Page 59 - 2018 Western Amateur Commemerative Program—Skokie Ridge Country Club

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HISTORY OF SUNSET RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB

Aerial view of the clubhouse in 1972, the year of the Western Open.
Mary Lou Daniels was the finalist in be the first PGA TOUR event held in Championship (formerly Western
the 1961 Women’s Western Junior Open Chicago’s northern suburbs in 44 years Open) in 2013. A detailed retrospective
at Sunset Ridge and she won the event — since the 1928 Western Open was story of the 1972 Western Open, and
the following year in 1962 at Lake played at neighboring North Shore how the club was selected to host the
Geneva Country Club. Country Club in Glenview. tournament, can be found in the pages
following the club’s golf history.
During Labor Day weekend 1969
Sunset Ridge welcomed 144 PGA Tour
Virginia Ingram won her final SRCC players to the 1972 Western Open Sunset Ridge’s support of the Illinois
Ladies Club Championship. Ingram including stars Johnny Miller, Chi Chi PGA section continued on July 6, 2009,
was Sunset Ridge’s inaugural Ladies Rodriguez, Hale Irwin, Tom Watson, when the club hosted the Illinois PGA
Hubert Green, Ray Floyd, Billy Casper
Stroke Play. The day ended with an
Champion in 1924 and during a 45-
year span from 1924–1969 she won 38 along with tour veterans Bob Charles, unusual four-way tie for first place
SRCC Ladies championships. George Archer and Bob Rosburg. CBS at 68.
televised Friday and Saturday rounds
To honor Ingram’s historic golf On August 17, 2016, Sunset Ridge was
as Sunset Ridge’s greens baffled and
achievements, Sunset Ridge annually the site of the U.S. Senior Women’s
frustrated the TOUR’s best players.
awards “The Virginia Ingram Trophy” Amateur Qualifier won by Sydney
Bruce Crampton, who had won the
to the ladies club champion. Wells with a 77.
Western the previous year at Olympia
During 1971, the Chicago Women’s Fields, told the Chicago Tribune that Over the last several years, Sunset
District Golf Association also named “Sunset Ridge’s greens are like Ridge has supported local junior golf
their annual championship trophy billiard tables!” by hosting a annual tournament
“The Virginia Ingram Trophy” in between Glenbrook South, Loyola,
Jim Jamieson, a relative newcomer to
recognition of Ingram being the only Glenbrook North and other area
the PGA TOUR, won the Western Open,
three-time winner (1936, 1938, 1942) high schools.
finishing 13 under with a six-shot lead
of the annual CDGA Ladies
over Labron Harris, Jr. and a nine-shot In 2016 the Western Golf Association
Championship.
lead over future three-time U.S. Open awarded Sunset Ridge the 2018
The 1972 Western Open was played at champ Hale Irwin. Western Amateur. The tournament
Sunset Ridge from June 22–25. The club continues Sunset Ridge’s proud history
A near-record crowd of 58,000 attended
had just completed a major renovation and legacy of supporting the WGA,
the four-day tournament. The 1972
that included expansion of the the Evans Scholars Foundation and
Western Open was the last PGA TOUR
men’s locker room. The prestigious amateur golf.
stop on Chicago’s North Shore until
tournament would mark Sunset
Conway Farms hosted the BMW
Ridge’s 50th anniversary. It would also

2018 WESTERN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP History of Sunset Ridge Country Club 57