Sitting atop the leaderboard at Medinah Country Club with a four-stroke advantage, Mike Small heads into the final round of the Nadler Golf Cars 86th Illinois PGA Championship/PPNC (PGA Professional National Championship) with the opportunity to rewrite the Illinois PGA history books--again.
 Small, 42, University of Illinois men's head golf coach, had an up and down day but managed to post his second consecutive 67, finishing with five birdies, three bogeys and an eagle on the par-5 10th hole.
"I hit driver in the right rough, caught a break, had a opening and hit 8-iron to about a foot," said Small about his eagle. "I actually hit it better yesterday than I did today but I played the par 5’s at four-under-par which was the difference."
Small's two-day total of 134 (-8) is four better than first round leader Chris Happ, assistant golf professional at Winnetka G.C., who after a great start, ran into trouble toward the end of his round by making bogey on the third and fourth holes, and a triple bogey on the fifth hole.
"I had it to three-under-par for today’s round then hit a tough stretch," said Happ. "I started off really well but kind of lost focus there for a little bit."
Happ, 28, sits alone in second place with a total of 138 (-4), four strokes behind Small. In third place is Country Club of Decatur head golf professional Steve Orrick, who's second round 69 (139 total) helped cement his spot in the final group in Wednesday's final round.
"You never know what will happen," Happ said about the deficit. "Any time you spot the best club professional in the country four strokes, you are at a decided disadvantage."
With the victory, Small would secure his sixth consecutive Illinois PGA Championship title and record seventh title overall.
"I’ve been in this position before," said Small. "I had some good up and down saves today. I just made too many bogeys. I can’t make three bogeys like I did today."
 After being held at Stonewall Orchard Golf Club in Grayslake, Ill. the past three years, the Championship moved south to Medinah Country Club’s Course #1.
The legendary Medinah Country Club has hosted six major championships including the 1999 PGA Championship, three U.S. Open Championships (1949, 1975, 1990) and, most recently, the 2006 PGA Championship. Medinah will also host the 39th Ryder Cup Matches in September 2012, the first ever Ryder Cup Matches held in Illinois.
Long-time Illinois PGA partner Nadler Golf Cars is once again be the title sponsor of the Illinois PGA Championship & PPNC. In 2005, Nadler Golf Cars signed on as the title partner for three-years that elevated the Section’s premier member championship to record purse levels every year. This past spring, Nadler extended their commitment through 2010. Presenting PPNC sponsors will include Club Car, PGA TOUR, Titleist, FootJoy, and Cobra Golf.
The Nadler Golf Cars 86th Illinois PGA Championship/PPNC purse is estimated to be $85,000, matching the largest purse in the history of the event. The Illinois PGA Champion, along with the estimated top 11 finishers, will receive an exemption to play in the 42nd PGA Professional National Championship, which will be contested June 25–July 1, 2009 at Twin Warriors Golf Club in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.
The 2008 starting field was comprised of 156 participants and 7 past champions. The final round will take place on Wednesday, August 27th beginning at 8:00 a.m. off the first and tenth tees. |
