA Foundation Pro-Am Events:
Also new in 2023, the Illinois PGA Foundation has teamed up with SWAG Golf to introduce the Illinois PGA Foundation/SWAG Golf Pro-Am. This event will take place on September 29 at Flossmoor Golf Club.
The Ryne Sandberg Illinois PGA Foundation Pro-Am will return for a fifth straight year. The date and location for this event are still to be announced.
The Meyer Brown Miller Invitational Pro-Am will return this fall to the Pinehurst area. This event will be played at Forest Creek Golf Club (North), Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, and Forest Creek Golf Club (South) on October 23-25.
Illinois PGA Foundation Birdies for Charity Event:
The Illinois PGA’s Birdies for Charity event will be celebrating its 13th Anniversary in 2023. This annual fundraising event will take place on Tuesday, September 5 at River Forest Country Club. Last year, Birdies for Charity raised a record-high $600,000 bringing the 12-year total to $3.33 million funds raised for the benefiting charities.
Annual Team Events:
Three annual team events will return to the Illinois PGA schedule in 2023. The 61st Radix Cup, which features the top 11 Illinois PGA Professionals playing as two-man teams against the top 11 Chicago District Golf Association (CDGA) amateurs, will be played at Oak Park Country Club on June 15. The Thompson Cup Matches are a match play team event between the top CDGA Senior amateurs and the top Illinois PGA Senior Professionals. This event will be played at Ridge Country Club on June 1. The Royal Cup Matches are set to take place on September 29 at Ozaukee, Wisconsin in Mequon, Wisconsin. The Royal Cup Matches are a team event featuring Wisconsin Assistant PGA Professionals and Illinois Assistant PGA Professionals. In 2022, the Illinois PGA won the Royal Cup Matches outright for the first time since 2015.
The Illinois PGA’s full schedule for 2023 can be seen HERE.
About the Illinois PGA/Illinois PGA Foundation
The Illinois Section of the PGA of America is a professional organization serving men and women golf professionals in northern and central Illinois who are 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 760 members and associates, 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, PGA HOPE (Helping our Patriots Everywhere), Illinois PGA Birdies for Charity, and the Illinois Golf Hall of Fame. For more information about the Illinois PGA and the Illinois PGA Foundation, please visit www.ipga.com and join us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
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CONTACT:
Kevin Quinn
Illinois PGA Communications
708.336.1294 mobile
kbquinn@pgahq.com