RORY SPEARS AKA
"THE GOG BLOG GUY"
(photo by Austin Roesch)
        of Erin Hills

Today marks another return to Erin Hills golf links in Erin Wisconsin,
for US-Amateur media day. Special guest is defending champion
Peter Uihlein who plays college golf at Oklahoma State.

I had the chance to speak with Uihlein last year at the Western Amateur
where he will compete again this year (Aug. 2-6 at NSCC), in addition
to interviewing him after he was the individual winner of the University
of Illinois/Polo golf classic at Olympia Fields last September.

Uihlein is one classy kid with a great golf game too, those Titleists he
hits fly off the clubs in his bag. His dad Wally is the CEO of Titliest
so it's easy to figure what kind of clubs he is playing. When I asked
him last fall about his future plans, he said I'll see you here next year
(at OFCC).

"I have a couple of years of school left to finish", Uihlein said proudly.
What about turning pro I asked him, he then made it clear there was
no rush. Uihlein just figured the PGA Tour will be there along with the
majors whether he is a pro in 2012 or 2013 or whenever he gets
there. Which he will when the time is right, it's already fun watching
him in the majors like the Masters, the US Open and British Open.
Uihlein played his way into all of them by winning the US Amateur
last year at Chambers Bay.


PETER UIHLEIN WITH US-AM TROPHY AT CHAMBERS BAY.

Uihlein will be a great addition to the Walker Cup team this fall, you
know he will be an important part of that team. He's somebody the
USA will want in an anchor role if the matches are tight on the final
day.

Kids have learned to find Uihlein when he plays too, seems as if he is
great about tossing a few Titleists with his Oklahoma State logos on
them to the junior golfers in his galleries. Then also great about signing
them when the round is over for the kids who make it up to the scorers
tent area. Hang on to those golfballs kids, they might be really worth
something someday.

In the meantime, go watch Uihlein play. Chicago area golf fans have
two great chances to do it for FREE. First up the Western Amateur
at Northshore CC August 2-6, then August 22-28 at Erin Hills as he
defends his US Amateur title. Uihlein is worth more than the price
of admission, especially at the current price to attend these great
golf championships.

STEVE WILLIAMS CADDY..of Adam Scott at least for the time
being anyway. William has been a bit of a celeb in the last week since
it was known he was fired by World #20 whose sinking like a brick in
water every week anyway.

Williams hasn't been known as a nice guy, around media types or fans
for a while now. Maybe that will change with a new boss. Williams
love him or hate him has been fairly open with his comments about
his ex-boss since the former employer fired him and posted it on
his website. Williams hasn't been shy about making a few comments
regarding the ex-boss, who let Williams fly from New Zealand to
the USA before he informed him that he wouldn't be needed for
US Open because the boss was still hurt.

Now comes word that Williams is considering a book deal about
time spent with the ex-boss. That could be a big seller, even though
he claims no knowledge of the ex-bosses sex scandal and habits
until it broke in the media. In the meantime it's a new day for Steve
Williams, it will be nice to see how he handles it.

CONGRATS TO KNOLLWOOD COUNTRY CLUB IN LAKE
FOREST, on now being named to the rotation of  courses for the
Western Amateur in 2016. I do plan on another visit to the course
later this summer, that has now finished all three phases of it's
renovation projects. Architect Keith Foster's work there was
sensational, and the white sand bunkers just glisten around the
renovated greens. It's a site that any camera bug would enjoy
as much as the golfer. Knollwood ranks among the Chicago
areas best private courses.

WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
THINKING...or maybe they weren't thinking at all. Illinois alum
Steve Stricker wins the John Deere in the most exciting finish of
the year on the PGA Tour and the Trib has no coverage. They
did mention NU alum Luke Donald and his win that day on the
European PGA Tour..but the chance to put pictures of NU-ILL
alums face to face holding two trophies world wide escaped
them. So did the John Deere Classic, amazing !!!!!!!

IN MAYBE HIS BIGGEST WIN SINCE THE 1991 WESTERN
OPEN RUSS COCHRAN, wins the British Senior Open at
Walton Heath GC...victories have been far and few for Cochran
one of the nice guys in pro golf. Enjoy Russ, you earned it.

DON'T FORGET..Golfers on Golf Radio tonight at 6 PM on
WJJG-AM 1530 and live on line at www.wjjgam1530.com.
Guests now include Michael Miller IPGA Executive Director,
and Chad Arsich of www.localamateurgolf.com. And maybe
another surprise or two.

THE RAIN HAS STOPPED...GO PLAY...the Gog Blog
returns with a recap of day 1 at the Illinois Open on Monday
night. The comments in this column are those of Rory Spears,
and not always those of my fellow Golfers on Golf Radio
partners Ed Stevenson, Mike Munro and Billy Burger. Even
though at time they could be.