2015 Western Amateur Golf Tournament Will Be Right Here in Kane County
Kane County will play host to another huge golf event this summer, the 113th Western Amateur on Aug. 3-8, at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, IL, and much like the recent Palmer Cup event at Rich Harvest Farms, the field will be full of elite talent.
Coming off his third U.S. Open appearance last month, 20-year-old Beau Hossler will defend his title at the 113th Western Amateur against an international field of 155 of the world’s best amateur golfers.
Hossler, a junior at Texas, will have to outplay and outlast the likes of NCAA Division I Champion Bryson DeChambeau, also a U.S. Open contestant, and Hunter Stewart, the world’s top-ranked amateur, SEC Player of the Year and recent winner of the Northeast Amateur. Hossler, DeChambeau and Stewart all made it to the Sweet 16 match play stage of last year’s Western Amateur.
“The caliber of talent in this field is truly remarkable and we are honored to host the future of professional golf,” said Jerry Rich, President of Rich Harvest Farms. “Truly that’s what this is all about, growing the game.”
Seven more 2014 Sweet 16 qualifiers are back, including a pair of promising local prospects – Illinois sophomore Nick Hardy of Northbrook, who recently made the cut in his first U.S. Open, and Texas sophomore Doug Ghim of Arlington Heights, last year’s Western Amateur medalist. Hardy’s Illinois teammate, Charlie Danielson, and another Longhorn, Big 12 Freshman of the Year Scottie Scheffler – both Sweet 16 players in ’14 –will again vie for the Western Amateur.
“As it has since its founding in 1899, the Western Amateur continues to attract the finest amateur players in the world to compete in one of the game’s most challenging formats,” said Vince Pellegrino, senior vice president of tournaments for the Western Golf Association. “Four rounds of stroke play, followed by four rounds of match play, produces a champion befitting the rich history of our championship.”
Members of the NIU Huskie Men’s Golf Team Joo-Young Lee of Hillard, OH (junior) and Salvador Rocha (incoming freshman) of Mexico City, Mexico will also play in the tournament on the Huskie’s home course. Rich and his late wife Betty Ann both graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1961.
The players will have their hands full at Rich Harvest Farms, tournament site for a number of prestigious events, including the 2009 Solheim Cup, this year’s Palmer Cup and the 2017 NCAA Championships.
Admission to the event is free and there will also be free public parking at 2330 Granart Road, Sugar Grove, IL 60554.
About the Western Amateur
This amateur golf tournament is free to attend and includes free parking. Come walk the fairways of this exclusive golf course located in nearby Sugar Grove with your family and friends! Hosted by Western Golf Association (WGA), the Western Amateur has been a prestigious national golf tournament since its inception in 1899. Each year, 156 players from around the globe are invited to play one of the most challenging formats in amateur golf. In its 100+ years of history, many of golf’s greatest names have won the Western Amateur, including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and more. For more information visit www.thewesternamateur.com. Follow the tournament on Twitter: @WesternAmateur and on Facebook by liking “Western Amateur.”
About Rich Harvest Farms
Consistently ranked in Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, Rich Harvest Farms is an ultra-private, members-only club located in Sugar Grove, Illinois. Owned and built by Jerry Rich, the course consists of 18 holes and is a 1,820-acre showcase of nature and agriculture. In addition to the 2015 Western Amateur, the course will also host the 2016 LPGA UL International Crown (July 19-24) and 2017 NCAA Division I Golf Championships (May 18-31). The course also hosted the 2009 LPGA Solheim Cup and 2015 Palmer Cup in June. For more information visit www.richharvestfarms.com and follow Rich Harvest Farms Tournaments on Twitter at @RHFTournaments.
