Chicagoland Golf publisher loved the game he covered

Phil Kosin considered himself a regular guy, a Chicago guy, a real man of the people.

Whether it was through the pages of his bi-weekly Chicagoland Golf publication or over the radio airwaves on Saturday mornings, that was exactly the way he came across when talking passionately - and often bluntly - about the sport he loved.

Kosin, 59, died Monday night at Edward Hospital in Naperville following a four year battle with cancer.

"He was larger than life," said Joanne Miller, who worked alongside Kosin for seven years as the assistant editor of Chicagoland Golf. "He was such a personality. He had the radio show - he loved that show - and he was a celebrity.

"But he was also a very private person, one who I knew and loved and will miss dearly."

According to his own biography on his blog, Kosin started covering sports at his high school for City News Bureau and two local newspapers, earning $32.50 a week. Although he played on some of those teams, he tried to balance "being honest in his stories and coexisting with his coaches and teammates."

Kosin went on to cover many of Chicago's professional sports teams, but it was golf that was always his passion.

The first tournament he covered was the Western Open in 1975 and since then he covered, by his count, over 500 golf tournaments and about 60 majors.

"He really enjoyed talking the game," Miller said. "I learned so much from him over the seven years I was with him."

After freelancing for several regional golf publications for many years, he became editor of Illinois Golfer in 1986. Three years later Kosin founded Chicagoland Golf. Since then it has become the longest-running golf publication in Chicago history.

"He started Chicagoland Golf with absolutely nothing but the foresight that it was needed and could be done and done well," Miller said. "He stuck with it because he knew if it was done right, people would need it and flock to it. And they did."

Kosin used that same stick-to-itiveness when it came to lobbying for a Women's Illinois Open. After speaking out for years on the need for a Women's Open, Kosin took it upon himself to start and run the tournament 15 years ago.

"For the first 12 or 13 years when there wasn't enough money coming in, he covered it out of his own pocket," Miller said. "That's how important the tournament was to him."

His voice will be missed.

"For over two decades Phil has been synonymous with golf in Illinois," said Michael Miller, Illinois PGA executive director. "Through his passion for the game and his dedication to covering and reporting golf at both the local and national levels, Phil earned a reputation as a very credible and respected voice within the industry.

"His friendship and support will be greatly missed."

Kosin is survived by his wife Kathy, his father Joe, sisters Paula and Maggie and his brother Greg.

Funeral arrangements are pending.