Championships for Scholarships

Championships for Scholarships Contact: Gary Holaway Communications Director Western Golf Association (847) 924-8276 [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEVEN CHICAGO AREA CLUBS JOIN WESTERN AMATEUR ROTA TION GOLF, IL (July 30, 2008) – Seven Chicago -area clubs will take turns hosting the prestigious Western Amateur golf championship from 2009 through 2015, the Western Golf Association has announced . The clubs included in the rotation to host the championship are: 2009 – Conway Farms Golf Club, Lake Forest 2010 – Skokie Country Club, Glencoe 2011 – North Shore Country Club, Glenview 2012 – Exmoor Country Club, Highland Park 2013 – Olympia Fields Country Club (South Course) , Olympia Fields 2014 – The Beverl y Country Club, Chicago 2015 – Rich Harvest Farms, Sugar Grove WGA Chairman John Fix said the association is appreciative of the support shown by the clubs in stepping forward and welcoming the Western Amateur back to the Chicago area. “We found this s elect group of clubs very receptive to the idea ,” Fix said. “W e’re happy to be able to announce a lineup through 2015 that includes such prominent clubs.” “T his is a very positive development for both the championship as well as our Evans Scholarships,” Fix added . “It gives the Western Golf Association the opportunity to present, at the highest level, the best of amateur golf to the people of Chicago. At the same time, all of these clubs have been very strong supporters of the Evans Scholars Program an d have had numerous Evans Scholars from their clubs, so this is a perfect fit for us. ” In February, t he Wester n Golf Association announced that f ollowing the 2008 Western Amateur, Point O’Woods Golf & Country Club’s 38-year tradition of annually hosting t he Western Amateur was coming to an end. WGA officials decided to explore the possibility of rotating the Western Amateur among a handful of Chicago -area clubs. “Our goal wa s to move it around to a select group of clubs that support the Western Golf Association and the Evans Scholarship Program and that also feature quality, championship venues capable of challenging the world’s top amateur golfers,” said John Kaczkowski, WGA vice president of tournaments . “We’re looking forward to bringing the Western Ama teur championship to the Chicago area for the first time since 1952, when the tournament was hosted by Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park.” Point O’Woods G. & C.C. in Benton Harbor, Michigan, initially hosted the Western Amateur in 1963. The championsh ip returned to Point O’Woods in 1965 and then was anchored at the club starting in 1971. The Western Amateur – first held in 1899 at the Glen View Club in Golf, Illinois – has from its inception been regarded as one of the major amateur golf events in th e world. The list of the Western Amateur champions is headed by Tiger Woods, who won in 1994, and Phil Mickelson, who won in 1991. Woods’ victory was his first major win in amateur competition, coming just three weeks before he claimed the 1994 U.S. Amate ur title. Having played in four Western Amateurs, Woods dubbed the tournament “the Masters of amateur golf.” Also past winners of the Western Amateur include such notables as Justin Leonard (1992-93), Chris DiMarco (1988), Scott Verplank (1985), Hal Sutto n (1979-80), Curtis Strange (1974), Ben Crenshaw (1973), Andy North (1971) and Tom Weiskopf (1963). Qualifying for the Western Amateur’s “Sweet 16” match play competition is one of the treasured accomplishments each year among the world’s top-ranked amate urs. The Western Amateur champions roll call includes representatives from 24 states, Canada, Australia and South Africa. # # #.

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